The walls of a grand old country pub have stood tall for generations in a river town where diggers returned from war, couples married, footy teams won and lost, and floods raged.
When publicans Kate and Travis Lee re-opened the doors of the hotel in Rochester, central Victoria, in March, they wanted to honour those 155 years of rich rural history.
The couple took on The Local 3561, first known as the Commercial Hotel, honouring the unique character of their community after floods inundated the town of 3000 in October 2022.
Like many other locals, the Lees spent nearly two years living in a caravan while their house was repaired.
It made them determined to stay in their hometown to usher in a new chapter for their beloved "Rochy".
"That was the biggest thing," Ms Lee told AAP. "Once you sell, or people leave, what happens to our town?
"We really wanted to invest back in our community ... and leave a footprint."
Rochester, a postcard perfect country town on the Campaspe River, has come back in a big way through community collaboration, sport, music, art and culture.
Soon after the floods, the local Rotary Club organised Songs at the Silos, utilising the talents of a local opera singer for a performance in front of the town's towering grain stores.
"Music is just soothing for the soul," Rotarian Heather Watson said of the 2025 and 2026 events.
"A lot of people were still out of their homes or just getting back into their homes at the time.
"(Some) had been out of town, some were coming back, some never would, but it was a good chance for people to get together and renew friendships."
The community also hosts Rochester Mural Festival, with artists painting mural boards according to a new theme each year, and the Sips and Sounds food and music event.
Cultural and community events are key to both disaster recovery and preparedness, according to national research backed by the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal.
The research examined the effect of concerts, exhibitions and women's gatherings after droughts, fires and cyclones in different states, finding local events were an antidote to disempowerment.
"Creative recovery is a powerful medium that supports lasting social capital and connection, revitalisation and place-making, acceptance and growth, and senses of identity and belonging," the 2023 report said.
The cultural fabric of Rochester has helped it earn a finalist spot in state tourism awards, while also bumping house prices to a record high.
Local real estate agent Stuart Wilson said more city residents had visited in the past year and some have decided to stay for good.
"People are getting out of the hustle and bustle and the cost-of-living pressures in the city, where they may sell their house, buy in a regional area and get some money in the bank," Mr Wilson said.
"Life is there and people want to live it."
It is a population shift observed around Australia, with regional migration at a peak in the March quarter.
From behind the bar at their new pub, the Lees are hoping for a new dawn.
"Not just because of the flood, but since the flood, there's a lot of drive in people to make things happen in Rochy again," Mr Lee said.
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