New Recovery Measures for Fire-Affected Communities

The Federal and State Governments will deliver close to $100 million in additional support for the recovery of communities and businesses across Victoria devastated by bushfires under the Commonwealth‑State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

Community Recovery Officers and Hubs

• $15 million to establish Community Recovery Officers and Recovery Hubs across bushfire affected areas.
• One-stop shop for residents to access services and information from government and community organisations. Dedicated Community Recovery Officers will work within councils to identify community needs, develop tailored programs, and provide on-the-ground support to help locals rebuild.
• Councils will receive between $450,000 and $1.3 million to employ recovery staff and deliver local programs
• Community organisations can apply for grants of up to $75,000 for locally led initiatives.

Prolonged Power Outage Payments

• Up to $16 million in financial assistance for households impacted by extended power outages following the bushfires.
• Eligible households who have been without power for seven or more days within a two-week period will receive $2,380 per week for up to three weeks, helping families manage during this challenging time.
• Applications can be made through electricity distribution businesses, with full details available at vic.gov.au/about-energy/safety/power-outages.

Primary Producer Recovery Grants

• Primary producers are the backbone of local economies and their recovery is critical after the devastation of these bushfires.
• An initial $40 million in grants of up to $75,000 will be provided to eligible primary producers, to help cover the costs of clean-up and reinstating their enterprises.
• Funding can be used for essential recovery activities such as disposing of livestock, rebuilding or replacing damaged on-farm infrastructure and restoring operations.
• Grants will open as soon as possible and will be delivered by Rural Finance. Information on eligibility and how to apply will be available at com.au.

Concessional Loans for Primary Producers

• $10 million in concessional loans to help primary producers recover from the bushfires.
• Loans of up to $250,000 will be available for producers who have suffered significant damage to assets, while loans of up to $100,000 will support those experiencing a major loss of income.
• This assistance will further help cover essential costs such as repairing or replacing damaged equipment, rebuilding infrastructure, purchasing livestock and meeting working capital expenses like wages, rent and fodder.
• Applications will open as soon as possible and will be delivered by Rural Finance. Information on eligibility and how to apply will be available at com.au

Council Support Fund

• Almost $12 million will be delivered through the Council Support Fund to help bushfire-affected councils restore vital community assets and services.
• This funding will kickstart clean-up and repairs to local public spaces like parks, footy ovals, community centres, playgrounds and sporting fields – helping communities reconnect.
• This Fund boosts councils’ capacity to lead recovery efforts and make decisions that reflect local needs, ensuring support goes where it’s needed most.
• The Fund will be active for two years, giving councils the time they need for clean-up and reconstruction. Councils will receive up to $750,000 depending on the scale of impacts, providing tailored support for rebuilding communities.

Financial Counselling

• More than $4 million to provide financial counselling for communities impacted by the bushfires, helping Victorians access emergency assistance, navigate recovery systems and stabilise their finances so they can rebuild.
• Specialist counsellors will help individuals and families access recovery grants, manage insurance claims, replace essential items and deal with debts through payment plans and fee waivers. They will also provide advocacy with insurers and creditors and connect people to legal support.
• The funding will boost the Victorian Farmers Federation’s Financial Capability Support Program, giving primary producers tailored financial advice.

Previous support

• This builds on the jointly-funded recovery support already announced – including help to dispose of waste, emergency funding to deliver fodder to communities and assistance with emergency accommodation.
• Victorians can call the Emergency Recovery Hotline on 1800 560 760 for information about payments and recovery programs. Additional assistance, including emergency relief payments and Guaranteed Service Level electricity bill credits, remains available for eligible households.
• Emergency relief payments remain available for eligible Victorians who have had their homes destroyed by the fires, or who were required to evacuate due to emergency warnings. To find out more, please visit an Emergency Relief Centre or call VicEmergency on 1800 226 226.
• The 2026 Victorian Bushfire Appeal is now open for donations to support fire affected communities, Victorians can contribute via gov.au/2026-Victorian-Bushfire-Appeal.