Rebuilding Bendigo and surrounds
The Communities
The communities of West Bendigo, Long Gully, Maiden Gully, Ironbark and California Gully lie within the regional City of Greater Bendigo; around two hours drive north-west of Melbourne.
Long Gully, West Bendigo, California Gully and Ironbark are home to approximately 5,000 people while Maiden Gully is home to 3,270 residents.
Key industries and employers in the area include building and service products, mechanics and electricians, recycling and waste services, specialist and advanced manufacturing, and warehouse and distribution centres.
The Bushfires
The Bracewell Street Fire spread over 354 hectares in the Bendigo region, affecting more than 150 properties including homes, fencing, shedding and outbuildings.
Long Gully was the worst affected of the towns in the area, with one fatality and 25 properties destroyed. In Bendigo West there were a further 22 properties destroyed, as well as eight in Maiden Gully, two in Ironbark and one in California Gully. Of the 58 houses destroyed, 13 were of significant heritage value to the municipality.
While there was some impact on cultural and heritage areas associated with gold mining activities and a number of small businesses were destroyed, larger businesses were not significantly affected.
The Bendigo Spotlight store suffered internal smoke and ash damage and was closed for clean-up, resulting in a loss of trade. The store subsequently relocated and the existing building underwent a major refit, re-opening on 19 September 2009.
In terms of community assets, the Victoria Hill Poppet Head in Long Gully suffered around $65,000 worth of fire damage, while a number of former mine sites on council and Crown land also suffered damage.
Recovery Plan
Since the 2009 bushfires Community Recovery Committees and the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority (the Authority) worked in partnership with the community, other government departments and authorities, the philanthropic sector and private donors to deliver outcomes for the vast majority of recovery projects proposed in the 33 Community Recovery Plans across the state. The plans have been pivotal in driving and directing the community rebuilding and recovery effort, through a focus on the needs and priorities of each individual community.
With around 1,100 projects and ideas identified in plans across Victoria, the Authority estimates that around 800 of these have been addressed in varying ways. Hundreds more projects identified outside this process have been delivered across affected communities.
The attachments below include the Community Recovery Plan and the response and funding status for all of the projects originally identified:
| Email the Fire Recovery Unit or call 1800 055 714 |
