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Where to find help

Updated 22 Janaury 2020

Click the link to jump to section:
Agriculture Victoria
Victoria Farmers Federation
NSW Agriculture and Animal Services​
Red Cross Emergency Grants​
Financial counselling, grants and assistance
Emergency water
Vic Emergency Relief and Recovery
Towong Shire Council 
Tourism North East

Summary of support avaiable, detail below

There are a number of organisations currently providing support for fire impacted communities. The North East CMA website outlines many of the places you can go for help and general resources to assist in planning and recovery.

Following is a summary of help available to eligible individuals and communities:

Emergency Victoria - important information for communities impacted by bushfires.
Click here for the flyer

Bushfires case support program
Call: 1800 560 760 - 8am – 6pm weekdays and 9am – 5pm on weekends
Email:  bushfirerecovery@windermere.org.au

Bushfire Clean-Up program
Click here to register

Insurance - assistance with insurance claims
Click here for more

Replacing documents and identification
Births, Deaths and Marriages - ph 03 5215 8500
VicRoads - click here for more

Wellbeing support
Call: 1800 560 760 - 8am – 6pm weekdays and 9am – 5pm on weekends
Email:  bushfirerecovery@windermere.org.au

Staying safe when returning home
Click here for more

Managing waste removal
Call your Bushfire Recovery Victoria case manager on 1800 560 760
Please note only licensed asbestos removers can remove asbestos 1300 372 842

Emergency water
South East Water 131 851 or click here

Fire water run off
Click here for the flyer

Power outages
Click here for more

Update on Ausnet restoration of services

Ausnet has advised they are currently working around the clock to restore power to fire impacted communities. As conditions have permitted, teams have begun restoring power to many communities. If you have lost power the following provides a response to common RFQs. 
Click here to download the flyer.
Injured livestock -  1800 226 226

Emergency fodder1300 882 833 between 9am and 5pm or email fodder@vff.org.au.

Water quality for livestock - click here for more

Victorian Bushfire Recovery Transport Support - click here for more

Fencing - call DELWP’s Customer Contact Centre on 136 186

Wildlife
Helping wildlife
- click here for flyer
Donations to Zoos Victoria - click here

Agriculture Victoria (AV) support

 

Agriculture Victoria is supporting Gippsland and Upper Murray landholders impacted by recent fires through animal welfare assessments and assistance, farm impact assessments and the referral of urgent cases of personal need to the appropriate agencies.​ Their website has a range of resources for impacted landholders.

Corryong Drop-in Centre
Agriculture Victoria has opened a Recovery Drop-in Centre at 42 Hanson Street, Corryong open every day 10.30am -3.30pm. You’ll find a vet and specialist ag recovery staff with advice relating to land management, erosion control, animal welfare and feed budgeting. Private rooms for confidential one-on-one discussions are also available. For more info 136 186 or http://bit.ly/2QZyZi6

Animal welfare
AV is supporting landholders impacted by recent fires through animal welfare assessments and assistance, farm impact assessments and the referral of urgent cases of personal need to the appropriate agencies.
If you have any injured livestock, please report it to Agriculture Victoria on 1800 226 226 so that our animal health staff can assess the livestock. If you have injured pets, please seek advice immediately from your local vet.
Affected farmers can access immediate financial support through both the Victorian Emergency Relief Assistance Payment by calling the VicEmergency hotline on 1800 226 226 and the Commonwealth Government’s Disaster Recovery Program Payment on 180 22 66. Find out more

Victorian Farmers Federation

The Victorian Farmers Federation is coordinating fodder relief for farmers affected by bushfires. The VFF has secured an agreement with the Victorian Government to facilitate the transport of fodder to affected regions. This includes reimbursement of freight costs for transport of donated fodder. Farmers in need are encouraged to contact the VFF on 1300 882 833.

The following bushfire response information is designed to help farmers make practical decisions about looking after and managing livestock, focusing on the steps after the immediate response. Click here to go to the website.  Click here to download the flyer.

NSW Agriculture and Animal Services

The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Local Land Services are providing assistance to fire affected landholders with emergency fodder and water, animal care, livestock assessment, and where necessary stock euthanasia and burial.

Producers can report stock losses and infrastructure damage, or request animal assessment, or emergency fodder or water for stock, by calling the Agricultural and Animal Services Hotline on 1800 814 647. Click here to go to the website. Click here to download the flyer

Red Cross Emergency Grants

Emergency grants are open to people whose primary place of residence has been destroyed or rendered uninhabitable as the result of bushfires from 1 July 2019 to 28 February 2020. Your primary place of residence is the place you reside in on a permanent basis, whether as an owner/occupier or a tenant. A grant of $10,000 is available per household. Grants will be open until 30 April 2020. Click here for more information

Financial counselling, grants and assistance

Recent events have exacerbated an already tenous situation for many farming and regional families. If you need financial guidance the Rural Financial Counselling Service  and AgBiz Assist are not-for-profit organisations that provide free independent advice, including grants, consessional loans and allowances.

Click here for the Rural Financial Counselling brochure
Click here for the AgBiz Assist brochure

Emergency water

If you’re without drinking and domestic water supply due to tank contamination, South East Water is the single point of contact to call for help. Residents, schools and health facilities (not on reticulated water) in the majority of East Gippsland Shire and Towong Shire, some communities in Alpine ShireRural City of Wangaratta, Shire of Indigo and Wellington Shire are eligible. Click here for more.

Vic Emergency Relief and Recovery

The Vic Emergency website provides a range of links to resources for fire impacted communities, particularly around returning home after a fire. Click here for more. Click here for the flyer.

Towong Shire Council

The Towong Shire Council page has information for residents on topics including legal assistance, 2020 Clean UP, drop-in recovery centres and the Corryong Pool! Click here for more.

Tourism North East

Up-to-date advice on how to manage your tourism business through the bushfire crisis. Click here for more.