Building a safer future for bushfire-prone communities

Mon 18 July 2011

A $5 million grants program aiming to build the resilience of bushfire-prone communities and help them prepare for a safer future has been launched.

The new grants - provided over four years and funded as part of the Regional Growth Fund - support innovative, locally-identified and locally-managed projects across 52 high-risk communities, spanning 25 local government areas.

Opening the program, Deputy Premier and Minister for Bushfire Response, Peter Ryan, highlighted examples of the kind of local innovations and solutions the grants would support, emphasising that residents were equipped with the detailed local knowledge needed to make their communities safer.

“In the Alpine communities, a community radio network provides reliable two-way communication between the CFA and the community in an emergency.  This network does not depend on power supply, landline telephone services or mobile phone coverage,” Mr Ryan said.

“The Boolarra and Yinnar communities have established tight community networks, working with emergency service providers to develop a Local Emergency Action Plan that helps prompt people to think about and plan for an emergency.

“These grants will help communities to fully understand local risks, study their own capacity to respond to and recover from bushfire and other emergencies, and carefully plan their response and recovery,” he said.

Local councils and community organisations in and around the following bushfire-prone areas can apply for the grants by contacting their regional RDV office.

Eligible bushfire-prone areas:

Aireys Inlet, Andersons Inlet, Angelsea, Barongarook, Barwon Downs, Bemm River, Bendigo, Blackwood, Blairgowrie, Bolwarra, Breamlea, Cann River, Carlisle River, Castlemaine, Cockatoo, Creswick, Dandenong Ranges (communities on the western escarpment and the ridge line), Daylesford, Deans Marsh, Dereel, Dunkeld, Eaglehawk, Forrest, Gembrook, Greendale, Halls Gap, Hepburn, Jan Juc, Junortoun, Kangaroo Flat, Kawarren, Laver’s Hill, Loch Sport, Lorne, Macedon, Maiden Gully, Mallacoota, Marengo, Mount Macedon, Mt Helen/Mt Clear. Nelson, Noojee, Peterborough, Rye/St Andrews, Sandy Point, St Arnaud, Steiglitz, Trentham, Upper Beaconsfield, Warrandyte/North Warrandyte, Woodend and Wye River.

For further details about this program please visit the Department of Planning and Community Development contact your local Regional Development Victoria office