Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR)
First responder organisations encouraged to apply for funding to strengthen their emergency response capabilities
FRRR is encouraging eligible groups to apply to its Volunteer Emergency Services Fund (VESF) program to support local volunteer emergency services groups and first responder organisations in communities affected by the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires.
Thanks to the generous contribution of a private donor, grants of up to $25,000 are available to strengthen local emergency response capabilities, based on identified community need and priorities, including to support volunteers’ wellbeing and mental health.
The VESF grants are available to local volunteer emergency services groups and first responder organisations in eligible fire-affected communities across the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria.
Danielle Griffin, FRRR’s Philanthropic Services Manager – Corporate, said that funding from this grant program had already provided much-needed support, funding 54 projects across 66 communities.
“We have seen local groups upgrade their equipment and infrastructure, improve their service to communities and enhance support for their volunteers.
“This funding is a timely reminder that these communities need continued support and investment. The funding will contribute to remote, rural and regional communities’ confidence in the capacity and capability of their local volunteer first responder and emergency services groups to implement solutions for adapting to changing conditions and planning for future disasters. The volunteers themselves are critical to these outcomes and we encourage projects that build not only the skills of this unpaid workforce but wellbeing support to sustain their efforts.
“Many of these communities have endured multiple disasters in recent years, including the current floods. We encourage any groups impacted by the Black Summer fires who are also affected by recent flooding to get in touch and discuss their needs so we can support applications being developed in these difficult conditions,” Ms Griffin said.
The VESF grant program is now open. Applications close 5pm AEST 28 April 2022, with grants to be announced in July 2022. You can find out more about the program at: https://frrr.org.au/volunteer-emergency-services-fund-grant-program/
117 community-led projects funded
One hundred and seventeen projects set to strengthen small remote, rural and regional communities across Australia have received a much-needed boost, with the community-driven initiatives sharing in $1,382,453 in grants.
Funded through FRRR’s Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) program these grants support projects led by local people in small communities throughout the country.
In this round of funding, 59 Black Summer bushfire recovery initiatives are sharing $894,313 in grants for recovery and preparedness projects. This includes expanding the iconic Horsepower Highway tourist trail to kickstart Gnowangerup’s local economy in WA by adding two new installations, and installing a kitchen at the Big Swamp Community Centre in Coomunga, SA to support the community during future bushfire events.
There are also 58 projects spread across Australia sharing in $488,140 in this round of grants through the Small & Vital stream. These grants range from $1,595 to improve internet access for the local museum and its volunteers in Chiltern, VIC, through to a $10,000 grant for filmmaking workshops in Wilcannia, NSW.
Jill Karena, Place Portfolio Lead at FRRR, said that as COVID lockdown restrictions have eased and communities adapt to a new COVID normal, people are eager to connect, engage, celebrate and recover, but they are also keen to ensure that their community is stronger and more resilient for what may come.
“Our Heartbeat of Rural Australia study last year highlighted that among the biggest challenges for people was not being able to connect, so it was no surprise that many of the applications we saw in this round of SRC were about bringing people together. This ranges from making facilities more comfortable and welcoming, such as air conditioners or new furniture, to better IT equipment, internet connections or communication tools to engage with their communities. We have also seen some wonderful arts-based projects, which again bring people together, especially for those who were affected by the Black Summer bushfires.
“Underlying most of the requests however is a desire to be stronger in the future – to be more resilient. Sadly, some of those communities that are receiving grants, have felt the effects of another disaster. For those who have to put their projects on hold because of the floods, we understand. FRRR will be here to work with you, and if there is now a higher priority for your community, do get in touch as we are keen to assist,” Ms Karena said.
Some of the 117 funded projects include:
- Richmond Valley Council – Rappville, NSW – Supporting Community Recovery by Honouring Rappville’s Military History – Commemorate sacrifices of Rappville community with replacement of WWI, WWII and Vietnam War Honour Rolls destroyed in fires. $25,000 (Bushfire Recovery)
- Red Dust Role Models Limited – Nauiyu, NT – Red Dust Community Art Collaboration – Strengthen community and support healing with the creation of three murals celebrating and connecting community to culture. $5,000 (Small & Vital)
- Muckadilla Community Association Inc – Muckadilla, QLD – All-abilities Access to Muckadilla Community Hall – Provide access to the Muckadilla Community Hall for all by installation of a disability access ramp and safety handrails. $10,000 (Small & Vital)
- Peterborough History Group SA Incorporated – Peterborough, SA – Wiring Upgrade for YMCA – Provide a safe environment for volunteers and support visitor engagement through the upgrade of electrical wiring. $10,000 (Small & Vital)
- Seymour Community Action Group Inc – Seymour, TAS – Seymour Community Wetland Restoration and Reclassification Project – Support volunteers to restore natural habitat and strengthen community connection to the environment through the development of a weed eradication project. $10,000 (Bushfire Recovery)
- Brookton Community Inc – Brookton, WA – White Goods for New Shared Buildings – Increase community participation and capacity by fitting out kitchens in two new shared community buildings. $7,370 (Small & Vital)
- Corryong College & Corryong Neighbourhood House Inc – Corryong, VIC – Enabling digital storytelling in the Upper Murray – Support college students to recover from a natural disaster through creative storytelling and technical skill development. $16,671 (Bushfire Recovery)
A full list of grant recipients is available on FRRR’s website.
The SRC program is collaboratively supported by many generous donors, which are acknowledged on FRRR’s website.
This program always accepts applications and thanks to recent support from the Australian Government, there is now a COVID-recovery stream – Rebuilding Rural Communities. Local NFPs and community groups are encouraged to review the expanded program guidelines and apply. More information about the SRC program is available at www.frrr.org.au/src.
To support grants like this through FRRR, make a tax-deductible donation at frrr.org.au/giving/.
The full list of grant recipients and their projects are below.
Organisation | Project | Location | Grant | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NEW SOUTH WALES | ||||||
Bushfire Recovery | ||||||
Adelong Patrol and Agricultural Society Inc. | Adelong Show: Bringing us Together Boost community connectedness and recovery from natural disasters by providing entertainment at Adelong Show event. | Adelong | $5,000 | |||
Black Head Surf Life Saving Club Inc. | Expansion of Disability Program and Inclusive Beach Access Support community bushfire recovery by expanding inclusive access for all, for beach attendees and surf life saving volunteers with the purchase of specialized equipment. | Hallidays Point | $10,470 | |||
Braidwood Community Arts Association Inc. | The Sustainable Farmedian Support capacity building and recovery of natural disasters by creating a documentary of Black Summer through experience of a sustainable farmer. | Braidwood | $24,840 | |||
Bundjalung Tribal Society | Youngman Creek Rehabilitation Volunteer Wellbeing Program Promote connection of place and culture, as well as rejuvenating and strengthening volunteerism through providing training and tools to support community recovery. | Alstonville | $9,997 | |||
Burra District Bushfire Brigade | Burra Volunteer Rural Fire Brigade Pergola Increase capacity for response to fire attacks via improving volunteers and firefighters' recuperation during rest breaks with building a pergola and providing shade for meal breaks. | Burra | $17,771 | |||
Burringbar School of Arts | Replacement of 15 Step Treads for Rear Stairway Access Strengthening disaster preparedness by rejuvenating place of gathering and mitigate safety risks by repairing stair treads of local community hall. | Burringbar | $8,284 | |||
CTC Robertson Inc. | Installation of Automatic Doors at CTC Near Disabled Access Supporting community recovery by enabling easier access to community building with removal of old heavy doors and replacement with automatic sliding doors. | Robertson | $6,180 | |||
Eden Creek Fairymount Preschool Inc. | Improved Space for Families and Children of Kyogle Encourage children's learning and development by increasing preschool space with building refurbishment that will support town recovery. | Kyogle | $25,000 | |||
Eurobodalla Shire Council | Eurobodalla Shower + Laundry Project for People Experiencing Homelessness Support community bushfire recovery by installing pay-wave system at three laundromats and provide vouchers through homelessness service providers. | Batemans Bay | $25,000 | |||
Fling Physical Theatre Inc. | Refurbishment of New Premises for FLING Physical Theatre to Deliver Inspiring Cultural Activity to the Region Encourage youth to be active and explore their creative potential through dance and performance with conversion of building to an inclusive dance studio space following the events of the Black Summer bushfires. | Bega | $25,000 | |||
Horse Sense for Humans Open Harts Inc. | Wellbeing With Horses Enable people to develop stress relieving, mental health and wellbeing techniques via equine assisted therapy sessions to support community recovery. | Mogendoura | $18,200 | |||
Kyogle Writers Festival Kyogle and District Arts Council | Kyogle Writers Festival 2022 (KWF2022) Boost local economy and support literary development with funding guest speakers for the Kyogle Writers Festival to support town recovery. | Kyogle | $10,000 | |||
Lawrence Historical Society Inc. | Fit Up for the Future To support community bushfire recovery with the restoration of historical artefacts and passing on woodworking and metal work skills to volunteers at the Lawrence Museum. | Lawrence | $7,796 | |||
Marlee Rural Fire Brigade | Marlee Fire Station Facilities Upgrade Provide a safe place for RFS staging areas and the small community of Marlee to evacuate to in the event of an emergency, with upgrade of facilities at the Marlee Fire Station and Hall complex. | Marlee | $11,600 | |||
Merriwa Preschool and Activity Centre Inc. | Forty for Flooring Improve hygiene and create a healthy play space by replacing ash impacted carpet with vinyl flooring at Merriwa Preschool & Activity Centre to support community recovery. | Merriwa | $25,000 | |||
Monaro Community Radio | Installation of a Solar PV system for Monaro Community Radio - 2MNO Support community recovery and to reduce 2MNO community radio's power bills and lower greenhouse gas emissions with installation of a 3.3kW solar system. | Cooma | $8,145 | |||
Mt Wilson and Mt Irvine Historical Society Inc. | Mount Wilson Historical Village Walk & Digital Archive Support community bushfire recovery by encouraging visitors and new arrivals to appreciate local history and understand the characters who have made the community what it is, with digital app featuring 22 local stories. | Mount Wilson | $10,000 | |||
Nambucca Valley Phoenix Ltd | Phoenix Rising - Fostering Resilience through Creative Communities Support and enhance community recovery through creative community activities with replacement of ageing ceramic kiln, flue and corroded roof. | Bowraville | $25,000 | |||
One Vision Productions Ltd. | MPOWER Online Education Engagement and Mental Health Toolkit and Mobile App Youth mental health and wellbeing support with tailored 12 month program in three schools and production of videos for subscription website service to support community recovery. | Clarence Valley | $25,000 | |||
Raise the heART Ltd. | Raise the heART - A Creative Arts Mental Health Project for 16-17 year-olds and the Broader Community Support bushfire recovery in the community by encouraging youth to participate in a year-long arts program, via creation of a youth-led theatrical performance, a youth wellbeing forum and a pop-up art exhibition. | Byron Bay | $10,000 | |||
Richmond Valley Council | Supporting Community Recovery by Honouring Rappville’s Military History Commemorate sacrifices of Rappville community with replacement of WWI, WWII and Vietnam War Honour Rolls destroyed in fires. | Rappville | $25,000 | |||
Rotary Club of Pambula Inc. | Community Support and Recovery through Music and Entertainment Support community recovery and engagement via entertainment events across fire-affected communities using the Sapphire Entertainment Pod. | Tathra | $25,000 | |||
Southern Highlands Botanic Gardens Ltd. | Picnic Setting for the Community in a Safe Environment Create a quiet space in nature, for contemplation and social gatherings with addition of picnic tables at Botanic Gardens to assist community recovery. | Bowral | $25,000 | |||
Taylors Arm Hall Committee of Management Nambucca Valley Council | Taylors Arm Reunited - Kitchen Upgrade and Hall Interior Painting Support bushfire recovery by expanding the use of the community hall by painting hall interior, updating kitchen, and installing vermin proof cupboards to make the community meeting space more functional and suitable for holding workshops. | Taylors Arm | $16,950 | |||
The Lions Club of Tenterfield Inc. | Tenterfield Lions' Junior Choir Introduce children to the creative arts to foster a love of music and performing, with support for Children's Choir, following the Black Summer bushfires. | Tenterfield | $18,109 | |||
Tumut Regional Chamber of Commerce Inc. | Adventure Snowy Valleys Support bushfire recovery by diversifying local economy with the development of outdoor adventure tourism website. | Tumut | $25,000 | |||
UCA - Life Line Macarthur | Mental Health First Aid Training Build community capacity to support and respond to people experiencing stress and mental health problems with provision of mental health first aid training to support community recovery. | Wollondilly | $10,000 | |||
Yuin Folk Club Inc. | 2022 Cobargo Folk Festival: Festival Restart Event Producer Reduce volunteer burnout and support recovery from fires, through revitalisation and renewal of Cobargo Folk Festival. | Cobargo | $25,000 | |||
Z-Net Uralla Inc. | Uralla Working on Waste (Uralla-WOW) Build capacity of local community to mitigate climate change challenges and support recovery from fires, and build a connected supported sustainable community, with community-led waste reduction strategies. | Uralla | $19,970 | |||
Small & Vital | ||||||
A Sound Life Coonabarabran High School P&C Association | Sound Mentoring - Coonabarabran High School Inspire engagement and resilience by providing students of Coonabarabran High School with the transformative program 'Sound Mentoring'. | Coonabarabran | $9,900 | |||
Carcoar Village Assocation Inc. | Murals at the Belubula Increase opportunities for cultural connection and tourism through printing and installation of four murals by revered Indigenous artist Aunty Nyree Reynolds onto pylons on the Mid-Western Highway | Carcoar | $10,000 | |||
Contact Inc. | Making the Wanaaring Community Hub Happen Revitalise the very remote community of Wanaaring by supporting the development of a new community hub. | Wanaaring | $9,577 | |||
Forbes Public School P&C Association Inc. | Community Conservation Corner Increase community participation and resilience through supporting the establishment of a Community Conservation Corner at Forbes Public School. | Forbes | $10,000 | |||
Holbrook Community Garden Greater Hume Shire Council | Relocation of Holbrook Community Garden Increase usability and sustainability of a much loved community garden by providing new garden beds, watering system and fruit trees. | Holbrook | $8,555 | |||
Holbrook Meals on Wheels Service Inc. | Safe Food Service Boost food security and support the elderly to live independently by purchasing a freezer van for Holbrook Meals on Wheels. | Holbrook | $10,000 | |||
Macleay Valley Arts Council Inc. | South West Rocks Community Art Gallery Boost cultural vibrancy and tourism by supporting South West Rocks Community Art Gallery to display artworks from local and regional artists in a professional and engaging manner. | South West Rocks | $10,000 | |||
Murrumbidgee Landcare Association Inc. | Creating a Community Garden in Carrathool - Knowledge Sharing About People, Place and the Environment Promote environmental health and sustainability through bringing the community together to build a Community Native Garden. | Carrathool | $9,886 | |||
Shine for Kids | Belonging To Family Community Engagement Build a stronger social fabric by supporting Aboriginal people who are released from custody at the Mid-North Coast Correctional Centre to re-connect successfully with their families and community. | Kempsey | $9,950 | |||
Warren Chamber Music Festival Inc. | Oldies Only! Provide opportunities for social connection and cultural enrichment by supporting Warren Chamber Music Festival to deliver an "Oldies Only" music event for the elderly in Warren, NSW. | Warren | $5,095 | |||
West Darling Arts | Film Making Workshop for the Wilcannia Students Unlock opportunities for career pathways and increase cultural vibrancy through providing filmmaking workshops for students in Wilcannia. | Wilcannia | $10,000 | |||
NORTHERN TERRITORY | ||||||
Small & Vital | ||||||
Jawoyn Association Aboriginal Corporation | Reconnection through Songlines – Healing People, Healing Country Encourage youth involvement and grow cultural knowledge through three bush camps to learn and then perform two traditional Corroboree Dances - the Wanga and the Lirriga Dances. | Katherine | $10,000 | |||
Ngukurr Language Centre Aboriginal Corporation | Resourcing Equipment for Ngukurr Language Centre Help students and broader community to learn and retain traditional languages with the purchase of a printer for the Ngukurr Language Centre. | Ngukurr | $4,785 | |||
Red Dust Role Models Ltd. | Red Dust Community Art Collaboration Strengthen community and support healing with the creation of three murals celebrating and connecting community to culture. | Nauiyu | $5,000 | |||
The Trustee for Karrkad-Kanjdji Trust | Expanding Remote Bi-cultural Education Fostering connection to language and education on Country through the provision of IT at remote bi-lingual schools in Arnhem Land. | Manmoyi | $10,000 | |||
Tiwi Enterprises Ltd. | Essential Machinery and Equipment for Tiwi Enterprises Garden Maintenance Team Expand the services of a garden maintenance program to better protect the community against bushfires with purchase of whipper snippers and mower. | Wurrumiyanga | $10,000 | |||
QUEENSLAND | ||||||
Bushfire Recovery | ||||||
Beaudesert Quilters Group Inc. | Quilters Crafting 4 Community Build capacity of local art and craft group by supporting attendance at specialised workshops and purchase of equipment upgrades to support community recovery. | Beaudesert | $5,500 | |||
Boonah & District Landcare Association Inc. | Website for Boonah and District Landcare Inc. Support community fire preparedness by broadening the networking reach and information sharing through developing online presence and website for Boonah and District Landcare. | Boonah | $9,525 | |||
Boonah Activity Shed Inc. | Construction Earthworks for New Activity Shed Supporting community bushfire recovery by supporting the foundational works for a community shed and gathering space, by providing earthworks equipment hire. | Boonah | $5,379 | |||
Destination Scenic Rim Inc. | Farm Gate Trail Empower community-led initiatives through providing event resources and entertainment for regional farm trail event to support community recovery. | Boonah | $25,000 | |||
Happy Chat Support Groups Queensland Inc. | Happy Chat Peer Support for Mental Health in Stanthorpe Strengthen mental health peer to peer support group by engaging with therapeutic services to support community bushfire recovery. | Stanthorpe | $6,400 | |||
Kanyini Connections Ltd. | Pony Tales Program Strengthen community recovery by enabling vulnerable children to improve their literacy skills by providing volunteer mentors with teaching resources. | Doonan | $2,000 | |||
Killarney Show and Rodeo Society Inc. | Purchase Lawn Mower Increase volunteer safety and bushfire preparedness through purchase of a ride on mower. | Killarney | $10,000 | |||
Rotary Club of Beaudesert Inc. | Acquire Lawn Mowing and Grounds Maintenance Equipment and Storage to Enhance Places Where Communities Gather Enhance capacity of volunteers and community spaces by purchasing garden maintenance equipment and storage to support recovery within the community. | Beaudesert | $4,597 | |||
Small & Vital | ||||||
Atherton Tablelands SAO Cycle Riding Tablelands Outdoor Recreation Association Inc. | The Seven Sisters Trail - Stage One Boost tourism and build on the community's sense of place by providing informative, interpretive and safety signs for the Seven Sisters Trail in Yungaburra. | Yungaburra | $8,000 | |||
Bowen Old People's Home Society | Our Yarning Circle Enhance residents’ opportunities to connect with their culture, each other and the wider community by installing a Yarning Circle at Murroona Gardens aged care facility. | Bowen | $8,000 | |||
C&K Jellybean The Creche and Kindergarten Association Ltd. | Reviving Our Outdoor Learning Program at C&K Jellybeans Support lifelong learning by replacing worn out outdoor children's equipment and provide new outdoor tables and mats for children to enjoy meals and activities outside the classroom. | Alpha | $6,497 | |||
Creative Country Association Inc. | Point of Sale (POS) Equipment Support the establishment of the Murgon Creative Centre by providing Point of Sale equipment and volunteer T-shirts. | Murgon | $10,000 | |||
Eacham Community Help Organisation Inc. | Tech Training for Volunteer Tutors Accelerate digital access and inclusion for vulnerable and disadvantaged community members by training volunteers to provide technological support. | Malanda | $3,980 | |||
Gayndah and District Tennis Association Inc. | Upgrade Outdoor Furniture and Clubhouse Appliances Increase useability and functionality of the Gayndah and District Tennis Club by contributing to upgrading outdoor seating and purchase of new appliances. | Gayndah | $4,000 | |||
Gungarde Community Centre Aboriginal Corporation | Cooktown Youths Super Heroes Develop youth life skills and reduce harms related to alcohol, drugs and bullying by supporting the delivery of the Cooktown Youths Super Heroes program. | Cooktown | $8,500 | |||
Hope Reins Inc. | Connecting Communities, Strengthening Lives: The Horse Ride from Gympie to Longreach Strengthen community resilience and social inclusion through supporting a mental health awareness program. | Nanango | $10,000 | |||
Innisfail & District Men's Shed Inc. | Fence Repairs at the Innisfail & District Men's Shed (IDMS) Encourage community cohesion and increase functionality of the Innisfail & District Men's Shed by repairing the boundary fence. | Innisfail | $7,000 | |||
Maleny and District Men's Shed Inc. | Provision and Installation of a Water Tank and Pump for the New Community Shed for Maleny Men’s Shed Build capacity to support volunteer membership and strengthen community connections through the installation of a water tank. | Maleny | $3,000 | |||
Muckadilla Community Association Inc. | Disability Access to Muckadilla Community Hall Provide access to the Muckadilla Community Hall for all by installation of a disability access ramp and safety hand rails. | Muckadilla | $10,000 | |||
Numabulla Men's Shed Inc. | Numabulla Men's Shed Development Foster community engagement and connection through the renovation of a new facility for Numabulla Men's Shed. | Brooloo | $10,000 | |||
Performing Arts (Goondiwindi) Inc. | Gundy Gathering Build resilience and encourage participation in the arts by contributing to provision of youth performing arts boot camp, Gundy Gathering. | Goondiwindi | $4,690 | |||
SOUTH AUSTRALIA | ||||||
Bushfire Recovery | ||||||
Big Swamp Community Centre Inc. | Upgraded Kitchenette Area Build capacity to support community during bushfire events through the installation of a kitchen at a community centre. | Coomunga | $21,025 | |||
Charleston Community Centre Inc. | POWERING Our Community Resilience Provide a fit for purpose emergency support facility and improve comfort of a community hall through the installation of a diesel run generator unit to support community recovery and preparedness. | Charleston | $25,000 | |||
Jabuk Community Hall Inc. | Mowing Down the Burden Support bushfire preparedness and increase community safety through purchase of a ride on mower. | Jabuk | $9,999 | |||
Price Soldiers Memorial Hall | Price Soldiers Memorial Hall Kitchen Upgrade Increase community connection and disaster preparedness by improving kitchen facilities at a community gathering space. | Price | $20,339 | |||
Small & Vital | ||||||
Blanchetown District Hall Inc. | Health and Wellness for Women Boost health and social wellbeing of women in Blanchetown, through the continuation of a physical fitness class. | Blanchetown | $7,870 | |||
Community Care and Transport Inc. | Cloud Based Fully Integrated Telephone System Boost an organisation’s capability to support community health and wellbeing, through the upgrade of a telephone system. | Minlaton | $10,000 | |||
Crystal Brook Community Men's Shed Inc. | Responsible Power Solutions for the Crystal Brook Community Men's Shed Establish cost effective, environmental practices while supporting community health, through the installation of a solar storage system at a Men’s Shed. | Crystal Brook | $10,000 | |||
Peterborough History Group SA Inc. | Wiring Upgrade for YMCA Provide a safe environment for volunteers, supporting visitor engagement through the upgrade of electrical wiring. | Peterborough | $10,000 | |||
TASMANIA | ||||||
Bushfire Recovery | ||||||
Seymour Community Action Group Inc. | Seymour Community Wetland Restoration and Reclassification Project Promote community bushfire recovery by supporting volunteers to restore natural habitat and strengthen community connection to the environment through the development of a weed eradication project. | Seymour | $10,000 | |||
Small & Vital | ||||||
Geeveston Community Centre Inc. | Scrubby Hill Farm Amenity Improvements Enhance food security, provide employment opportunities, and support the health and wellbeing of communities through the development of a micro-farm project. | Geeveston | $9,419 | |||
The RESEED Centre Live Well Tasmania | YOUth LEADing Tasmania (YLT) 2022 Support youth engagement and build leadership skills through a facilitation training program encouraging young people to challenge world issues. | Penguin | $10,000 | |||
VICTORIA | ||||||
Bushfire Recovery | ||||||
Albury Wodonga Regional Foodshare | FoodShare Cloud Project Support community recovery by boosting organisational capacity of a food relief organisation through implementing a customer relationship management system. | Wodonga | $9,944 | |||
Bairnsdale Recycling Enterprise Inc. | Bairnsdale Repair Café: Reaching Out Foster opportunities for social connection and skill development for bushfire-impacted communities across East Gippsland. | Bairnsdale | $18,873 | |||
Better Place Australia | Watercolor Workshops for Recovery, Reconnection & Referral Encourage people to come together to recover from bushfires and gain access to support services through creative arts workshops. | Benambra | $25,000 | |||
Bright Court House Committee of Management | Bright Court House Portable Staging Upgrade Supporting local arts events through the purchase of a portable stage for indoor and outdoor productions, to support community recovery. | Bright | $10,000 | |||
Bright Croquet Club Inc. | New Tables and Chairs for Club House Provide a fit-for-purpose facility and support community connectedness and bushfire recovery through the upgrade of furniture. | Bright | $2,500 | |||
Cabbage Tree Public Hall | Governance Training for Cabbage Tree Creek and Bemm River Foster a more participative community and improve organisational capacity in two local committees through the delivery of governance training in the bushfire-affected area. | Cabbage Tree Creek | $6,115 | |||
Corryong College Corryong Neighbourhood House Inc. | Enabling Digital Storytelling in the Upper Murray Support college students to recover from a natural disaster like bushfire, through creative storytelling and technical skill development. | Corryong | $16,671 | |||
Deddick Valley Isolated Community Group Inc. | Building Healthy and Resilient Communities Through Service Equity Building capacity to access healthcare in remote bushfire-impacted areas through a research and pilot program in far East Gippsland. | Tubbut | $24,680 | |||
Great Alpine Gallery Inc. | The Voice of Video Encourage community to be active and creative, while recovering from disaster through a video sharing platform. | Swifts Creek | $3,729 | |||
Happy Valley Hall | Tank Fantasia Foster social connectedness and community cohesion through a mosaic arts project at the Happy Valley Hall to support community recovery. | Rosewhite | $4,500 | |||
Harrietville Historical Society | Revitalising Harrietville's Heritage Encourage visitation and strengthen the local economy through the installation of signage interpreting local history in Harrietville that will support bushfire recovery within the community. | Harrietville | $16,700 | |||
Jingellic Hub Inc. | Postcards From The Past @Jingellic & Postcards From The Past @Walwa Support bushfire recovery within the area by fostering community connection to local history and expand opportunities for tourists and visitors to the region. | Walwa | $25,000 | |||
Parklands Albury Wodonga Ltd. | Improving Accessibility to Upper Murray Historic Trestle Bridge Reserves Provide safe infrastructure for emergency services and the broader community through the upgrade of an historic trestle bridge to improve disaster preparedness. | Berringama | $21,000 | |||
The Man from Snowy River Bush Festival Inc. | Upper Murray Agricultural Field Days Strengthen community recovery and encourage people to come together and access support by enhancing entertainment at the inaugural Upper Murray Agricultural Field Days. | Corryong | $24,859 | |||
Small & Vital | ||||||
Boolarra Men's Shed Inc. | Shed Extension Support men’s health and social connection opportunities through the expansion of the Boolarra Men’s Shed building. | Boolarra | $10,000 | |||
Boolite Recreation & Public Hall Reserve | Upgrade of Amenities Block Improve accessibility and amenities at a local hall and reserve through the installation of an all-abilities bathroom and toilet. | Boolite | $9,000 | |||
Carinya Lodge Homes Inc. | Carinya Dementia Care Enhance social wellbeing and health of people living in aged care by providing a dementia-specific interactive games program. | Korumburra | $10,000 | |||
Chiltern Athenaeum Museum | Extension of Data Cabling and Internet Connection from Chiltern Athenaeum Museum to the John McEwen Annexe Enhance an organisation's capacity to support volunteers and preserve local history through providing an internet connection. | Chiltern | $1,595 | |||
Cobram Community House Inc. | Community Kitchen Upgrade Expand the use of a community house by refurbishing a kitchen to increase the capacity to deliver educational and wellbeing activities. | Cobram | $10,000 | |||
Djerriwarrh Employment & Education Services Inc. | Moorabool TAC L2P Program Vehicle Replacement Upskill youth to improve access to employment, further education, and social services through the purchase of a vehicle for a learner driver program in the Moorabool Shire. | Moorabool | $10,000 | |||
Dunolly & District Neighbourhood Centre Inc. | Dunolly Neighbourhood Centre Backyard Rejuvenation Increase community learning opportunities by installing shade sails in an outdoor area at the Dunolly & District Neighbourhood Centre. | Dunolly | $6,096 | |||
Fight Cancer Foundation Ltd. | Shepparton Accommodation for Regional and Remote Cancer Patients Support rural community members to access vital medical treatment through the establishment of affordable outpatient accommodation. | Shepparton | $10,000 | |||
Hallston Mechanics Institute Inc. | Hallston Hall Door and Window Replacement - Repair and Paint Expand the use of a community owned hall and preserve the district's history through the replacement of timber windows. | Hallston | $7,706 | |||
Hopetoun and District Men's Shed Hopetoun & District Neighbourhood House Inc. | Replacement of Asbestos Shed Provide a safe environment, creating opportunities for men to engage and support skill development by installing a new shed and undercover work area. | Hopetoun | $9,550 | |||
Jarvis Creek Landcare Group Mitta to Murray Landcare Inc. | Revitalisation of the Jarvis Creek Community Strengthen community connection and volunteer engagement through the restoration of the Jarvis Creek Hall. | Jarvis Creek | $10,000 | |||
Lions Club of Katamatite Inc. | Katamatite Lions Silo Art Project Strengthen cultural connection and the local economy through the installation of two art trail murals in Katamatite. | Katamatite | $9,667 | |||
Minyip and District Historical Society Inc. | Replacement of Heritage Plaques in Minyip Celebrate local culture, and boost community engagement and tourism in Minyip by installing historic plaques within the township. | Minyip | $4,700 | |||
Moorabool Shire Council | Power Back Up for STAND Project Sites Increase community safety and disaster preparedness through the purchase of batteries to support satellite infrastructure. | Dunnstown | $4,640 | |||
Murtoa and District Historical Society Inc. | Murtoa Museum Website Design & Build Increase access to local history, support volunteers and boost community participation by establishing a website. | Murtoa | $9,362 | |||
Tarnagulla Urban Fire Brigade Country Fire Authority | Solar and Battery Installation at Tarnagulla Urban Fire Brigade Boost a fire brigade’s ability to respond to future disasters by installing a solar power and battery system to provide a backup in case of power failures. | Tarnagulla | $10,000 | |||
Trust for Nature (Victoria) | Fostering Local Community Connection with Nature - Henriksen Sanctuary, Apollo Bay Increase community wellbeing and connection with nature through the construction of pedestrian tracks at a significant conservation reserve. | Apollo Bay | $10,000 | |||
Winchelsea Community House Inc. | Expansion into Shire Hall Improve employment opportunities for youth through the purchase of new kitchen equipment for a community café. | Winchelsea | $9,000 | |||
Yackandandah Creek Landcare Group Kiewa Catchment Landcare Groups Inc. | Connecting Community with Wetlands for Wellbeing, Culture and Learning Boost the community’s ability to learn about conservation management and increase connection to place through the development of wetlands. | Yackandandah | $5,750 | |||
WESTERN AUSTRALIA | ||||||
Bushfire Recovery | ||||||
Denmark Community Foundation (WA) Inc. | Denmark Community Foundation Next Steps - A Transition Towards Building Capacity and Operational Potential Building organisational capacity and a strong bushfire resilient local community through the development of a strategic plan for the Denmark Community Foundation. | Denmark | $10,000 | |||
Katanning and Districts Pool Association Inc. | Pool Hall Revamp Support community bushfire recovery by providing a safe space for youth and community support clients to connect and socialise by installing a kitchen for meal preparation. | Katanning | $10,000 | |||
North Stirlings Pallinup Natural Resources Inc. | Fire Brigade & Landcare Representation on the Horsepower Highway Strengthen and kickstart the local economy impacted by bushfires by expanding an iconic tourist trail with two new installations. | Gnowangerup | $11,666 | |||
Small & Vital | ||||||
Beemurra Aboriginal Corporation | Yued Youth & Astronomy Project on Yallalie Downs Encourage Indigenous youth's education and leadership skills through attending astronomy camps on Country. | Dandaragan | $10,000 | |||
Brookton Community Inc. | White Goods for New Shared Buildings Increase community participation and capacity by fitting out kitchens in two new shared community buildings. | Brookton | $7,370 | |||
Murlpirrmarra Connection Ltd. | Indigenous Tennis and Learning Program Increase educational outcomes for Indigenous youth by providing tennis clinics and educational support. | Wiluna | $10,000 | |||
Red Shed - Derby Women's Collective Shire of Derby West Kimberley | Red Shed: Derby Women's Collective Community Hub Enhance women's access to skills development opportunities through training opportunities and upgrades to their new facility. | Derby | $10,000 |
Just off the South Australian mainland you will find Kangaroo Island (KI). Australia’s third largest Island, KI is known for its stunning nature reserves and wildlife. During the 2019/20 bushfires, the flora and fauna of KI was severely impacted. Around 210,000 ha was burned, which destroyed numerous bushland patches of reserves and private property. The true damage of what this has done to the environment and its habitats is still being determined; it may take years to properly understand the impacts.
With this in mind, all remaining vegetation across KI is now considered to be highly important for conservation. Protecting the wildlife that live within these bushland areas is a high priority to organisations like the Nature Foundation. Their vision is to inspire people to connect with and conserve the natural habitat of South Australia for future generations. The Nature Foundation is involved in a number of projects that educate the broader community, provides scientific research and raises funds and awareness for their conservation work.
One of their more recent and ongoing projects is completely eradicating feral cats from Dudley Peninsula, which is located on the eastern side of the Island. Conservationists report that the feral cats living on KI are preying on small animals and birds that are already under threat from the mass loss to their habitat after the bushfires. They are also known carriers of parasitic diseases (Sarcosporidiosis and Toxoplasmosis), which have caused economic impacts on the island’s primary producers. These diseases are known to affect sheep across the island.
To help reduce the numbers of feral cats, the Nature Foundation received a $25,000 Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) grant, which was funded by the Fire Fight Australia Fund from donations received during the concert for national bushfire relief in February 2020. The SRC grant was used to purchase and install equipment needed to monitor the cat numbers and their movements around the peninsula. The Nature Foundation has built a cat proof fence that separates the peninsula from the remainder of the Island. They made sure to include gaps in the fence so other wildlife like Kangaroos can get through to the other side. The cameras were installed at the fence breaks to monitor the effect of the fences and to determine the best way to control feral cat numbers.
Since installing the fence and the cameras, it has been reported that numbers and diversity of species within the enclosed area have almost doubled. As reported by the ABC, the current traps set up along the fence are proving to be extremely successful in reducing the number of feral cats to the area.
FRRR has awarded five grants totalling $150,152 to a range of community groups in Taree and Wingham. These grants will enable local groups to invest in resources and build their capacity to support their communities’ ongoing recovery following the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires and floods earlier this year.
Funded through the Investing in Not-for-Profit Capacity in Regional NSW (INFPC) program, which is generously supported by the Paul Ramsay Foundation and a Taree-specific donor, these grants are part of an 18-month program. The program kicked off with a community workshop in October, where FRRR and local groups discussed local issues and how they could be resolved with community-led solutions.
This round of applications saw requests to support many of the issues raised during that session, including strategic and operational planning, marketing, revenue strategy and a digital solution to support volunteers and NFP organisations.
Joanna Kemp, FRRR’s INFPC Program Manager, said that there were many common themes among participants and community groups.
“Uncertainty and volunteer fatigue are real concerns for NFPs in Taree and Wingham, and in fact it’s something that FRRR is consistently hearing from rural organisations across the country. The cumulative impacts of disasters like fires, floods, the mouse plague and COVID-19 mean that community groups simply don’t have the volunteers, resources and training that they need in order to tackle the issues in front of them.
“The applications for this funding also align with what we heard in our recent Heartbeat of Rural Australia study – volunteer fatigue, excessive red tape in many grant application processes and a lack of resources are making it challenging for rural community groups. These are all issues that also came up during our community workshops, which is why we are delighted to be able to offer programs like INFPC that help address some of these issues.
“From engaging with these organisations, it’s apparent they have an unwavering commitment to bringing positive change to their communities’ and to becoming more prepared in the days ahead. The grants will allow these not-for-profit organisations to scale their operations and continue to provide essential services to their community as they recover from successive disasters,” said Ms Kemp.
The five grant recipients are:
- Circartus Incorporated, Wingham – Making the Most of What We Have – Boost the capacity and future sustainability of local circus school, Circartus Inc, through the development of a strategic plan and webpage design. $10,152
- First Steps Count Incorporated – Genuine Co-design with Community, Taree – Engage community in the development of the operational plan for a new community hub servicing children and families in Taree by resourcing a Co-Design Coordinator role. $25,000
- Mid Coast Outreach Incorporated, Wingham – Mid Coast Outreach – Office and Marketing Support – Grow the capacity and profile of newly established organisation, Mid Coast Outreach, through support for human resources, branding & marketing, and IT infrastructure. $34,000
- Mission Australia, Taree – Mid Coast 4 Kids Revenue Strategy – Boost the operational capacity of ‘Mid Coast 4 Kids’, collective impact project seeking positive social outcomes for children, young people and families, through the development of a revenue strategy. $6,500
- Wingham Chamber of Commerce, Wingham – Not-for-Profit Portal – Build the capacity of not-for-profit organisations in Taree and Wingham through consultation and development of shared digital tools to improve volunteer efficiency and effectiveness, and overall organisational capacity. $74,500
For more information about the Investing in Not-for-Profit Capacity in Regional NSW program, visit – https://frrr.org.au/investing-in-not-for-profit-capacity-nsw/.
Grants of more than $800,000 support bushfire recovery and community resilience
Seventy-nine community-led projects that will boost remote, rural and regional communities across Australia are sharing in $809,234 in funding, thanks to FRRR’s Strengthening Rural Communities (SRC) program.
Funded by generous contributions from a number of donors, the SRC program offers two streams of funding. The Small & Vital Stream offers grants of up to $10,000 for locally-led initiatives that strengthen community resilience and capacity, while the Bushfire Recovery Stream offers grants of up to $25,000 to support recovery from the Black Summer bushfires in 2020/21.
In this round of funding, $446,638 will support 55 Small & Vital projects, while $312,596 will be shared across 22 bushfire recovery initiatives.
Grants awarded range from $1,800 to upgrade the Gujarati Cultural Association of Darwin website, through to $25,000 for Wangaratta Rural City Council, which will be used to purchase and install a generator in their Neighbourhood Safer Place – Bushfire Place of Last Resort.
The funding follows the recent release of FRRR’s Heartbeat of Rural Australia Report, which highlights the challenges that local community groups across the country are facing in funding the vital community-strengthening activities that they undertake.
Natalie Egleton, CEO of FRRR, says that the diversity of projects reflects the critical role that these groups play in the vitality of their communities.
“As we found in our Heartbeat study, rural community groups and NFPs really are the heartbeat of rural communities. However, many community groups have found it tough to access funding, especially over the last two years, so we are delighted to be able to step in and support them to deliver on local priorities.
“We are seeing initiatives address local needs ranging from enhancing organisational capacity, to providing training so that the groups can better support their communities, to upgrades in critical community infrastructure so that people a safe and accessible space where they can meet.
“This diversity of projects confirms that these community organisations are best placed to lead the way when it comes to supporting their communities, facilitating recovery, and building resilience,” Ms Egleton said.
One particularly notable aspect of this round of grants is the total value of the projects being supported in the Small & Vital Stream.
“We often hear from community groups that the funding they receive from FRRR helps them secure the balance of funds for their projects. While we are awarding $446,638 toward Small & Vital projects, the total value of the projects we’re supporting is nearly $3 million. This means that, on average, for every $1 awarded by FRRR there’s another $6.50 going into the community either in cash or in-kind. That’s wonderful to see and we’re delighted to be able to help local organisations make progress toward getting these critical initiatives up and running,” Ms Egleton said.
Some of the 79 projects awarded include:
- The Community Charity Shop Incorporated – Rylstone, NSW – Volunteer Celebration and Expo – $10,000 – Celebrate volunteerism and encourage local involvement through a two-day volunteer expo and celebration of local volunteer groups.
- Gong-Dal Aboriginal Corporation – Gapuwiyak, NT – Miyarrka Homelands Mobile Bush Studio and Pilot Project – $10,000 – Upskill youth in video production skills and build a library of video resources for cultural education as well as the purchase of video equipment to develop On-Country bush video studio.
- Fassifern District Historical Society Incorporated – Boonah, QLD – Ride on Mower – $6,200 – Increase volunteer safety and bushfire preparedness through purchase of a ride on mower.
- Port Neill Progress Association Inc – Port Neill, SA – Health and Connectedness for our Community – $2,860 – Support physical and mental health for residents of Port Neill, through weekly fitness sessions throughout 2022.
- Bruny Island District School Association Incorporated – Alonnah, TAS – Billabong Playground Upgrade – $10,000 – Improve educational, physical and social outcomes, by installing an age-appropriate outdoor play area for preschool children.
- Goulburn Region Pre-School Association Inc – Violet Town, VIC – Violet Town Bush Kinder – $4,264 – Enhance early learning andappreciation of nature through the development of a bush education program for kindergarten children.
- City of Albany – Goode Beach, WA – Albany Community Preparedness and Resilience Project – $8,350 – Building community resilience by supporting community planning and preparation for emergencies or disasters.
A full list of grant recipients is available on FRRR’s website.
The SRC program is collaboratively supported by a number of generous donors, which are listed on FRRR’s website.
The next round of SRC applications is currently being assessed and will be announced March 2022.
More information about the SRC program is available on FRRR’s website.
To support grants like this through FRRR, make a tax-deductible donation at frrr.org.au/giving/.
The full list of grant recipients and their projects are below.
Organisation | Project | Location | Grant | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NEW SOUTH WALES | ||||||
Bushfire Recovery | ||||||
Border Ranges Richmond Valley Landcare Network Incorporated | Supporting Safe and Connected Landcare Communities Through Digital Resources and WHS Training Help Landcare volunteers to have better access to training opportunities with the purchase of a Smart TV, laptop and improved meeting space furniture. | Kyogle | $6,915 | |||
Brunswick Valley Landcare Incorporated | Climate Resilience For Our Community's Gardeners and Landholders Encourage people to come together to plant trees and learn about climate resilience at the 2022 Mother's Day Community Planting event. | Mullumbimby | $10,000 | |||
Do It For Batlow Incorporated | Community Health and Wellbeing / Sports Area Upgrade Encourage the community to come together, connect and exercise through rejuvenation of the netball, basketball courts and surrounding area within the Batlow Showground Precinct. | Batlow | $25,000 | |||
Gundillion Recreation Reserve Land Manager | Chainsaw Training Round Two Increase awareness for local community impacted by the Black Summer bushfire events in the safe use of chainsaws for the removal of burnt trees. | Krawarree | $5,000 | |||
Modern Art Projects Blue Mountains Assoc Inc | Carnivale Catastrophe Inspire community to come together to share their experiences of the 2019/20 bushfires through an exhibition, public programs and an online digital publication as part of Cementa Festival 2022. | Kandos | $21,022 | |||
Rainforest 4 Foundation Ltd | Building a Volunteer Base for Local Bushfire Recovery Community Tree Plantings Expand and retain a volunteer base that will support tree planting and forest regeneration in bushfire impacted rainforest areas. | Mullumbimby | $9,316 | |||
Scotts Head Community Group Incorporated | Scotts Head Community Gardeners Establish a community garden to encourage community engagement and create an inclusive and supportive meeting place. | Scotts Head | $15,000 | |||
TenterLIFE Suicide Prevention Network Inc | TenterLIFE Suicide Prevention Network Inc Boost community knowledge of suicide and its impact through a series of awareness events and Mental Health First Aid training. | Tenterfield | $25,000 | |||
The Community Charity Shop Incorporated | Volunteer Celebration and Expo Celebrate volunteerism and encourage local involvement through a two day volunteer expo and celebration of local volunteer groups. | Rylstone | $10,000 | |||
Treading Lightly Inc | Treading Lightly Community Hub and Youth Program Enable the development of a youth committee by local community hub with rent support in addition to training and mentoring support for youth skill development. | Milton | $25,000 | |||
Valla Public Hall Committee of Managerment Nambucca Valley Council | Historic Valla Hall - Upgrade of Amenities for Community Comfort and Resilience Improve the comfort and use of the community hall by installing heating and cooling plus dishwasher. | Valla | $17,400 | |||
Small & Vital | ||||||
Clifton Community Food Garden Incorporated | Artificial Turf for Garden Walkways Between Beds Encourage community participation and make the Clifton Community Food Garden more accessible by installing artificial turf for walkways between garden beds. | Sanctuary Point | $3,998 | |||
Gloucester Arts and Cultural Council Inc | Growing Gloucester's Arts Boost participation and increase cultural vibrancy by bringing more arts-based and cultural programs to Gloucester. | Gloucester | $10,000 | |||
Home-Start National Inc | Crookwell Parent to Parent Mentor Project Strengthen social connection and build resilience by supporting the Crookwell Parent to Parent Mentor Project. | Crookwell | $9,480 | |||
Ivanhoe RSL Club Ltd | Ivanhoe RSL Upgrades Boost functionality of the Ivanhoe RSL Club through provision of a deep fryer, dishwasher and kitchen equipment. | Ivanhoe | $9,750 | |||
Mulga Bill Festival Incorporated | The Air Conditioning of the Banjo Paterson...More Than a Poet Museum/Exhibition Boost functionality and usability of The Banjo Paterson…more than a Poet Museum through provision of air conditioning. | Yeoval | $4,117 | |||
Scone Triathlon Club Incorporated | Splash into Summer in Scone Increase community participation, health and wellbeing by providing free pool entry and swimming programs for the residents of Scone. | Scone | $5,800 | |||
Warren Chamber Music Festival Incorporated | Warren Chamber Music Festival Education Week Inspire more culturally vibrant communities and increase engagement in learning by supporting Warren Chamber Music Festival Education Week. | Warren | $10,000 | |||
NORTHERN TERRITORY | ||||||
Small & Vital | ||||||
Bula'Bula Arts | Moiety Murals: Yirritja and Dhuwa Dreamings Encourage younger generation’s understanding and knowledge of Yolngu culture through creation of two large murals depicting Dhuwa and Yirritja moieties. | Ramingining | $9,973 | |||
Enterprise Learning Projects | Empowering the Social Entrepreneurs of Remote Northern Australia Build successful social enterprises in remote Northern Australia through five online workshops and an entrepreneurs' network. | Northern Australia | $10,000 | |||
Gong-Dal Aboriginal Corporation | Miyarrka Homelands Mobile Bush Studio and Pilot Project Upskill youth in video production skills and build a library of video resources for cultural education with purchase of video equipment to develop On-Country bush video studio. | Gapuwiyak | $10,000 | |||
Gujarati Cultural Association of Darwin Incorporated | GCAD Website 2022 Grow awareness of Gujarati Indian culture and participation in multicultural celebrations with the upgrade of community website. | Darwin | $1,800 | |||
Junior Police Rangers Land Association | Greening Goanna Park - Preservation Phase Maintain grounds of Youth Leadership Camp with purchases of a spray unit to control invasive Gamba Grass and a high-pressure washer for removal of mold. | Marrakai | $5,860 | |||
The Trustee for Mantiyupwi Family Trust | Wurrumiyanga Community Tree Planting and Clean-Up Week Encourage residents to participate in a program to beautify their environment, reduce erosion, increase access to fresh fruit, and increase shade via a community tree planting and Clean-Up week. | Wurrumiyanga | $5,500 | |||
QUEENSLAND | ||||||
Bushfire Recovery | ||||||
Fassifern District Historical Society Incorporated | Ride on Mower Increase volunteer safety and bushfire preparedness through purchase of a ride on mower. | Boonah | $6,200 | |||
Scenic Rim Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Inc | Mobile Field Hospital Fitout Support volunteers responding to natural disasters by providing cooling, refrigeration and a computer for mobile field animal hospital. | Boonah | $9,350 | |||
Small & Vital | ||||||
Begonia Golf & Sports Club Inc | Connect Begonia Boost opportunities for inclusion and participation through connecting Begonia residents to internet and providing an online yoga program. | Begonia | $10,000 | |||
Bowen Neighbourhood Centre Bowen Community Council Inc | Community Computers Increase access to digital services through provision of a bank of computers at Bowen Neighbourhood Centre. | Bowen | $10,000 | |||
Captain Creek Community Sport and Recreation Club | Commercial Dishwasher and TV for Captain Creek Community Club Encourage community connection and support volunteers through provision of a commercial dishwasher and television for Captain Creek Community Club. | Captain Creek | $8,265 | |||
Cawarral Primary P&C Association | Playful Partnerships at Cawarral Encourage social connection and engagement in learning through installation of a new playground and fencing for Cawarral State School. | Cawarral | $10,000 | |||
Childers Neighbourhood Centre Bundaberg Regional Council | NOT The One Pot Wonders Build community resilience and participation through provision of a series of cooking classes that focus on health, nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. | Childers | $9,445 | |||
El Arish Community Sport and Recreation Association Incorporated | STAGE 2 Air Conditioning Project for the El Arish RSL Memorial Hall Expand the use of El Arish RSL Memorial Hall by installing three user-pays air conditioning units. | El Arish | $9,950 | |||
Home Hill Chamber of Commerce | Create and Host a New Website, Email Service and Social Media Presence Build economic strength and enhance community identity by provision of a new website and social media presence for Home Hill business community. | Home Hill | $10,000 | |||
Nanango & District Kindergarten Assn | New Indoor Timber Furniture Revitalise the learning environment of Nanango & District Kindergarten through the provision of sustainable timber activity tables and chairs. | Nanango | $10,000 | |||
Roma Show Society Inc | Maranoa New Years Spectacular Boost the local economy and increase social connection by providing fireworks and entertainment for the Maranoa New Year Spectacular. | Roma | $10,000 | |||
Torres Strait & Cape York Peninsula Indigenous Futsal Association Limited | Remote Indigenous Junior Futsal Clubs Foster a more engaged, participative community and contribute to "closing the gap" for Indigenous children by establishing long-term extra-curricular activities in the remote communities of Torres Strait and Cape York Peninsula. | Northern Peninsula Area | $9,500 | |||
Woodhill Hall Association Inc | Refurbish Kitchen Benches and Shelving Rejuvenate the Woodhill Hall through provision of new kitchen benchtops and shelving. | Woodhill | $4,485 | |||
SOUTH AUSTRALIA | ||||||
Bushfire Recovery | ||||||
Lights of Lobethal SA Inc | Illuminature Bringing community together and support activities that promote recovery through a lighting display. | Lobethal | $25,000* | |||
Southern Yorke Peninsula Community Hub Incorporated | Incident Response Trailer Empower community led initiatives in responding to and preparing for natural disasters. | Yorketown & District | $24,950 | |||
TULKA Progress Association | Purchase of a Zero Turn Ride-On Lawn Mower Boost the community's ability to prepare for bushfire seasons and maintain fuel reduction though purchasing a mower. | Tulka | $6,199 | |||
Small & Vital | ||||||
Cummins Area School | Preschool Outdoor Area Upgrade Encourage connectivity, educational and social opportunities for young children, by constructing a sensory garden and play-space. | Cummins | $10,000 | |||
Port Neill Progress Association Inc | Health and Connectedness for our Community Support physical and mental health for residents of Port Neill, through the operation of a weekly fitness session throughout 2022. | Port Neill | $2,860 | |||
The Beltana Progress Association Incorporated | Increasing Community Resilience -Purchase a Replacement Tractor Support organisational capacity and volunteer wellbeing through the purchase of a tractor for the maintenance of town infrastructure. | Beltana | $10,000 | |||
Wudinna & District Swimming Pool Inc | Wudinna Swimming Pool Canteen Upgrade Support revenue generation and develop organisational capacity through the upgrade of a refrigerator. | Wudinna | $4,432 | |||
TASMANIA | ||||||
Small & Vital | ||||||
Bruny Island District School Association Incorporated | Billabong Playground Upgrade Improve educational, physical and social outcomes, by installing an age-appropriate outdoor play area for pre-school children. | Alonnah | $10,000 | |||
Dunalley Tasman Neighbourhood House Inc | Holistic Volunteer Strategy Increase the Neighbourhood House’s capacity to support volunteers through the establishment of a volunteer engagement strategy. | Nubeena | $8,200 | |||
VICTORIA | ||||||
Bushfire Recovery | ||||||
Ambassadors of Jesus Inc | Ensuring Emergency Food Relief in the Upper Murray Boost health and wellbeing of communities affected by natural disasters through delivering emergency food relief and essential goods. | Corryong | $25,000 | |||
Bright Court House Committee of Management | Auditorium Upgrade - Live Streaming Cameras Encourage people to come together and strengthen connections to arts and culture in a community affected by natural disasters. | Bright | $9,970 | |||
Bruthen Arts and Events Council Inc | Bruthen Blues & Arts Festival, 2022 Strengthen recovery and encourage people to come together by enhancing entertainment and COVID-safe practices at the Bruthen Arts & Blues Festival. | Bruthen | $25,000* | |||
Corryong Junior Gymnastic Club Inc | Circastics Access for All Encourage access and inclusion for all abilities through the purchase of specialist gymnastics and circus equipment. | Corryong | $6,650 | |||
Dartmouth Community Progress Association | Strengthening Volunteer Capacity Through the Upgrading of Equipment in our Local Community Hall Increase community connection and disaster preparedness by improving kitchen facilities at a community gathering space. | Dartmouth | $9,000 | |||
National Alpine Museum of Australia Incorporated | Australia's Alpine Album Grow community resources and local connection by preserving stories and historical artefacts. | VIC Alpine | $12,274 | |||
Whitfield Recreation Reserve Community Asset Committee Wangaratta Rural City Council | Strengthening Resilience and Capacity for the Whitfield Community During Emergency Events Building capacity to respond to natural disasters through purchasing a generator for a community gathering space. | Whitfield | $25,000 | |||
Small & Vital | ||||||
Art House Gippsland Incorporated | Inward Goods Festival 2022 Build capacity of a music event and extend artistic engagement of young people in creative activities through supporting amenities costs at the Inward Goods Briagolong Festival. | Briagolong | $10,000 | |||
Banyena Community Hall Incorporated | Banyena Hall Automated External Defibrillator Enhance community safety and capacity by providing an accessible defibrillator and training at the local hall. | Banyena | $2,321 | |||
Bass Coast Community Foundation Open Fund | Bass Coast Kids as Catalysts Enhance school engagement and develop life skills through implementing the Kids as Catalysts creative learning program at Bass Valley Primary School. | Corinella | $10,000 | |||
Bellarine Historical Society Incorporated (INC. NO. A 0015326L) | Upgrade Computer Equipment Boost volunteer capacity and engagement through the upgrading of IT equipment. | Drysdale | $3,030 | |||
Boolarra and District Historical Society Inc | Improving access to Boolarra Museum Expand the use of the Boolarra Museum by installing a ramp to improve access. | Boolarra | $10,000 | |||
Centre for Participation Inc | Alternative Life Skill Program for Vulnerable Youth Develop resilience of at-risk Youth through participation in a food handling training program. | Nhill | $9,750 | |||
Edenhope Tourism Incorporated | Permanent Museum to Display Local History Build a stronger local economy and celebrate a historically rich culture through the establishment of a history museum. | Edenhope | $10,000 | |||
Geelong Food Relief Centre | The Weekly Purchase of Nutritious Food for the Geelong Food Banks Improve food security in vulnerable communities through purchasing and distributing nutritious food. | Geelong (G1 Region) | $10,000 | |||
Gellibrand Community House Incorporated | Heating Hearts in the Gellibrand Hall Improve volunteer vitality and organisational resilience by installing split systems. | Gellibrand | $10,000 | |||
Goulburn Region Pre-School Association Inc | Violet Town Bush Kinder Enhance early learning and appreciation of nature through the development of a bush education program for kindergarten children. | Violet Town | $4,264 | |||
Karramomus Hall and Recreation Reserve Greater Shepparton City Council | Rejuvenating the Karramomus Community Hall Strengthen social engagement for senior’s groups and expand hire of a local hall, through the upgrade of furniture. | Karramomus | $9,750 | |||
Koroit Irish Festival Committee Inc | Caring for our Kids Increase organisational capacity and young people’s engagement with a heritage festival through the purchase of marquees. | Koroit | $7,500 | |||
Korumburra Men’s Shed Milpara Community House Inc | The Korumburra Castle ‘Hub 1’ Foster greater engagement and connection by installing an accessible kitchen at the men's shed. | Korumburra | $9,600 | |||
Ladybird Education North East Regional Pre-School Association Incorporated | Ladybird Education Music Incursion Program at Chiltern Kindergarten Support early childhood pre-literacy development through the introduction of a music program at Chiltern Kindergarten. | Chiltern | $6,800 | |||
Mirboo Recreation Reserve Incorporated | Reverse Cycle Replacement Strengthen community connectivity and engagement through the purchase and installation of split systems. | Mirboo | $2,000 | |||
Portland Community Garden Incorporated | Expand our Work Space Expand our Opportunities Enhance engagement opportunities for the Portland community through the establishment of a workshop space at the community garden. | Portland | $10,000 | |||
Pyramid Hill and District Historical Society Inc A0016804K | Pyramid Hill Historic Plaques Increase community connection and promote history and tourism in Pyramid Hill by installing historic plaques within the township. | Pyramid Hill | $8,253 | |||
The Growing Abundance Project Inc | 2022 Harvest Program Coordinator Enhance community wellbeing via a food security program and support volunteer management by employing a project coordinator. | Castlemaine | $10,000 | |||
Wandong History Group Inc | Linking Our Heritage - Wandong Increase access to local history and boost community participation through establishing a new website. | Wandong | $8,327 | |||
WESTERN AUSTRALIA | ||||||
Bushfire Recovery | ||||||
City of Albany | Albany Community Preparedness and Resilience Project Building community resilience by supporting community planning and preparation for emergencies or disasters. | Goode Beach | $8,350 | |||
Small & Vital | ||||||
Badgingarra Primary School Parents and Citizens Association | Upgrade School Kitchen Expand the use of the school’s kitchen by installing new cupboards and appliances to increase capacity to deliver food technology programs and provide catering at school events. | Badgingarra | $10,000 | |||
Cranbrook Community Men's Shed | Shed Extension Grow opportunities to connect and support skill development by extending Cranbrook Men’s Shed to allow a separate metal working area. | Cranbrook | $8,273 | |||
Dunsborough Toy Library | Dunsborough Toy Library - Building Capacity, Awareness and Resilience Increase opportunities for families to connect and children to access educational toys, with new website and promotional material for toy library. | Dunsborough | $3,605 | |||
Foodbank of Western Australia Inc | Food Relief Support for Isolated Meekatharra & Wiluna Families Increase access to food for remote communities of Wiluna and Meekatharra, through provision of food hampers. | Meekatharra | $9,750 | |||
Indigenous Remote Communications Association Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Corporation | 2022 Remote Indigenous Media Festival Boost Indigenous media skills by funding workshops and forums supporting skills development, networking and industry development. | Kimberley | $10,000 | |||
Walitj Aboriginal Corporation | Boosting Shearing Training Capability for Noongar Young Adults in Great Southern WA Develop workplace skills to address labor shortages in the wool industry through purchase of a wool press that will support industry training and grow a viable social enterprise. | Redmond | $10,000 | |||
* Tailored grants |
35 first-responder organisations awarded grants
Thirty-five volunteer emergency services organisations supporting remote, rural and regional communities impacted by the 2019/20 bushfires are sharing $447,323 in grants for projects that will assist in their recovery and strengthen their emergency response capabilities ahead of the 2021/22 bushfire season.
Funded through FRRR’s Volunteer Emergency Services Fund (VESF) program, thanks to a generous private donor, grants range from $2,232 to maintain fire-crew hydration through the installation of a car fridge, to $25,000 to increase access to life saving equipment with the purchase
The VESF supports the ongoing bushfire recovery and preparedness taking place in eligible fire-affected communities across the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria.
Natalie Egleton, FRRR’s CEO, said that these grants will support rural communities and protect the volunteers who are leading the path to recovery.
“Programs like this are crucial to the long-term resilience of these communities. Providing the necessary resources and support for these volunteers will not only bolster the preparedness of these fire-affected areas but will also enable our volunteers to recover, both physically and mentally, as they continue to serve rural Australia in the safest and most effective ways possible.
“In this round, we saw a lot of requests for support in purchasing and upgrading emergency equipment. Whether it’s additional firefighting trailers, community emergency messaging systems or emergency medical equipment, these organisations will be better equipped to save lives,” says Ms Egleton.
Some of the projects funded this round include:
- Wantagong Bushfire Brigade, NSW – Firefighting trailer and PMR Handheld Radio – $16,188 – Increase firefighting capacity with the provision of an additional tanker trailer and a handheld radio.
- Flinders Peak Rural Fire Brigade, QLD – Flinders Peak Station Security & Access Control – $13,682 – Improve facility access and security for local fire and SES organisations by installing a new integrated security and roller door system.
- Kangaroo Island Wildlife Network, SA – Fire Awareness Session and 4WD training – $5,580 – Build capability and equip a local wildlife organisation to operate effectively in a disaster with fire awareness and 4WD training, and new disaster response equipment.
- Wendoree Park Rural Fire Service, VIC – Wendoree Park Rural Fire Station Generator – $19,854 -Increase emergency power supply capability with the installation of an emergency backup generator ensuring continued access to power supply during emergencies.
- St John Ambulance Australia (Vic) Inc, Vic – Mental Health, Crisis and resilience training for volunteers deployed to bushfire events – $14,250 – Boost first responder wellbeing by delivering Mental Health, Crisis and Resilience training for volunteers deployed to bushfire events.
For more information, visit FRRR’s website – https://frrr.org.au/volunteer-emergency-services-fund-grant-program/. The next, and last, round of this program is expected to open in February, but details will be confirmed in the new year.
The full list of grant recipients and their projects are below.
Organisation | Project | Location | Grant | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NEW SOUTH WALES | ||||||
Bumbalong Valley Progress Association | Bumbalong Community Fire Unit 2021-2022 Strengthen emergency fire response capacity and communication with the provision of smaller mobile water storage solutions, pumps, hoses and radio equipment. | Bumbalong | $19,301 | |||
Gulgong DC Rural Fire Brigade | Going Digital - A New Age for Gulgong DC RFB Enhance training and communications equipment by upgrading digital equipment to enhance operations. | Gulgong | $25,000 | |||
Long Flat / Ellenborough Rural Fire Brigade | Kitchen Upgrade Improve kitchen facilities at the local RFS site to provide volunteers and community members with disability access and conditions to support serving safe, healthy food during disaster activations. | Long Flat | $20,503 | |||
Narara Rural Fire Brigade | Refurbishment After 2019/20 Fires Increase brigade visibility and emergency communication by providing additional lighting towers, torches and fireground radios for use during emergency response activities. | Narara | $15,572 | |||
RFS - Central Coast District Captain, Central Coast Trail Bike Unit | Enclosed Trail Bike Trailer for Rapid and Efficient Deployment Build organisational capacity with an additional trailer for transporting bikes increasing operational effectiveness. | Kariong | $18,244 | |||
RFS - Blackheath Mt Victoria Rural Fire Brigade | Operational & Technology Capability Enhancements Enhance emergency response capability to provide volunteers with an appropriately appointed facility including turn out bay roller doors, air conditioning, technology upgrades and hose drying equipment. | Blackheath | $19,641 | |||
RFS - Mount Fairy Rural Fire Brigade | Station Upgrade & Fit-Out Boost operational capacity and response capability by fitting out the facilities extension including training, kitchen and laundry areas. | Mount Fairy | $23,552 | |||
St John Ambulance Australia (N.S.W.) | St John Ambulance Northern NSW Defibrillator Project Increase access to life saving equipment by providing Defibrillators for northern NSW communities impacted by Black Summer bushfires. | Armidale, Tamworth, Cessnock & Port Macquarie | $25,000 | |||
Towamba Rural Fire Brigade | Capital Equipment for Fire Shed Strengthen volunteer vitality by upgrading Fire Brigade facilities to support efficient emergency response activities including attachment of the generator, lockers and training space. | Towamba | $10,500 | |||
Volunteer Marine Rescue NSW | Marine Rescue Bermagui Base Refurbishment Upgrade the facilities of Marine Rescue Bermagui to improve operations for radio communications, training and power loss risk mitigation. | Bermagui | $24,933 | |||
Wantagong Bushfire Brigade | Fire Fighting Trailer and PMR Handheld Radio Increase fire fighting capacity with the provision of an additional tanker trailer and a hand held radio. | Wantagong | $16,188 | |||
Wendoree Park Rural Fire Service | Wendoree Park Rural Fire Station Generator Increase emergency power supply capability with the installation of an emergency backup generator ensuring continued access to power supply during emergencies. | Wendoree Park | $19,854 | |||
Bega District Volunteer Rescue Group Incorporated | Battery Operated Rescue Tools and Associated Equipment Strengthen organisational capacity by providing battery, charger pack and charger chords for power tools used in emergency response activities. | Bega Valley | $3,482 | |||
Midcoast Aviation Brigade | Midcoast Aviation Airbase Support Equipment Increase organisational capabilities in the field and support volunteers safety from the sun with the provision of a heavy duty gazebo and all terrain pallet jack. | Taree, Forster, Tuncurry, Wingham & Old Bar | $5,007 | |||
RFS - Berkeley Vale Rural Fire Brigade Incorporated | Battery Operated Rescue Tools and Associated Equipment Enhance emergency response activities by providing hand held radio's, updated GPS units and a backpack resuscitator enhancing community safety. | Berkeley Vale & Broader Central Coast | $5,822 | |||
RFS - Bredbo Rural Fire Brigade | Improving First-Aid Capability Increase volunteer skills and knowledge and capacity to respond to local emergencies with training in first aid and CPR and by providing first aid and snake bite kits for the Bredbo Rural Fire Brigade. | Bredbo | $3,860 | |||
RFS - Buxton Volunteer Fire Brigade | Breathing Apparatus Cleaning Requirements, PPE and First Aid Supplies Strengthen the ability of volunteers to respond to emergencies by purchasing a hot water system and washing machine to wash members breathing apparatus, uniforms and personal protective equipment and providing PPE and first aid kit supplies. | Buxton | $9,150 | |||
RFS - Colinton Rural Fire Brigade | Purchase of an Automated Emergency Defibrillator (AED) for the Training Room, and Training to Use Strengthen ability and skills to respond to sudden cardiac arrests in the community by purchasing an Automated Emergency Defibrillator for the Brigade training room and provide training for Brigade members and community members in its use. | Colinton | $2,650 | |||
RFS - Wollondibby Fire Brigade | Wollondibby Bushfire Brigade Emergency Power Supply Ensure continuous power supply for an Emergency Power Supply for the Wollondibby Fire Shed by way of a backup Generator. | Jindabyne & Crackenback | $4,525 | |||
RFS - Wyee Point Rural Fire Brigade | Community Awareness Notice Board and Online Training Television Boost community emergency messaging and volunteer training capabilities with the provision of a Community Notice Board and television for the Wyee Point RFB. | Wyee Point | $5,000 | |||
Rylstone Kandos & District Volunteer Search and Rescue Organisation Inc | Defibrillator Upgrade Increase community safety with the provision of defibrillators to be housed at the Rescue Complex. | Rylstone & Kandos | $7,485 | |||
QUEENSLAND | ||||||
Flinders Peak Rural Fire Brigade | Flinders Peak Station Security & Access Control Improve facility access and security for local fire and SES organisations by installing a new integrated security and roller door system. | Peak Crossing | $13,862 | |||
SOUTH AUSTRALIA | ||||||
Kangaroo Island Wildlife Network | Fire Awareness Session and 4WD Training Build capability and equip a local wildlife organisation to operate effectively in a disaster with fire awareness and 4WD training, and new disaster response equipment. | Kingscote | $5,580 | |||
Mawson CFS Group | Thermal Imaging Camera for Community Safety Improve firefighting equipment to enhance operational effectiveness and safety through a Thermal imaging camera that assists with thorough management of fires on site, reduces volunteer risk in smoke filled environments. | Clarendon, Happy Valley, Kangarilla & Chandlers Hill | $2,525 | |||
Mount Barker SES Unit | Emergency Response Equipment Strengthen volunteer emergency response capability by providing additional trauma and emergency medical treatment kits and a lifting bridle to support patient emergency treatment and evacuation. | Mount Barker, Woodside & Brukunga | $3,885 | |||
VICTORIA | ||||||
CFA - Violet Town Country Fire Service | Safe Powered Haven for the Violet Town Community Ensure constant power supply during emergency events and mains power outages with the provision of a diesel generator ensuring access to Emergency response facilities during power outages. | Violet Town | $19,592 | |||
CFA - Nagambie Country Fire Service | Community Emergency Information Enhance community emergency messaging with a LED display board to be placed in the towns main thoroughfare for year round use, particularly during emergency events. | Nagambie | $13,000 | |||
St John Ambulance Australia (Vic) Inc | Mental Health, Crisis and Resilience Training for Volunteers Deployed to Bushfire Events Boost first responder wellbeing by delivering Mental Health, Crisis and Resilience training for volunteers deployed to bushfire events. | Wodonga, Sale, Bairnsdale & Regional Victorian Divisions | $14,250 | |||
Upper Murray Innovation Foundation - Thowgla Community Recovery Committee (CRC) | Thowgla Valley Fire Preparedness Project Strengthen emergency response capacity and increase emergency activity communication by providing additional fire fighting trailers and hand held radios. | Thowgla Valley | $22,928 | |||
Victoria State Emergency Service Authority - Wodonga Unit | Update the Computer Hardware and Accessories at the Wodonga Unit Increase organisational capacity with the provision of upgraded IT equipment, software and accessories. | Wodonga | $19,957 | |||
Victoria State Emergency Service - Bairnsdale Unit | Enhancing Response Capability Build operational capacity through battery and charger equipment to support portability of battery powered emergency equipment. | Bairnsdale | $25,000 | |||
Victoria State Emergency Service Yackandandah Unit | Resilient Emergency Services in Yackandandah - Phase 3 Increase consistency of power supply with the provision of a diesel generator ensuring access to back up power during emergency response periods. | Yackandandah | $13,176 | |||
CFA - Killawarra Country Fire Service | Cool Under Pressure Improve volunteer safety and wellbeing with the installation of a car fridge on the fighting tanker to maintain crew hydration. | Killawarra | $2,232 | |||
CFA - Ruffy Country Fire Service | Fire Truck Driver Refresher Training Support emergency response safety with the delivery of volunteer driver training for members of the Ruffy Fire Brigade. | Ruffy | $3,600 | |||
CFA- Upton Hill Country Fire Service | IT for Upton Hill to Boost Volunteerism and Volunteer Retention Boost organisational capacity by providing IT equipment supporting the day to operations and completion of administration functions for volunteers. | Upton Hill | $2,467 |
Capacity building grants support long-term recovery initiatives of local not-for-profits and community organisations
FRRR has awarded grants to four Victorian community groups playing a central role in the long-term recovery of communities impacted by the 2019/20 bushfires.
The grants are the first to be awarded through the Bushfire Recovery Fund established thanks to a multi-year partnership with the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust (HMSTrust) and the Sidney Myer Fund. The program is designed to strengthen the capacity of local not-for-profit organisations and community groups operating in fire-affected areas to support the ongoing recovery of communities.
Natalie Egleton, CEO of FRRR, said that having access to longer-term, multi-year support is vital when it comes to creating effective solutions on the ground to allow these communities to recover and thrive.
“These grants recognise the vital role of these organisations and invest in the skills, tools and resources they need to support their community as they rebuild, and to sustain their work beyond the recovery. With the additional pressure of COVID-19, this multi-year support will mean they can confidently plan, invest and be there to support their community as needs change,” Ms Egleton said.
HMSTrust CEO, Debra Morgan, said that the Trust believes local organisations are best placed to understand local needs, and that this is particularly the case in bushfire-affected areas, where it’s critical that organisations have the support they need to sustain their operations.
“The four organisations have identified the needs specific to their communities, and each has a unique approach to the road to recovery. The projects reflect the local context of each community and the interventions required for long-term recovery. We are pleased to support these strong organisations seeking to build organisational capacity and resilience, and we hope they will serve to strengthen the communities into the future,” Ms Morgan said.
Sidney Myer Fund CEO, Leonard Vary, said that the Bushfire Recovery Fund aims to strengthen the operations of ‘backbone’ organisations and give each the means to implement effective and innovative approaches in supporting impacted communities over the longer term.
“Local organisations must be given the tools to develop and implement plans for sustainability and growth so as to support bushfire-affected communities into the future. These grants will help enhance organisational capability and improve the services offered to communities including future preparedness efforts,” said Mr Vary.
The four groups funded are:
- Alpine Valley Community Leadership (AVCL) – $90,000 – Build AVCL’s capacity to strategically plan and deliver leadership training that can more effectively support and build community recovery capacity in north-east Victoria.
- Corryong Neighbourhood House Inc – $103,340 – Increase operational capacity by providing an additional .8 FTE to the core staffing levels. The increased resource will enable Corryong Neighbourhood House Inc to continue to progress its strategic social enterprise and community development work including participation in bushfire recovery work.
- Mallacoota Community Health Infrastructure and Resilience Fund Inc (CHIRF) – $113,230 – Enable the employment of a skilled local project manager, who will progress the current aims for developing the local mental health services offering through strategic planning, fundraising and project design and development.
- Mount Beauty Neighbourhood Centre (MBNC) – $100,000 – Increase operational capacity of the organisation, which will allow it to develop a prepared and resilient community. The driving force behind this application is the volunteer-run Keep Calm Committee, which works alongside MBNC.
More information about the Bushfire Recovery Fund is on this website.
Yuin Nation
Professional artists from the Bega Valley are invigorating Pambula Village with vibrant and colourful large-scale artworks, thanks to a bushfire recovery initiative.
Six commissioned pieces now complement a 22-site historic walking tour and are providing a boost to morale, employment and tourism.
The Bega Valley LGA was among the most impacted by the 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires, with 465 houses destroyed, 1,279 rural landholders impacted and around 60 per cent of the area burnt. Pambula has also experienced drought and COVID-19. The cumulative effects of all this have resulted in the loss of livelihoods, employment, prospects, wealth, environment, sense of security and mental wellbeing.
The Waislitz Family Foundation, in partnership with Australian Community Media, joined forces with FRRR after the Black Summer bushfires to support recovery. The Pambula arts project was granted $25,000 through FRRR’s Strengthening Rural Communities program, funded by the Waislitz Family Foundation in partnership with Australian Community Media.
Pambula Business Council President Michelle Pettigrove said the road back from the region’s losses is long and daunting and the ongoing Pambula Art Project gives this community a strong sense of unity, pride and direction.
“There is a discernible buzz on the street, tourists talk about the great community spirit of the town,” she said.
Artists get to exhibit their work to a large audience while helping increase Pambula’s profile and attract visitors to the Village and extended Bega Valley region. It’s boosting sales for local businesses and creating a more culturally vibrant community.
The Art Project was also mentioned frequently by voters when Pambula was named a finalist in the NSW Small Top Tourist Town awards.
While many buildings in Pambula have some historic significance, plain brick walls of newer buildings were identified as perfect ‘canvases’. Some artworks were painted directly onto buildings, and a clever solution using Laminex and aluminium panels meant others could be installed to building facades without causing damage.
Ms Pettigrove said the artworks were not designed to overpower the existing streetscape “but rather to illuminate and amplify Pambula’s historic, cultural and environmental identity, including the history and connection to country of the Yuin People – the original custodians of our region”.
A self-guided history walking tour map has also been produced, featuring 22 of Pambula’s historic buildings and sites to shine a spotlight on the fascinating and quirky history of the village and local identities. Pambula was the birthplace of Sir William McKell, the second Australian-born Governor General, and his home is now an art gallery. Syms Covington, who served with Sir Charles Darwin on ‘The Beagle’ retired to Pambula and continued to send Darwin samples of Australian flora and fauna for many years. Covington then served as postmaster in Pambula and his house is now a popular restaurant/gallery.
Future plans for the project include adding and celebrating more Yuin Nation history in the original self-guided History Walk, following ongoing extended consultation with both the Bega Aboriginal Land Council and the Twofold Aboriginal Corporation.
Wiradjuri Country
When bushfires move through towns placing lives, homes and income at risk, the emotional and financial recovery can take years. In the wake of the 2019/20 bushfires, many communities continue to feel stress and anxiety from the loss of employment and the trauma of evacuating and leaving their homes behind. In Tumbarumba, in New South Wales, many people lost their homes, sheds, fences, stock, and other assets in the fires creating a financial burden that has left much of the town physically and emotionally exhausted. However, the residents are trying to rebuild.
The members of local organisation Artists on Parade Co-op Ltd wanted to help their town reconnect to their home, and with each other after the fires. Thanks to a $7,000 grant from the VISY Tumut Region Recovery Fund, funded by The Pratt Foundation, Artists on Parade held 16 workshops over several weekends in October 2020.
Throughout the year, Artists on Parade are responsible for hosting exhibitions featuring local artists. Their gallery space is often used for community activities and events. With access to this fantastic space, it became a perfect location for their hands on workshops to take place. Children, teenagers, and adults in the community participated in activities – not just art – that were specifically chosen to increase relaxation and inspiration among the attendees.
Artists on Parade wanted to ensure the residents of Tumbarumba didn’t miss out on interests and pursuits that were deemed as “non-essential” or “unnecessary” due to financial restraints. They therefore kept workshop fees low to allow as many people as possible to participate.
The workshops were a success, with 115 people from a wide demographic participating. The activities included pyrography workshops, canvas work, cardmaking, sketching, bike maintenance, pastel portrait painting workshops and cakes, coffee, and milkshakes as well.
The workshops provided a safe and relaxing space for the residents of Tumbarumba to gather and meet new people who have the same lived experiences. There were many examples of attendees meeting for the first time after realising they lived on the same street and had gone through very similar experiences in the fires. By the end of the workshops, they had started carpooling together to attend more sessions.
In addition to creating connections between the residents of Tumbarumba, many attendees were also able to take home a finished art piece to mark the occasion and close off a terrible year.
The Buchan Rodeo has been the highlight of the local event calendar for more than 50 years. Despite significant challenges, strong community leadership and strength overrode the challenging conditions and ensured this event proceeded in April 2021, considerably lifting local spirits and pride.
Traditionally held on Easter Sunday, the event was postponed in 2020 due to impacts of the bushfire crisis six months prior. The bushfires began near Buchan in the East Gippsland region of Victoria in October 2019, well before the media began reporting on the crisis. Residents endured the threat for more than four months, often losing communication with the outside world.
Given their isolation and the lack of communication and media coverage, the remote community of Buchan has felt largely overlooked in their recovery phase. However, Buchan is a strong and resilient community, with sharpened skills in post-disaster recovery.
In planning the 2021 Buchan Rodeo, there was much to consider in staging a COVID safe event. Despite this, the local volunteer committee was determined to proceed for the benefit of their community.
With only a 10-week lead time, much-needed funding and support came in the form of a $25,000 Strengthening Rural Communities grant, funded by the Firefight Australia Fund. This grant, along with support from other partnerships, not only allowed the Buchan Rodeo Committee to meet their safety guidelines and enhance their offering, but also enabled them to proceed with confidence.
The 2021 Buchan Rodeo was an electric event and though it saw many changes, it was heralded as one of the best-ever. It brought smiles back to those who worked so hard on the project and to the greater community who had endured so much.
“While the entire planet is enduring the COVID-19 crisis and looks to methods of recovery, we are still repairing our community in the aftermath of bushfires. A strong rural community is key and the staging of community building initiatives is of vital importance to us.” Buchan community member