UPDATED & NEW INFORMATION

• Arts Funding
Arts Minister Lynne Kosky has made a further $50,000 available to extend the
Arts Recovery Quick Response Fund until Feb 2010.
The fund supports local artists to respond to the needs of their communities by
getting arts projects off the ground quickly. The fund provides grants of up to
$2,500 for local artists to work in their communities on projects that contribute
to the recovery effort. Applications close the first of each month, until the 1st
February 2010.
For program guidelines and application forms, contact Regional Arts Victoria on
03 9644 1800, email jtoohey@rav.net.au or visit www.rav.net.au
• Waterway Grants
The Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority is offering grants to
landholders to carry out agreed works around fencing, revegetation and off-
stream water. Waterway Vegetation Officers will visit properties to discuss grant
options based on funding support available, waterway management and property
planning.
The GBCMA will then make a Grant offer based on the scope of the agreed
proposed project, and, upon receipt of the signed Grant offer, approve the
Waterway Grant, for the landholder to carry out the agreed works. For more
information, call the Yea GBCMA Office, 5736 0100.
• Transitional Support Payment
From the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund
The Transitional Support Payment is provided to support those who lost their
primary residence in the bushfires in their transition to permanent
accommodation.
Recipients of the destroyed homes, other structures, tenants and boarders
payment will be sent a letter today explaining the payment and a copy of the
application form.
Details will be posted to the Fund website today.
The application consists of six short questions, which comply with ATO
requirements, and requires the applicant to complete the form, sign the
statutory declaration and return it to the VBAF for assessment.
In order to qualify for the payment, the applicant must be living in temporary or
transitional arrangements and experiencing ongoing financial hardship as a
result of the bushfires.
The Transitional Support Payment will be provided as follows:
• Transitional Support for Home Owners ($10,000 gift for singles and couples,
$15,000 gift per family of three or more);
• Transitional Support for Tenants and Boarders ($5,000 gift for singles and
couples, $7,500 gift for families of three or more tenants).
• Grants for Volunteer Organisations
Community organisations can apply via the Department of Families, Housing,
Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA)'s 2009 Volunteer Grants
program for between $1,000 and $5,000 to fund equipment purchases that will
assist volunteers carry out their duties, or reimburse volunteers' fuel costs.
FaHCSIA will not fund items that are for the general benefit of the organisation,
or have already been purchased. Applications close 25th September 2009.
Full details are available from FaHCSIA's website:
http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/volunteers/funding/Pages/volunteer_grant09 .aspx
• Safe removal of hazardous trees payment:
The Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund has made available a payment of up to
$4,000 per residential property to help residents in bushfire-affected areas meet
the cost of assessing and removing hazardous trees on their private properties.
Both owner occupiers and landlords are eligible to apply for this payment in
order to make their property safe. Renters should notify their landlord of
potentially hazardous trees and ask to have them assessed and treated. Payment
will be made based on an assessment from a qualified arborist confirming the
tree(s) is/are hazardous to human safety. Applicants must provide a receipt for
work completed and an arborist’s report to qualify for the payment (quotes will
not be acceptable).
• Retravision Seymour offer
Retravision Seymour is offering bushfire-affected families and individuals special
store discounts to assist with the replacement of whitegoods and electrical goods
lost in the fires. Discounts will differ based on the item being sought; delivery is
not included. For more information, or to obtain a quote call Greg Maher or Rob
Welsh on 5792 3242 .
• Donations Coordinator
A reminder that anyone receiving a blue referral card can call Moya White,
Donations Coordinator, on 0400 333 406 to arrange an appointment and/or
discuss how to use their points allocation.
• Computers
Infoxchange has delivered desktop computers for those people that had
previously registered their name as needing a computer. Anyone else that lost or
needs a computer, e.g. for re-skilling, can register with the Flowerdale Hub on
5780 2704.
• Birds in the Bush Pamper Day
WinHort Yarra Ranges has organised a ‘Birds in the Bush Pamper Day’ for
bushfire affected women to be held at Jim’s Training & Conference Centre, 48
Edinburgh Road, Mooroolbark on Saturday October 24 from 10.30am until 4pm.
Meet new people, share stories, or do fun activities such as yoga and belly
dancing, a relaxing massage, makeup demonstrations and group singing. There
will also be talks on how to re-establish a fire-resilient garden, health and
wellbeing and more.
Register an Expression of Interest by Close of Business Friday 11 September;
attendance is free but Registration to attend will be essential.
For more information contact WinHort representative Ilse Mathews on 9751 9933
ilse@proteaflora.com.au or Leanne Manfre, Team Leader, Yarra Glen Recovery
Centre, 36 Bell Street, Yarra Glen. 9730 2769 l.manfre@yarraranges.vic.gov.au
‘Bird in the Bush’ participants should fax their name, postal address and mobile
to 9756 6948 (Ilse) or 9730 2568 (Leanne). Expression of Interest Forms and a
fax machine are available at the Flowerdale Services Hub.
• Rob Gordon talk
Esteemed psychologist Dr Rob Gordon is hosting a community information
session ‘How people and communities react and recover after the fires’ at the St
Andrews Hall, Proctor St, St Andrews, 6.30 pm, Wednesday 9 September 2009.
For more information call Suzanne 9433 3721
• Changes to rules on clearing vegetation
The Brumby Government has simplified the rules governing removal of
vegetation around homes in preparation for the coming bushfire season.
Landowners are allowed to clear any vegetation on their own property, including
trees, within 10 metres of a house and any ground fuel within 30 metres of a
house ‘as of right’ (without a permit).
The Victorian Planning Provision amendments also allow for targeted planned
roadside burns for high-risk areas and for people to be able to collect firewood
‘as of right’ from those roadside areas for two weeks prior to the burns.
Landowners are allowed to clear all vegetation, including trees, for a combined
maximum width of four metres either side of the property boundary fence
provided they have the permission of the neighbouring landowner.
• Caring for our Country program in Goulburn Broken catchment
The Department of Primary Industries and the Goulburn Borken Catchment
Management Authority has made funding available for fencing, erosion, and
weed control for landholders in the Goulburn Broken catchment. Forms are
availalble at the Flowerdale Community Services Hub.
• Take a Break camps – places still available for September school
holidays
‘Take a Break Camps’, run by Uniting Church Camping, offer families and couples
from bushfire-affected communities an opportunity for some rest, relaxation and
family holiday fun. All meals and accommodation at the holiday camps are free.
Some vacancies still exist for camps running at Grantville Lodge during the 2009
September school holidays. For more information or to register, please call Elissa
on 9251 5246 or visit www.takeabreakcamps.org.au
• Roses offer from Heritage Roses Australia
Heritage Roses Australia (HRA) have offered to source cuttings of heirloom or
historic roses for people who lost roses in the bushfires. The cuttings will be free,
and can be posted via conventional mail from the start of winter 2010.
Case managers or clients can contact HRA Members Shirley Yates:
alanshirley@optusnet.com.au or on 0423 364 698, or Jill Collins:
normancollins@bigpond.com or on 9775 4549 to provide a list of roses that they
lost and want replaced. HRA will then locate them and post them off at the
beginning of next winter.
• Bushfire EAR - Emergency Aftermath Rebuild
Bushfire EAR is MensLine Australia's specialised counselling and referral service
for people affected by the February 2009 bushfires. Bushfire EAR provides
immediate counselling when people need it, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and
also has an option of a call back service to provide people with on-going support.
They will speak to men and women about any issues related to the Victorian
bushfires. EAR can be contacted through the normal MensLine Australia service
number 1300 78 99 78 or visit http://www.menslineaus.org.au/Bushfire-EAR-
Emergency-Aftermath-Rebuild.html
• Horses for people who lost their horse in the bushfires
Misty Stebbing is a part of Fire Foxes – the Kinglake group previously known as
KANDO - and is working on making horses available for people who lost horses in
the fires. The horses will be available free of charge, however will require some
re-education as they are ex-race horses. Misty will organise most of this re-
education, making the horses available to young adults & adults once they are at
a basic level; generally one horse available per family.
Misty is working on transport arrangements now through her racing industry
contacts, however it would be helpful if people can arrange their own transport.
To register people should email Misty with their horse experience, and the age,
height and the details of the horse that they lost as a result of the fires, and she
will contact them to try and match them up. Misty's email address is
charon2@bigpond.net.au and her telephone number is 0409 332 532 .
• Solar Hot Water Adjustments to Benefit Bushfire Communities
The Australian Government has opened up its $1,600 solar hot water rebate to
people who are rebuilding homes lost in the Victorian bushfires in February 2009.
The rebates are not usually available to people building new homes, however the
Government is offering $800 back on heat pump systems, and $1,600 rebate on
solar hot water systems. P eople who can show that they bought their heat pump
prior to 5 September 2009 can apply for the higher rebate.
The special arrangements for Victorian bushfire communities require that
households are rebuilding a home they lost in the fires, are installing a solar or
heat pump hot water system that is eligible for at least 20 renewable energy
certificates, and that they are also installing a rainwater tank at the property that
meets the criteria for the Victorian five star building standards.
Guidelines will be available from the website at
www.environment.gov.au/energyefficiency or by calling the hotline on 1800 808
571 .
• Zelman Symphony Orchestra
The Zelman Symphony Orchestra is performing at Yea Shire Hall, 2 pm Sunday
13th September 2009. Tickets $25 for adults, $16 concession / childrens. To book
call Adam Dennis 5796 9200 or visit http://100knorth.com . Collect tickets and
pay cash at the door. Doors open 1.30 pm.
• Integrated Planning Office and Mobile Building Advisory Service
The Mobile Building Advisory Service is now operating from the Integrated
Planning Office at the Flowerdale Community Service Hub 10 am - 4 pm Tuesday
and Friday, and 10 am - 2 pm Saturday.
• Tool Library
The Flowerdale Tool Library is now operational. Tools may be collected and
dropped back during Hub hours, or between 8.30 - 10.30 Saturday morning or 4 -
5 pm Sunday. Hours will expand if there are volunteers to man the library. Prompt
return of tools is appreciated to ensure others aren't kept waiting.
People wishing to register to borrow tools or collect a copy of the Tool
Library's inventory should call into the Flowerdale Community Services Hub.
Anyone able to assist with manning the library can call the Hub on 5780 2704.
• Security while rebuilding
Vic Police have provided information kits for residents and businesses about
keeping possessions secure while rebuilding, along with heavy duty padlocks for
sheds or containers. Information kits and padlocks available in the Integrated
Planning Office at the Hub.
• Horses for Hope
A Uniting Care Cutting Edge program that teaches at-risk youths and those who
have suffered trauma how to communicate with horses for learning, healing and
personal growth. A free demonstration day is being held for bushfire-affected
people 11.30 am, 20th September 2009, at Quarters Run, 745 Whittlesea-
Kinglake Rd, Kinglake.
• Free Family Day Excursion to Royal Melbourne Show
Two buses only are heading from Kinglake to Royal Melbourne Show on Monday
21st September 2009. First 100 applicants to apply accepted. Application forms
and fax available at Hub.