Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Media releases: 3 April 2020
Bendigo, 3 April, 2020: The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR), in partnership with the Pratt Foundation, has granted $649,150 to support 19 projects that will help Tumut region communities to recover from the recent bushfires.
The funding is through the Visy Tumut Region Recovery Fund. The grants will help address a diverse range of needs, including improving social connectedness, enhancing community spirit and providing mental health support through workshops, activities and infrastructure.
FRRR’s CEO Natalie Egleton says that from FRRR’s 18 years’ experience in supporting disaster-affected communities, they know that every community is different, so access to flexible funding that can help address different priorities is crucial – now, and into the medium to long-term.
“While COVID-19 has made things much more complex, we know that bushfire affected communities still need support on their recovery journey. It’s wonderful to be able to partner with the Pratt Foundation to get this funding on the ground to assist local community groups to lead local recovery efforts in a way that meets the needs of that community.
“An important part of disaster recovery is strengthening social connectedness and stimulating economic recovery, especially in areas reliant on tourism and agriculture. The current restrictions on gatherings will make this more difficult, however, grants have still been provided for events like the Snowy Valleys Council’s Rock the Turf music festival and the Tumut Art Society Inc’s RegenerART project. We understand that there may be changes to projects in response to Covid-19, but keeping funding flowing into the community to support recovery is critical. These projects offer the community opportunities that will have many and long-lasting benefits.”
Visy Executive Chairman, Anthony Pratt said, “The Tumut region was heavily impacted by the tragic bushfires earlier this year and because Visy is part of the local community, we were keen to be actively involved in the recovery effort. I’m so thankful the applications to Round 1 of the Visy Tumut Region Recovery Fund have resulted in immediate assistance for a wide range of projects all of which will benefit the community.”
Other strong themes in the grants awarded were addressing mental health, supporting the rebuild of community infrastructure and replacing equipment and facilities that were lost, and helping fund resources to coordinate recovery activities. Some examples of these grants include:
- Regional Development Australia – Riverina’s Landholder Welfare & Resilience Workshops – directly helping landholders affected by bushfire through a series of accessible and practical workshops that will build resilience and wellbeing across multiple communities; and
- Montreal Community Theatre Inc – improving the reliability of local radio communications, particularly during times of emergency through purchase of battery, transmission and broadcasting equipment.
More grants are expected to be announced at the end of April.
| Organisation | Project | Location | Grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adelong Junior Sports Foundation Incorporated | Installation of outdoor community fitness equipment Increase the mental health and wellbeing of residents in Adelong through the installation of exercise equipment in public spaces. |
Adelong |
$45,000 |
| Adelong Pre School Inc | Wellness Program for Preschool Children Improve mental health of pre-school children and their families in Adelong through yoga and music therapy sessions for the children. |
Adelong |
$5,000 |
| Adelong Progress Association | Back to Adelong Improve vibrancy, visitation and build community connectedness through a weekend festival in Adelong incorporating markets, tours, exhibitions and dinner dance. |
Adelong |
$70,000 |
| Adelong Showground Management Committee | Upgrading Dining/Kitchen Area at the Adelong Showground Improve community infrastruture and meeting spaces at the Adelong Showground by upgrading the kitchen/dining facilities. |
Adelong |
$45,000 |
| Festival of the Falling Leaf | Snow Valleys Festival Pack Increase community capacity to deliver locally led festivals and events through the purchase of equipment including chairs, tables, marquees and generator. |
Tumut, Tumbarumba, Batlow, Adelong |
$45,000 |
| Gilmore Progress Association Incorporated | Gilmore Hall Renovation and Upgrade Improve community meeting facility at the Gilmore Hall through upgrades to the kitchen area. |
Gilmore |
$49,900 |
| Ideas Information on Disability Education Awareness Services Incorporated | Hang out, without hanging on! – EZYDUN in the Snowy Valleys Improve accessible public amenities at local festivals and events through provision of a portable all-abilities bathroom facility. |
Tumut, Batlow, Tumbarumba, Talbingo |
$60,000 |
| Local Leading Ladies Incorporated | Capacity Building for Snowy Valleys Build capacity of individuals and businesses to operate remotely through in person workshops and online training opportunities which will support local economic recovery and reduce financial hardship caused by the fires. |
Tumut, Batlow, Tumbarumba, Talbingo, Adelong |
$50,000 |
| Montreal Community Theatre Inc | Emergency Broadcast, Backup Power and Local Community Radio Communications Sustainability Project Improve reliability of local radio communications, particularly during times of emergency, in the Snowy Valley region through purchase of battery, transmission and broadcasting equipment. |
Tumut, Batlow, Tumbarumba, Talbingo, Adelong, Rosewood, Tooma |
$100,000 |
| Regional Development Australia – Riverina | Landholder Welfare & Resilience Workshops Build resilience and wellbeing of landholders affected by bushfire through a series of accessible and practical workshops across multiple communties in Snowy Valleys Council region. |
Batlow, Tumbarumba, Talbingo, Adelong, Oberne, Yaven Creek, Westbrook, Gilmore Valley |
$20,000 |
| Snowy Valleys Council Rock the Turf | Rock The Turf Increase community spirit, social connectedness and wellbeing in the Snowy Valleys region through the delivery of Rock the Turf public music event. |
Tumut |
$25,000 |
| Talbingo MTB Club Inc | Talbingo Township Mountain Bike Trailhead, Skills Park and Foreshore Trail Increase tourism and available community activities through the development of a mountain bike trailhead at Talbingo. |
Talbingo |
$40,800 |
| Tumbarumba Artists on Parade Co-Operative Limited | Connecting the Community through hands on workshops Increase resilience, wellbeing and social connectedness of the Tumbarumba community through a variety of interactive hands on workshops. |
Tumbarumba |
$7,000 |
| Tumbarumba Rotary Club Write Your Life Group | The 2020 Tumbarumba and Region Fires Contribute to community resilience, connectedness and preservation of local history through creation of a book documenting the bushfire experience of the Tumbarumba community. |
Tumbarumba and surrounds |
$7,500 |
| Tumut Art Society Inc | RegenerART: Re-creating a positive future Foster community resilience and connectedness across four fire affected communities through series of free art workshops |
Batlow, Tumbarumba, Talbingo, Adelong |
$23,950 |
| Tumut Pony Club Inc | Mini Camp for Zone 20 Pony Club Enhance community wellbeing and connectedness through support of local pony club weekend event. |
Tumut |
$5,000 |
| Tumut Region Producers and Makers Co-operative Limited | Local at Learmont’s Support economic recovery of local food producers following bushfire event in Snowy Valleys through rental assistance at growers market. |
Tumut |
$20,000 |
| Tumut Swimming Club Inc | BBQ and Shelter at the Tumut War Memorial Swimming Pool Improve social wellbeing and opportunity for engagement in Tumut region through BBQ facilities and infrastructure at local pool. |
Tumut |
$25,000 |
| Zone 20 PCA of NSW Incorporation | Zone 20 Camp 2021 Build community resilience and engagement through support for annual pony club camp weekend. |
Tumbarumba |
$5,000 |
