FRU Update - Edition 8
February 2012, Edition 8
IN THIS EDITION
Health and wellbeing
- Bushfire Communities Support Program
- Eastern Ranges GP Association support for bushfire-affected areas
Rebuilding support
- Bushfire Buy-Back Scheme
- VBAF Housing Support Gift
- Marysville Hotel and Conference Centre update
- Expressions of Interest for donated goods close 28 February
Community support and meetings
- Kinglake Ranges Cultural and Community Facility
- Callignee Bushfire Memorial Wall
- Whittlesea bushfire memorials update
- Gardening after the Fire
- Important dates
- Upcoming events
Additional information
- Victorian Bushfire Recovery Three Year Report
- ‘Leave early’ assistance available for those who need help
- National Emergency Medal
HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Bushfire Communities Support Program
Bushfire Communities Support workers provide a range of flexible services to assist people to manage personal recovery. The workers are available to residents who live in the shires of Yarra Ranges, Latrobe, Mitchell, Murrindindi, Alpine, Whittlesea and Nillumbik.
Support workers provide personal support and link people into services, events and activities in their communities. They offer advice on practical issues as well as assisting with the health and well-being of individuals and families.
The BCSP Helpline can assist all bushfire-affected people with a range of enquiries concerning personal assistance, counselling, financial issues, employment, and health support. Contact the Bushfire Communities Support Helpline on 1800 050 400 or visit www.dhs.vic.gov.au.
Eastern Ranges GP Association support for bushfire-affected areas
Eastern Ranges GP Association provides therapies and counselling for people who are suffering stress and anxiety as a result of the 2009 bushfires. It is a free and confidential service for adults and children living in Healesville, Lilydale, Marysville, Yarra Glen, Yarra Ranges and surrounding areas.
For appointments, please contact Paula Forsyth on 0407 372 205, Phyllis Aslanides on 0407 045 188 or the Eastern Ranges GP Association on (03) 9871 1000. www.ergpa.com.au/programs-services/bushfire-counselling-service.
REBUILDING SUPPORT
Bushfire Buy-Back Scheme
Applications for the Bushfire Buy-back Scheme will open on 1 March 2012 and close on 31 May 2012.
Landowners whose principal place of residence was destroyed in the 2009 bushfires were invited to attend an information and consultation session to comment on the intended approach to the Bushfire Buy-back Scheme. A total of 80 sessions were held in 12 regional locations and the Melbourne CBD in November and December 2011.
More than 200 people in bushfire-affected communities participated, raising important issues such as:
- the future use of the land acquired, as landowners don’t want to increase the bushfire risk in their communities
- the maintenance of all land in bushfire-prone areas, whether that be by private landowners, local or state government, or other agencies, and
- how long the acquisition process will take, and how valuations will be undertaken.
The Bushfire Land Acquisition Panel will oversee the operation of the scheme. The Panel will determine eligibility and make recommendations on the best possible future use for land that is acquired, ensuring that the bushfire risk for neighbouring landowners does not increase.
Application forms will be available for download from the Department of Justice (DOJ) website from mid February. Landowners who have already expressed interest will automatically be sent an application form.
To request a hardcopy application form to be sent to you, please email bushfirebuyback@justice.vic.gov.au or call (03) 8685 1314. For more information and frequently asked questions, see the website at www.justice.vic.gov.au/buyback.
VBAF Housing Support Gift
In December 2011, the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund (VBAF) announced a second stage of housing support to help those who lost their primary place of residence in the 2009 bushfires to find permanent accommodation.
Households may be eligible for up to $50,000 to finalise the rebuilding of their homes, purchase a new home, secure a long-term lease, move into an aged-care facility, or find other permanent accommodation.
With the aid of three housing associations that manage the new Gift, approved households will complete a Housing Plan which will detail their pathway, step by step, to permanent accommodation. Eligible applicants will have access to a range of support services – including financial or other counselling – to help them through the process.
The closing date for applications for the VBAF Housing Support Gift – Stage One and Stage Two is 1 April 2012.
More information and an application form can be found on the VBAF website at www.dhs.vic.gov.au/bushfireappeal or by phoning the VBAF hotline on 1800 180 213.
Marysville Hotel and Conference Centre update
The Marysville Hotel and Conference Centre was identified in the Marysville & Triangle Urban Design Framework in 2009 as one of the eight catalyst projects that could assist in the economic recovery of Marysville.
Regional Development Victoria is responsible for delivering this project. Following the purchase of the land in Murchison Street and the appointment of Ernst & Young and CB Richard Ellis Hotels as project partners for the marketing campaign, agreement was reached with the Murrindindi Shire Council on a Community Engagement Framework to capture the views of the community as part of the project planning and design process.
Government representatives met with community members on 12 February at the Marysville Community Centre to outline the role of the Victorian Government and the private investor/ developer and operator in the process. The community’s views and expectations were heard to better inform the Request for Proposal phase which will commence early March and conclude in May 2012. Future opportunities for community input were also outlined at the meeting.
The planning and design phase is expected to commence in late 2012 following the finalisation of contractual arrangements with the preferred hotel developer/operator.
Expressions of Interest for donated goods close 28 February
The Victorian Government and many donors have supported people living in bushfire temporary villages in Flowerdale, Kinglake, Marysville and Whittlesea with purchased and donated items such as building materials, household appliances and furniture.
As people continue to leave the temporary villages, the Department of Human Services (DHS) is keen to ensure that goods no longer required for the ongoing recovery effort continue to benefit bushfire-affected communities into the future.
There are 80 items available. Former Blue Referral Card holders, community groups and businesses in the Shire of Murrindindi and the City of Whittlesea are invited to register their interest in acquiring these remaining goods. Expressions of Interest need to be lodged with DHS by 28 February 2012.
An independent Working Group will review all applications and make recommendations to the Director of Housing.
A comprehensive list of goods, the application form and terms and conditions can be downloaded from www.dhs.vic.gov.au/bushfire-goods-distribution.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND MEETINGS
Kinglake Ranges Cultural and Community Facility
The Kinglake Ranges Cultural and Community Facility (KRCCF) is a community-led project which aspires to bring about a contemporary purpose-built facility for arts, cultural, learning and environmental activities for the region in one location. In line with community wishes this facility is being co-located with the new Parks Victoria offices and depot in a prime location (known locally as Gangelhoff Hill) overlooking the Kinglake Ranges National Park, adjacent to the Frank Thomson Reserve.
A design team has been appointed and the KRCCF Draft Master Plan will be presented to the community at an information and feedback session at 7.00pm on Tuesday 28 February, 2012 at the Kinglake Community Centre in Kinglake Central. Residents are encouraged to attend this session to hear about the draft Master Plan and Design Brief and provide their feedback on this stage of the project.
For those who are unable to attend, the draft Master Plan will be on display at the Kinglake Ranges Rebuilding Advisory Centre (RAC), the Murrindindi Shire Council offices in Kinglake, Alexandra and Yea, and at the Flowerdale and Toolangi Community Houses, from 28 February until 23 March 2012.
The design team and staff from the Fire Recovery Unit and Murrindindi Shire Council will also be at the Kinglake Ranges RAC display from 11.00am until 2.00pm on Saturday 3 March so residents can drop-in and discuss the draft Master Plan and the project directly with them. Further drop-in days will be held as required after this date.
Only written feedback will be accepted. Feedback forms will be available from 28 February at the RAC, the Murrindindi Shire Office in Kinglake and on the Council and Parks Victoria websites. Feedback from the consultation process will be considered when finalising the Master Plan and Design Brief prior to being presented to Council and Parks Victoria in April 2012 for endorsement to proceed to the next phase of the project.
After the project partners endorse a final Master Plan and Design Brief, planning for the design and construction of the facility will take place.
Callignee Bushfire Memorial Wall
The Callignee Community Recovery Committee has worked closely with the Latrobe City Council to identify sites and prioritise memorial projects in their community. The construction of the Callignee Bushfire Memorial Wall involved the wider community including local primary school children and community members who produced tiles for placement on the wall.
The Memorial Wall was opened by Premier Ted Baillieu and the Deputy Premier and Minister for Bushfire Response, Peter Ryan on 5 February 2012 as part of a third anniversary reflection.
Whittlesea bushfire memorials update
The Whittlesea Bushfire Memorials Working Group has determined the locations for permanent bushfire memorials in Whittlesea. A shortlist of three concept designs is being considered for Touourrong Reservoir Park and the successful applicant will be announced in April. A concept design for the corner of Coombs, Yea and Humevale Roads is being developed.
Gardening after the Fire
The Sunday Creek-Dry Creek (SCDC) Landcare Group initiated the Gardening after the Fire project in mid 2009 and since then has distributed over 8000 plants, over 1000 packets of seeds and hosted a very successful sustainable gardening workshop.
Due to the generous support of Rotary, Mitchell Community Health, the Mitchell Shire Council, local nurseries and Landcare members, the SCDC Landcare Group has seven remaining $100 vouchers for native plants and/or mulch. Landholders will be reimbursed on presentation of receipts.
Vouchers will be assessed and allocated to eligible landholders on a first-serve basis with preference given to those who have not already received plants from the Landcare Group.
To apply for vouchers, landholders in the fire-effected areas of the Mitchell Shire should email Elyse Kelly at the SCDC Landcare Group, cambankke@bigpond.com or write to Elyse at 520 Kilmore East-Sunday Creek Road, Kilmore East 3764.
Important dates
- 28 February. Expressions of Interest for donated goods from DHS close.
- 28 February. Kinglake Ranges Cultural and Community Facility Draft Master Plan information session, at the Kinglake Community Centre, 7.00pm.
- 1 March. Applications open for the Bushfire Buy-back Scheme.
- 3 March. Community drop-in session to discuss the Kinglake Ranges Cultural and Community Facility Draft Master Plan with staff from the Fire Recovery Unit and the Murrindindi Shire Council. Kinglake Ranges RAC from 11.00am to 2.00pm.
- 1 April. Applications close for the VBAF Housing Support Gift – Stage One and Stage Two.
Upcoming events
- 18 February, 10.00am. Opening of Yarram Memorial and Skate Park, 25 Station Street, Yarram.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Victorian Bushfire Recovery Three Year Report
The Fire Recovery Unit, in consultation with the Bushfire Recovery Inter-Departmental Committee (BRIDC) and related bushfire recovery organisations has recently published the Victorian Bushfire Recovery Three Year Report.
The report focuses on recovery activity and progress over the last 12 months and outlines the programs, funding and support provided to assist in the recovery of fire-affected individuals and communities.
The report was released publicly on 1 February 2012 and can be downloaded from the Fire Recovery Unit website at www.rdv.vic.gov.au/fire-recovery-unit/policy-and-coordination/3-year-report.
‘Leave early’ assistance available for those who need help
The Victorian Government and the Red Cross are running a new public awareness campaign.
The campaign recognises that some Victorians living in high-risk bushfire areas may need extra support to leave early, well before the onset of potentially dangerous bushfire conditions.
These people may rely on others for care, have a disability, or have problems thinking or acting clearly in stressful situations. People who need help leaving early are encouraged to complete the Red Cross Bushfires – Preparing to leave early plan, with support from their family, friends or carers if required.
The plan is produced by Red Cross and the CFA, and recommends that people leave early on a Severe or Extreme fire day, and certainly well before a Code Red fire day.
The campaign also recognises that not everyone has a local support network, so Victorians are encouraged to think about neighbours or community members who might need help with their preparations.
If you know someone who needs help to prepare to leave early, visit www.cfa.vic.gov.au/redcrossplan to download the plan, or complete it online. Alternatively you can phone the Victorian Bushfire Information Line on 1800 240 667 to request a free copy to be posted.
National Emergency Medal
The Prime Minister Julia Gillard presented National Emergency Medals at Flowerdale Community Hall last month. One of the awardees was CFA’s Steve Barling who was officially recognised for his fire-fighting efforts around Churchill in the Latrobe Valley. The National Emergency Medal recognises significant or sustained service to others in a nationally significant emergency, for example, the bushfires in Victoria in 2009 and the floods and cyclone in Queensland in 2010 and 2011. The Medal was established by Her Majesty The Queen and approved during her visit to Australia in October 2011.
The first awards presented at Flowerdale focused on those directly involved in emergency services. The Australian Honours Secretariat has recently released details for individuals to be nominated for the National Emergency Medal. The nomination process is now open and aims to recognise services performed to protect lives and property, or in the service of interests that are not their own, in direct response to the emergency.
Further details can be found at www.gg.gov.au/content.php/ page/id/84/title/national-emergency-medal.
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