Over $410,000 in grants awarded to Kinglake Ranges communities

Media Releases, 1 December 2022

Grants awarded to initiatives tackling long-term impacts of 2009 Black Saturday bushfires

FRRR has awarded $414,927 in grants to 12 community groups and local not-for-profits through its Grants for Resilience & Wellness (GR&W) Kinglake program. This program is designed to provide communities in the Kinglake Ranges area with the resources they need to reconnect and recover from the long-term impacts of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires.

GRANTS FOR RESILIENCE & WELLNESS, Kinglake Ranges, Over $410,000 in grants awarded to Kinglake Ranges communities

The grants are possible thanks to the Victorian Bushfire Fund Appeal and funds that were raised by the general public following the bushfires 13 years ago. To date, 44 projects have shared in $1,297,840 in grants through the GR&W Kinglake program, which is now in its fourth year.

The grants being awarded in this round range from $4,000 to $120,749. The initiatives being funded focus largely on boosting community connectedness through upgrading community facilities and infrastructure that will make community amenities more accessible and undertaking cultural activities.

Nina O’Brien, Disaster and Recovery Lead at FRRR, said that it’s important that the people in these communities have the facilities and amenities to come together as a community.

“Thirteen years on from the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, the community groups of Kinglake Ranges are still as determined as ever to build back better and bring people together, which is so crucial for the long-term recovery of areas that have been impacted by natural disasters.

“Despite the fact that so many years have passed, the people living in these communities have a shared experiences that make them uniquely qualified to understand what the region needs in order to continue moving forward and building their capacity for the future.

“In this round of applications, we saw that community members still need places where they can come together, connect and share stories, whether that be at a community hub, a workshop, a historical centre, a BMX track for kids or a youth space. That sense of community is what enables these disaster-impacted places to continue growing stronger,” Ms O’Brien said.

Some of the projects funded in this round include:

  • Flowerdale Community House Inc – $17,139 – Flowerdale – Foster community connectedness and enhance disaster preparedness by upgrading facilities at a key community hub.
  • Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House Inc – $53,604.10 – Kinglake – Strengthen community connectedness and sense of place through the inclusion of First Nations artwork on the Dindi Arts Trail.
  • Kinglake West Mechanics Institute and Reserves Committee Inc – $21,320 – Kinglake West – Strengthen community connectedness to local history and place by installing a disability access ramp at Kinglake West Historical Centre.
  • Toolangi District Community House Inc – $60,844 – Toolangi – Foster broad community participation and wellbeing through upgrading a community hub.

FRRR will continue to work closely with the community to allocate the remainder of funding available in line with program intent.

The full list of grant recipients and their projects are below.

OrganisationProjectLocationGrant
Flowerdale Hall Reserve Committee of ManagementFoster community connectedness and enhance disaster preparedness by upgrading facilities at a key community hub.Flowerdale$17,139
Flowerdale Community House IncEnhance wellbeing and resilience of children and young people by supporting a feasibility study for BMX track in the Ranges.Flowerdale$54,870
Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House IncStrengthen community recovery and improve social wellbeing outcomes and connection through expanding creative workshop space at a community hub.Kinglake$120,749
Kinglake Ranges Neighbourhood House Kinglake Ranges ArtStrengthen community connectedness and sense of place through the inclusion of First Nations artwork on the Dindi Arts Trail.Kinglake$53,604
Kinglake Trust Reserve IncorporatedEnhance the facilities of a community asset to promote connectedness, by improving the acoustics of the Ellimatta Centre.Kinglake$13,547
Lions Club of Kinglake IncStrengthening community connectedness and community identity through the relocation and preservation of historical infrastructure.Kinglake$4,000
Kinglake Ranges Aquatic Centre IncBuild capacity for the future by engaging a consultant to support planning and advocacy for a local aquatic facility in the Kinglake Ranges, promoting health, wellbeing and community resilience.Kinglake$19,316
Middle Kinglake Primary School
Middle Kinglake Parents & Friends Association
Strengthen community connectedness, sense of place and resilience of children and young people through a mural at Middle Kinglake Primary School celebrating local identity.Kinglake$13,858
Kinglake West Mechanics Institute and Reserves Committee Inc
Kinglake Historical Society
Strengthen community connectedness to local history and place by installing a disability access ramp at Kinglake West Historical Centre.Kinglake West$21,320
Toolangi District Community House Inc
Foster broad community participation and wellbeing through upgrading a community hub.Toolangi$60,844
Toolangi District Community House Inc
Toolangi-Castella History Group

Strengthen community connectedness to local culture and heritage through securely archiving and sharing historic materials.

Toolangi$19,544
Toolangi-Castella Men’s Shed Strengthen the capacity of local people to connect and respond to community need by upgrading equipment at a Men’s Shed.Toolangi$16,136

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Amy Crawford

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

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