Grampians National Park Bushfire

Southern Grampians Shire Council is here to help residents affected by the Grampians bushfires.

This page contains a range of useful support links and information, and will be updated as more information comes to hand.

Upcoming Workshops

Decisions that Drive Recovery and Resilience 1-Day Workshop: Colac/Hamilton (March 2025)

A powerful and practical 1-Day Workshop on how to build resilience, navigate crisis and adapt to change.

Develop your unique and tailored Farm Drought Management Action Plan by:
• Learning how to navigate competing priorities for limited resources (family, farm and business);
• Identifying key resource issues, stressors, risks and opportunities for your farm business;
• Learning improved decision-making skills and how to manage key priorities – especially when under pressure and stress;
• Learning skills to rebuild capacity after battling personal/ health and business challenges; and
• Connecting to networks that support recovery and resilience.

Key Details: A 1-Day Workshop offered in two locations:

Colac: Tuesday 25 March

Hamilton: Wednesday 26 March

Time: 9.15am to 3.30pm

Cost: Free (fully funded by Agriculture Victoria) Morning tea and a light lunch provided

For more information and to register for this free 1-Day Workshop contact: Leigh Crocker (ION Group) M: 0419 359 409 E: lcrocker@iongroup.com.au

Water Workshop

Moyston – 18 and 25 March

All you need to know about water Hosted by farmer Anthony Pola and Agriculture Victoria officer Clem Sturmfels. A 2-day workshop at the Moyston Recreation Reserve rooms and on-farm.

WHERE: • Moyston Recreation Reserve

TIME: • 10 am – 3 pm (includes lunch)

TOPICS: • Preparing a water plan
• Calculating your water needs
• Planning your pipeline
• Farm dams
• Pipeline hydraulics and design
• Pipes, fittings and pumps
• Pipeline installation and construction.

COST: Free

REGISTRATION: Please register to assist with catering

BRING: Outdoor event; suitable clothing required

INFORMATION: Clem Sturmfels, 0429 018 879 clem.sturmfels@agriculture.vic.gov.au

Organic Pollution in Farm Dams

Remove organic material from the water as soon as possible, as it usually saturates and sinks within 48 hours. Skimming the surface of the water is the most effective method.

A system to rapidly remove floating organic matter has been developed by farmers in Western Australia and was updated by Agriculture Victoria in 2020, it skims floating material from the water surface using a handheld boom. The boom has floats attached on both sides of the top edge at regular intervals (every metre or so).

Thread a cable, nylon rope or wire along the top and bottom edge of 30 m long × 45 cm wide length of linkmesh or chicken wire/rabbit netting (See Figure 1) Loop the rope occasionally on the mesh or fix it with cable ties etc to help prevent mesh from sliding along the rope when under load. Allow 5–10 m of rope/cord to extend beyond the mesh to allow for handling.
Attach floats every metre or so along the mesh about 10 cm from the top edge. Floats can be empty drums or milk containers, with electrical cable ties or wire used to attach floats to the mesh.
Slowly drag the boom across the surface by hand or by attaching to a quad bike. Anchoring one end of the boom will assist if there are few people to assist with the operation.
Scoop small amounts of the water surface at a time, moving the boom slowly to the edge. When the mesh if full of debris, it will be very heavy to manoeuvre. Working towards a gently sloping bank will make operation easier. Empty debris over the side or into the spillway away from inflows.
Repeat the process until the dam is clear of debris.

The above information has been taken directly from Agriculture Victoria. For more information and visual guides, please visit their website.

Registration for evacuees

If you have evacuated, regardless of whether you have attended the Emergency Relief Centre or are with family and friends, please register your details via the link below.

Even if you don’t require support right now, we need to be sure of where people are and check in for further support needs.

Disaster Relief Payments

The Albanese Labor Government is activating financial support for Victorians directly affected by bushfires burning in and around the Grampians National Park and Macedon Ranges – through the Disaster Recovery Allowance.

The Disaster Recovery Allowance provides up to 13 weeks of income support for workers and sole traders who have experienced loss of income as a result of recent bushfires in the Southern Grampians Shire.

It is available to people who work or live in a declared Local Government Area who have lost some or all of their income as a direct result of the disaster, and will earn less than the average Australian weekly income in the 13 weeks after this income loss.

Applications for the Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) are now open (from 30 December 2024).

Members of the community are encouraged to seek information regarding eligibility and how to claim on the Services Australia website

Business Recovery

Business Victoria have put together a number of useful resources and information to ensure your business is prepared for unexpected events and emergencies.

Download a copy of the factsheet here.(PDF, 79KB)

Business Victoria have released Business Bushfire Recovery Grant Program where impacted eligible businesses and primary producers can apply for $5,000 due to lost revenue due to bushfires. This assistance is being provided through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements and will include:

a dedicated Business Bushfire Recovery Grant program to provide $5,000 grants to small businesses and eligible primary producers that have experienced significant disruptions and revenue losses due to the bushfires.
a Business Recovery Advisory service which will be available on the ground and through the Business Victoria website, providing free business support for impacted businesses so they can find the right strategies for long-term recovery.
tourism marketing and promotional activities to boost visitor numbers to the Grampians region, which is on top of $100,000 for Grampians Wimmera Mallee Tourism to deliver immediate, on-the-ground industry support activities for affected businesses in the region.

For more information visit the Business Victoria website.

Blaze Aid - Farmer Assistance with Fencing

BlazeAid has set up a basecamp at Willaura to assist farmers with fencing due to fire damage within the Grampians.

For farmers wanting assistance and those wanting to volunteer, visit website for more information.

You can also stay up-to-date with news via their Facebook page.

Fences and control lines after bushfire

The information provided below is captured directly from the Forest Fire Management Victoria website.

**In Victoria, there are approximately 60,000 kilometres of boundary fencing constructed by private landholders along the boundary of public (Crown land) and private land (not including Crown land river frontage). The policy is based on shared responsibility and our government encourages landholders to assess and manage their risks with regard to fire, taking up adequate insurance where available.

Landholders are expected to manage risks to their assets from the potential impact of bushfire.

All landholders are expected to have appropriate levels of insurance cover for boundary and internal fences, in the same way any business venture or private householder should protect and insure their assets.

In line with the Fences Act 1968, the State Government of Victoria does not have any ownership or financial stake in fences along the boundary of private and public land except in cases where specific fencing agreements have been entered into with landholder.

It is the responsibility of the owner of private land to fence their property and secure stock within their boundary.

DEECA has a policy about fences and fire control lines after bushfires.

Some landholders that have boundaries alongside national parks, state parks or state forests may be eligible for assistance following bushfire.

To find out whether you are eligible:

For fires that start on public or crown land, contact us.
For fires that start on private land, contact your local CFA District Operations Manager.

Essential Water Replacement after Bushfire

The information provided below is captured directly from the Forest Fire Management Victoria website.

**This scheme helps to relieve hardship in the community by replenishing essential private water supplies that have been used by fire services during bushfire emergencies.

The Victorian Government has a policy regarding replacing essential water used during bushfire fighting operations.

CFA and Forest Fire Management firefighters have the legislative powers to take water from any waterway or water source for firefighting purposes.

The water owner can request replacement of essential water under this scheme.

The water replacement scheme recognises that, while farmers understand the urgency of firefighting, their basic water interests have to be protected too.

If taken for firefighting purposes, a reasonable and sufficient volume of essential water will be provided to sustain the:

health of affected residences and pets
health and productivity of stock.

To lodge a request for essential water replacement, download and complete the Essential Water Replacement form, then email it to Emergency.recovery@deeca.vic.gov.au.

Your local council, DEECA or CFA Office can assist you with lodgement if required.

Essential Water Replacement requests must be submitted within 3 months of the essential water being taken for bushfire fighting operations.

Water health for stock after a fire

Being burnt out is a devastating experience. To help avoid the added worry of a contaminated water supply, sediment fences made out of fabric, shade cloth or straw should be in place as soon as possible after the fire so you are prepared before the next rain. Check out the helpful information from Agriculture Victoria below.

Building a Sediment Fence(PDF, 258KB)

Bushfire Recovery, Erosion and Water Supply(PDF, 2MB)

Need for Feed - Farmer Assistance

Need for Feed have been delivering donated livestock feed to farmers within the Grampians National Park bushfire emergency. If you are a farmer needing livestock feed assistance, please get in touch with Need for Feed.

If you would like to donate livestock feed to impacted farmers, visit their website for more information.

Need for Feed is a registered charity which was developed as part of a Lions Club project. You can stay up-to-date with Need for Feed news via their Facebook page.

Rural Financial Counselling Service Victoria West – Wellbeing Support

The RFCS service offers wellbeing support to help with mental stresses resulting from financial issues. RFCS Victoria West can help farmers and small business owners to:

Develop strategies to cope with stress

Recognise signs of poor health in themselves and/or their workers

Set up a support network within family/friends/community

Identify groups/activities within the community that can help

Access health services through referrals.

If you’re interested in speaking with a wellbeing counsellor, please contact RFCS Victoria West on 1300 735 578 or go to wswrcs.com.au/wellbeing

Natural disasters are an inevitable and stressful challenge for most Victorian farmers and small business owners in rural areas. In the aftermath of flood, fire, storm or drought, RFCS can help you assess your situation and work with you to formulate a recovery plan. Check out more information here.(PDF, 767KB)

National Centre for Farmer Health Support Hub

The National Centre for Farmer Health is supporting primary producers through the delivery of initiatives to boost farmer mental health and wellbeing. Visit the NCFH for a range of mental health resources and information tailored for Victorian farmers and agricultural communities.

https://farmerhealth.org.au/support-hub-victoria

General Wellbeing Tips

Remember to prioritise your own and your family’s mental health and wellbeing, whilst also looking out for friends and neighbours who may also need extra support.
Strong emotions are normal, especially during challenging times.
Sharing your feelings with supportive people can make them easier to manage.
While reflecting on what has happened is natural, also take time to recognise your strengths and the positive actions you took to stay safe during this time.
Stay connected with others, even if you’re not ready to talk about the event. Try to avoid (or limit) using alcohol or drugs to cope. Instead, aim to prioritise your physical health with regular sleep, meals, and hydration.
Recovery is a gradual process, and everyone’s recovery journey will be unique to them.
Over these holidays, try to set realistic expectations for yourself and your family, and reduce unnecessary demands on yourselves.

Animal Welfare Needs

Agriculture Victoria field teams have been attending to animal welfare needs on fire-affected properties near the Grampians National Park.

This includes checking livestock and beehives.

If you have urgent animal welfare concerns on the fire ground, please contact the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226.

General Wellbeing Tips - Farmers

Find someone you can talk to to discuss what you’ve experienced, and how you’re feeling about it.
Visit and chat to other farmers who know what it’s been like and what you’ve been through.
Focus on doing the essential activities around the farm, such as feeding livestock.
Try to get away from the farm for a few hours or a day, to give yourself a bit of a break.
Try to stick to family routines too, stop for meals, take regular breaks.
Talk to your partner and children, they will also need support.
Try to attend local recovery events.

General Wellbeing Tips - Supporting Others

When you’re feeling able to, check in with family, friends and loved ones.
Conversations around the bushfires can sometimes feel uncomfortable, but it is supportive to just let people know you are there for them if they need to talk and to know that they are there for you too.
It’s okay if what you say isn’t perfect, sometimes just being there to listen - giving people an opportunity to feel heard and acknowledging their experience, is enough, and can make a real difference.
You can also support people emotionally by offering practical support (e.g., providing food, offering transport, or finding out about support services for them).

Accessing Mental Health Support

Free, 24/7 wellbeing support is available, including over the holiday period.

The following services offer confidential support for anyone feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or in need of someone to talk to:

Lifeline 13 11 14
Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800

To find available services near you, visit the Better Health website:

Additional Useful Links - Mental Health Support

The Road to Resilience podcast provides helpful information about supporting yourself and others in the face of concurrent and compounding events.