Flood Recovery Assistance

The back home grant is to help cover costs of restoring your property to a habitable condition or replacing essential household items.

For more information click here.

The Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) is a short term (max. 13 weeks) payment to help you, if the New South Wales Floods in September 2022 directly affects your income.

DRA is available to Australia residents who are 16 years and older, who live or work in an affected area.  

For more information click here. Please note we are included in the New South Wales Floods – September 2022 option.

A lump sum payment to help people seriously affected by the floods, $1,000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child, you have until 9 July 2023 to make a claim.

For more information click here. 

Financial assistance for eligible individuals and families whose homes have been damaged by a natural disaster.

Assistance falls into two categories: 

1. Essential Household Contents Grants to assist with the cost of re-establishing essential household items considered necessary to maintain a basic standard of living.
2. Structural Grants as a contribution toward essential structural repairs to homes for households unable to meet the cost of repairs. The Structural Repair Grants are commonly delivered in the form of either grants to contribute toward essential structural repairs to homes or full rebuilds of property which has been rendered uninhabitable. 

For more information call 13 77 88 or click here.

Financial assistance is available for those directly affected by the floods (Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment) and income support payments for those who can demonstrate they have experienced a loss of income as a direct result of the floods in New South Wales (Disaster Recovery Allowance). There are also other funding arrangements available through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, which is a joint Federal and State Government program. Follow this link for the details: https://www.disasterassist.gov.au/Pages/disasters/current-disasters/New-South-Wales/nsw-flooding-14-september-2022-onwards.aspx

The flood recovery rental support payment helps residents who are unable to live in their home due to the floods.

For more information click here. 

Stamp duty relief may be provided on the replacement of motor vehicles written off due to loss caused by a declared disaster.

Private and commercial vehicle owners who are comprehensively insured and who and a vehicle written off due to damage caused by a declared disaster that occurred in NSW. 

For more information contact Revenue NSW on 1300 139 814 or click here.

This disaster recovery grant of up to $50,000 is to help pay for the costs of clean-up and reinstatement of a small business.

Covered costs could include, but are not limited to:

• payment for tradespeople to conduct safety inspections
• equipment and materials required for cleaning up
• equipment and materials essential for immediately resuming operations
• payment for a cleaner if the service would not have been needed, or exceeds ordinary cleaning costs, in the absence of the disaster
• the removal and disposal of debris, damaged materials or damaged stock
• repairing premises and internal fittings
• leasing temporary premises within the defined disaster area, replacing or repair of motor vehicles registered for business use, or replacing lost or damaged stock, if it’s essential for resuming operations.

To apply click here.

Small businesses who have been directly affected by the floods, may be eligible for low interest loans of up to $130,000.

This low interest rate loan can help a small business:

• return to its normal level of trading or until the next major income is received within 12 months from the date of disaster
• replace and repair damage caused to your small business and associated improvements not covered by insurance.

Click here for more information.

Stamp duty relief may be provided on the replacement of motor vehicles written off due to loss caused by a declared disaster.

Private and commercial vehicle owners who are comprehensively insured and who and a vehicle written off due to damage caused by a declared disaster that occurred in NSW. 

For more information contact Revenue NSW on 1300 139 814 or click here.

Primary producers directly affected by a declared natural disaster may be eligible for low interest loans of up to $130,000.

This low interest rate loan can help a farm business to:

• continue to operate your farm businesses for the next twelve months or until the next income is received
• replace and repair damage caused to the property and associated improvements not covered by insurance.

Click here for more information.

Farm Household Allowance is a payment for farm families in hardship.

Visit Farm Household Allowance - Services Australia or call 1322316

Louise Fraser offers a free counselling service either over the phone or in person. She services the area from Barham to Jerilderie and links other services together.

Contact Louise on 0436 811 692

This scheme provides funding assistance to organisations that donate and transport donated fodder to a central location within NSW for the benefit of three or more primary producers with livestock, in the event of a declared natural disaster.

Click here for more information.

The Natural Disaster Transport Subsidy is available to eligible farmers who are affected by a declared natural disaster event. This subsidy pays up to $15,000, for the cost of transporting:

• fodder and/or water to an affected property
• stock to sale or slaughter
• stock to/from agistment.

Click here for more information.

Primary Producers we need your feedback! 

DPI has a survey to assess the impact and damages of the current Heavy rain and Flood events we have been experiencing across the region. 

The damage survey allows you to: 

• complete a simple survey the number of crops, animals, infrastructure and other primary industries damaged in a single event 

• add photos to the assessment 
• see the severity of damage in your area. 

DPI can view survey information in real time and results are used to determine: 

• the area the natural disaster has impacted and the scale of the event 
• the severity of the impact 

• the value of impact to primary production 
• where and what assistance or resources may be needed. 

This will assist the Government and communities understand the scale and regional distribution of the impact of a disaster on agriculture and target resources and assistance in an area. 

Survey link

For more information please head to: Primary industries natural disaster damage survey (nsw.gov.au) 

NSW Farmers Association flood impact survey is open to record farmer’s damages and losses. Farmers do not have to be a member to complete. Access the survey here.

The Rural Adversity Mental Health Program (RAMHP) services:

• Link – through providing personalised advice to individuals who need assistance with their mental health to link to services and resources

• Train – Deliver mental health training to increase mental health literacy of community members and workplaces

• Partner – Work in partnership with stakeholders to create pathways to care and a flexible interagency response to priority groups and issues

• Inform – Produce and disseminate information about mental health and available services and resources targeting rural and remote people.

Access resources relevant to the current situation include:

1. RAMHP website

2. Facebook

3. Instagram

4. Subscribe to the RAMHP Let’s Talk e-newsletter here

Or contact Tammy Elwin – Coordinator

Mobile - 0428249719 or email - Tammy.Elwin@health.nsw.gov.au

• Confidential counselling
• Fodder
• Domestic water
• Financial assistance
• By providing access to volunteers through The Farm Army Register

For assistance contact the Rural Aid helpline on 1300 327 624 or visit their website Home - Rural Aid - Supporting Rural Communities

For more information call;

• Rural Financial Counselling Service 1800 319 458, Monday - Friday 9.00am-5.00pm or the local RFCS phone numbers can be found here.

• Rural Assistance Authority on 1800 678 593, Monday – Friday 8.30am-4.30pm

Up to $75,000 is available to primary producers who were affected by floods. Eligible primary producers can access $25,000 immediately, with a further $50,000 available with submission of valid tax invoices. 

For more information, click here.

This disaster recovery grant of up to $50,000 is to help pay for the costs of clean-up and reinstatement of not-for-profit organisation’s operations.

Covered costs could include, but are not limited to:

• payment for tradespeople to conduct safety inspections
• equipment and materials required for cleaning up
• equipment and materials essential for immediately resuming operations
• payment for a cleaner if the service would not have been needed, or exceeds ordinary cleaning costs, in the absence of the disaster
• the removal and disposal of debris, damaged materials or damaged stock
• repairing premises and internal fittings
• leasing temporary premises within the defined disaster area, replacing or repair of motor vehicles registered for business use, or replacing lost or damaged stock, if it’s essential for resuming operations.

To apply click here.

A low interest rate loan up to $25,000 is available to assist voluntary non-profit organisations directly affected by a declared natural disaster.

This can assist with:

• the restoration of essential facilities that have been damaged or destroyed by a natural disaster
• and may also be directed towards temporary storage or leasing of alternate premises

For more information click here.

A low interest rate loan of up to $10,000 is available to help sporting and recreation clubs directly affected by the floods. 

this can help with the costs of restoring essential club facilities, equipment or other assets that have been damaged or destroyed.

For more information click here.

The following link will help you through the claims process so you can get your claim paid quickly and smoothly.

Guide to making insurance claims

Also the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) can help you with disaster related insurance information. 

For more information contact ICA's hotline on 1800 734 621 or visit their website.

Legal Aid NSW Disaster Response Legal Service (DRLS) provides free legal help for disaster affected individuals in NSW with legal issues like:

• Insurance claims and disputes
• Housing and rental problems including caravan parks
• Credit, debt, fines and financial hardship
• Eligibility for disaster welfare payments and Government grants
• Employment – unfair dismissals, entitlements
• Replacing important documents
• Domestic violence
• Other legal problems related to disasters. 

For assistance contact the Disaster Response Legal Service NSW helpline on 1800 801 529.

Disasters...what's law got to do with it? (for the public) - YouTube

• Confidential counselling
• Fodder
• Domestic water
• Financial assistance
• By providing access to volunteers through The Farm Army Register

For assistance contact the Rural Aid helpline on 1300 327 624 or visit their website Home - Rural Aid - Supporting Rural Communities

• Emotional and trauma support: Learn about available support and how to look after your own and your loved ones' wellbeing after a natural disaster.
• Get ready for storm season 
• School safety updates
• Mental health, emotional and trauma support, how to cope with the stress or support a young person after a natural disaster
• Alerts for NSW National Parks
• Cleaning up after floods and requesting a clean up on private land.