State Government Announces Support for Small Businesses Following Western Victoria Bushfires
In an assistance package designed to support immediate and long-term recovery from the Grampians - Yarram Gap Road bushfire event, the State Government has announced that Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) will deliver more than $24 million in essential support to Western Victoria businesses affected by the December 2024 bushfires.
The measures will include a dedicated Business Bushfire Recovery Grant program (a $5,000 payment to eligible businesses and primary producers), a Business Recovery Advisory service providing free business support for impacted businesses, and more tourism marketing and promotional activities to boost visitor numbers to the Grampians region.
More than $5 million is earmarked for an early environmental recovery package for lands and waterways within Grampians (Gariwerd) National Park, and a Gate Fee Rebate Program will ensure community members can dispose of waste from private properties relating to the impact of the bushfires free of charge (available in Horsham Rural City, Ararat Rural City, Northern Grampians Shire and Southern Grampians Shire).
More information including program guidelines and how to apply will be available on the Business Victoria website soon, but businesses can sign up now to register their interest and receive updates: business.vic.gov.au/2024-25-western-victoria-bushfire-supports
This support follows the previously announced Emergency Relief Payments, which were jointly funded and delivered through the Victorian Department of Families, Fairness and Housing’s Personal Hardship Assistance Program (PHAP).
Information on disaster assistance is available on the Australian Government’s website at disasterassist.gov.au.
“We very much welcome this announcement from the State Government, which acknowledges the colossal impact the most recent fires have had on our business community as a whole but particularly on our primary producers, whose indispensable operations do not fall under the ‘tourism’ category,” says Ararat Rural City Council Mayor, Cr Jo Armstrong. “We look forward to seeing our municipality’s farmers, and primary producers throughout the fire-affected region, benefit from the program.”
Image L – R: Ararat Rural City Council Mayor, Cr Jo Armstrong; Sue Macaffer (Barney’s Bar + Bistro); Victorian Minister Small Business and Employment, the Hon. Natalie Suleyman; Col Macaffer (Barney’s Bar + Bistro) during the Minister’s visit to fire-affected businesses in Pomonal in January 2025.
