Victorian Bushfire Recovery Grants Announced

Media Releases, 7 February 2018

Bendigo, 12 February 2018: Today FRRR announce that 26 community groups will receive funding for projects to strengthen resilience and support long-term recovery goals in communities affected by the 2009 Victorian bushfires.

Community groups across fire-affected areas will share in $276,470 across two grant programs to implement locally led projects. As part of FRRR’s Natural Disaster Response Framework, and supported by the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund, these tailored grant programs continue to support the long-term recovery from one of Australia’s worst natural disasters.

Grants for Resilience and Wellness (GR&W) will fund 16 community groups, sharing in $172,668, to implement their local projects, and the Community Group Futures (CGF) program will fund $103,802 across 10 community groups.

The projects from GR&W support a range of community recovery, wellbeing and resilience initiatives, from supporting school programs and community events to funding infrastructure and equipment for communications and community spaces.

For example, the Upper Goulburn Community Radio Inc. will use their grant to enhance emergency broadcast communication and general community connectedness across the Murrindindi Shire through the purchase of a broadcasting console, and the Traralgon South and District Assoc. will stimulate community connectedness and informal support networks through the delivery of three, free community meal and movie nights.

The CGF program is designed to help community groups look forward and build their organisational sustainability, viability, capability and capacity, and this round of grants will achieve these aims through funding the upskilling members of local groups, installing solar panel systems, and supporting leadership development for local volunteers, among other projects.

The next round of these programs will be open from 6th March until 16th April.

All projects funded in this round for GR&W and CGF are detailed below:

Grants for Resilience & Wellness (GR&W) – Round 12 recipients

Applicant

Project Description

Location

Grant Amount

Communities That Care Alpine – Alpine Health

The Resilience Project – Communities that Care Alpine

Strengthen emotional coping skills and improve the mental health of students through delivery of an emotional resilience program to schools in the Alpine Shire.

Bright; Porepunkah; Myrtleford; Mt Beauty; Tawonga; Dederang

$10,000

Balook and District Residents Assoc

Rainforest Rhythms

Stimulate community connections and local tourism through a live memorial concert – ‘Rainforest Rhythms’ – to be held in the Tarra Bulga National Park.

Balook

$2,500

Budgeree Hall Reserve

Budgeree Hall Kitchen Reno

Provide a safe and functional venue for community activities via an upgrade to the kitchen at the Budgeree Hall.

Budgeree

$19,809

CFA – Arthurs Creek Strathewen

Love Where You Live Claymation

Enhance safety education through creation and presentation of a Claymation short film and evaluate learnings from Fire Education Sessions delivered at Strathewen Primary School.

 

Strathewen

$20,000

Eaglehawk Secondary College

3556 Magazine Digital Community Portal

Boost communication of school and community events and activities through development of a website to upload the school Magazine into a digital format.

Eaglehawk

$10,755

 

 

Freedom Care Inc.

Project Squirrel

Improve capacity of a food relief organisation to provide food for community members in need through purchase of shelving storage.

Kilmore

$1,850

Happy Valley Hall

Community Creating

Increase the capacity of the community to hold local workshops and courses through an upgrade to a shed on the Happy Valley Hall grounds.

Rosewhite

$15,552

Healesville Living and Learning Centre Inc.

Community Harvest

Strengthen community connectedness and wellbeing through the delivery of sustainable living workshops to the Badger Creek community.

Badger Creek

$9,950

Jindivick Primary School

Let our Voices Ring Out in the Community Hall

Enable the school and wider community to hold community events at the Jindivick community hall through purchase of sound equipment, microphones and chairs.

Jindivick

$4,217

Kinglake Ranges Men’s Shed Inc.

Workshop Heating

Heighten member participation and comfort through installation of sustainable heating for the Men’s Shed workshop.

Kinglake

$9,131

Traralgon South and District Assoc.

Community Connectedness Movie Nights

Stimulate community connectedness and informal support networks through the delivery of three, free community meal and movie nights for Traralgon South and District.

Traralgon South

$9,180

Upper Goulburn Community Radio Inc.

Broadcast Resilience

Enhancing emergency broadcast communication and general community connectedness across Murrindindi Shire through purchase of a broadcasting console.

Alexandra

$13,575

Whittlesea Men’s Shed

Storage Facilities for very important Timber

Increasing the available space and improving working conditions for member of  Whittlesea Men’s Shed through the construction of a storage shed for timber.

Whittlesea

$19,000

Y Water Centre Assoc. Inc.

Undercover Learning and Discovery – Stage 1

Driving capacity to deliver educational and community programs through construction of a roof over an existing deck at the Y Water Centre, a combined Interpretive Environmental Learning and Visitor Information Centre.

Yea

$17,775

Yinnar & District Community Assoc

“Me Too” – Scooter and Tricycle Track at Yinnar Skatepark

Encourage physical activity and interactions for local families via construction of a toddler bike track at the Yinnar Skate Park.

Yinnar

$2,500

Yinnar & District Memorial Hall

No Limits

Remove barriers to participation in facilitated health and wellbeing activities through a weekly Exercise program for Seniors 60yrs+.

Yinnar

$6,874

Total

$172,668

Community Group Futures (CGF) – Round 5 recipients:

Applicant

Project Description

Location

Grant amount

Coleraine Men’s Shed

Sunshine for Sustainability

Grow the current and future viability of the Men’s Shed through the installation of a solar power system.

Coleraine

$6,999

Ellimatta Inc.

Ellimatta Report Card

Strengthen accountability and relationships with funders, and enhance understanding of the impacts of Ellimatta Inc.’s operations by conducting an independent review of organisational activities.

Kinglake

$15,000

Mirboo North Arty Gras Festival (Mirboo Country Development Inc.)

Training Tomorrow’s Leaders

Strengthen the viability Mirboo North Arty Gras Festival by upskilling Committee members in strategic planning and financial analysis.

Mirboo North

$2,475

Recreation Committee

Sport Pavilion Solar Power System

Increase the viability and sustainability of the Redesdale Recreation Committee through installation of a solar power system on the Redesdale Recreation Reserve sport pavilion.

Redesdale

$7,649

Rivers and Ranges Community Leadership Inc.

Project Transition

Increase the capacity of the Rivers and Ranges Community Leadership Program through employment of a Program Manager (therefore allowing capacity for the Executive Officer to focus on sustainable income generation.)

Broadford

$20,000

Toolangi Forest Discovery Centre

School Days, School Days, Good Old Golden Rule Days

Boost the Centre’s viability through the employment of an education program coordinator to develop programs for visiting schools.

Toolangi

$19,757

U3A Mirboo North and District

Off to a Great Start, Running a U3A

Enhance lifelong education opportunities through the development of policies and procedures and a ‘how-to guide’ for setting up U3A groups, ensuring ensure consistency of best practice.

Mirboo North

$7,650

Victorian State Emergency Service Alexandra Unit

Inspiring volunteerism

Encourage volunteering through a workshop to develop leadership skills for 20 local volunteers and through support for groups to attract and retain volunteers.

Alexandra

$2,090

Whittlesea Community House Inc.

Reigniting Whittlesea’s Spark – Good Governance Training

Build local capacity to effectively manage community organisations through delivery of governance training for Whittlesea community groups.

Whittlesea

$12,182

Yarra Valley ECOSS Inc.

Catching the Sun

Increase financial viability of ECOSS and co-located community organisations through reducing power bills, via the installation of a 3Kw grid integrated solar power system with associated battery bank.

Yarra Junction

$10,000

Total

$103,802

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Amy Crawford

Amy Crawford has an extensive career in complex public policy and its intersection across government and communities.

Amy is the Chief Executive Officer at the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), representing 537 councils across the nation. Amy holds over 20 years’ experience in the Australian Public Service. She has a deep understanding of federal government policies and structures, with over 10 years’ service in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and has worked for the federal Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories. Amy has shaped a wide range of policies and programs including regional development, telecommunications, immigration, emergency management, social policy and pandemic preparation.

Amy is a Board Director of Austroads and represents ALGA on the Public Skills Australia Industry Advisory Group, and the Australia-New Zealand Emergency Management Committee. She is also a Board Director for the Canberra Youth Theatre which provides voice for Canberra’s youth through intelligent and challenging theatre.

Amy holds a Bachelor of Laws (honours) and Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications) from the University of Queensland, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an alumnus of the Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership. Amy was appointed to the FRRR Board in January 2025.

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Kylie Hansen

Kylie brings leadership and management experience from across academic, corporate, not-for-profit, social enterprise and impact investment sectors, having deep dived into a myriad of specialisations and systems. Her six tertiary qualifications are equally as diverse and complimentary, covering commerce, politics, international development, community development, project management and law. Her breadth and depth of experience enables her to draw on a number of disciplines and innovative ways of working and thinking, and she is well recognised as consistently delivering work and services of a high quality.

Kylie uses her strong background in sustainability, governance and impact measurement to support collaborative initiatives across sectors oriented at improving social outcomes, and to support socially conscientious businesses to articulate their social impact. As founder and director at Impact Seed she has been instrumental in developing the impact measurement, evaluation, learning and ESG practice which advises numerous corporates, and is passionate about supporting First Nations empowerment particularly in the context of regional economic development.

Kylie is also a Director of the WA Social Enterprise Council, a member of the B Council (B Lab Australia and New Zealand), and a Governor of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

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Hon. John Anderson AC

The Hon. John Anderson AC is a sixth-generation farmer and grazier from NSW, who served in the Australian Parliament from 1989 to 2008.

He was a senior Cabinet minister in the government led by John Howard (1996 to 2005), including six years as Leader of the National Party and Deputy Prime Minister.

In the latter role, Mr Anderson played in important role in FRRR’s history, working closely with Baillieu Myer AC and others on a proposal to establish a philanthropic organisation to benefit rural Australia. The concept was discussed at the National Regional Summit in 1999 and FRRR was established shortly thereafter.

Mr Anderson currently hosts a regular podcast, where he is in conversation with thought-leaders from around the world, and is a regular media commentator.

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Regina Cruickshank

Partnerships Specialist (WA)

Regina supports FRRR as the WA Partnerships Specialist. With over two decades of experience in partnerships and marketing, she has a deep understanding of Western Australia’s social impact landscape. She brings a strong passion for leveraging purpose-built networks to create positive change.

Regina previously worked with Playgroup WA and founded a Health Promotion Charity dedicated to supporting Social Emotional wellbeing for underserved communities. She’s excited about the opportunity to connect with partners and explore ways to make a meaningful difference in WA.

She lives in Perth with her family and enjoys mindful moments of connection to Country, whether on horseback, on foot or underwater.

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Anna Palmer

People and Culture Manager

Based in Central Victoria, Anna is a senior Human Resources, Organisation Development and Industrial Relations professional, with significant private and public sector experience across every facet of people and culture leadership.

Her most recent roles have been with Don KR in Castlemaine and Mount Alexander Shire Council. She has also held senior HR roles with Victoria Legal Aid and the TAC among many others.

From Mildura originally, Anna has postgraduate qualifications in Change Management and a Masters in Organisation Dynamics.

Anna is currently completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts to balance her creative pursuits and work as an HR professional.

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Philippa Twaddle

Management Accountant

Carolyn joined the FRRR team in March 2017, and is responsible for providing executive support to the CEO, effective coordination of the FRRR office and general administrative support to the management team. A key responsibility is supporting the administration of FRRR’s Donation Account Services.

She has over fifteen years’ experience working in local government in the Tourism and Arts Sector, Civic and Event Management and Community engagement.

Carolyn has a Bachelor of Arts in Librarianship, majoring in psychology, and grew up on farming communities in Cohuna and Echuca and currently lives in Bendigo.