Workspace Australia will receive $3 million in state government funding to assist in relocating the Halford Street site to the old Etty Street Secondary School campus.
Workspace will be moving from its current Halford Street location to the former secondary school in Etty Street by January 2024.
Announced on Monday by local MP Maree Edwards, the funding aims to ensure the continued presence of Workspace Australia’s business incubator in Castlemaine while freeing up the current building occupied by Workspace for use by Dhelkya Health to redevelop as a much-needed community health facility.
“I’m delighted to announce support for Workspace Australia in Castlemaine to help our region reach its full potential with more jobs and exciting projects,” Ms Edwards said.
The works to the Department of Education-owned building, leased by Mount Alexander Shire and subleased to Workspace Australia, will be completed by December 2023, with licensees moving into the building as soon as January 2024.
The buildings have been vacant for a number of years (apart from the two buildings leased to Autoplex) and require significant site works to repurpose the space, including electrical and access upgrades. Workspace Australia contributing a further $1.5 million to the project.
Stage one of the project will see the old administration building and the two-storey science building developed for use by 40 businesses. Stage two will include upgrades to the canteen building to provide further space for 14 businesses, with the possibility of further expansion in the future.
Workspace CEO Rebecca Dempsey told the Mail the funding announcement was “unbelievable”.
“Work on this project began in 2018, including a number of studies and surveys to develop a master plan,” she said.
“Surprisingly there was a huge amount of foot traffic in the area with a lot of people riding or walking.”
Businesses currently operating at the Halford Street site (operational since 1998) at the end of their three-year lease period, will be moving on, allowing new businesses to sign a lease, with all money generated going back into expanding Worksafe.
Ms Dempsey said Worksafe Australia had six sites but the Castlemaine site, leased to 68 businesses, was by far the largest, making up half of the operating businesses.
“There has been such a large demand since COVID,” she said. “A lot of people have lost their jobs and have no other options. This way they can have a go with less risk. They’re the ones with fantastic ideas and skills.”
According to Ms Dempsey, pre-COVID the Halford Street site had 70 per cent occupancy with an increase to 98 per cent post-COVID.
“All of the other workspace sites are at 100 per cent capacity, with waiting lists accumulating,” she said.
“We have six food businesses operating in Castlemaine at the moment.
“Puds for All Seasons, Peddling Pastry, Woodley’s Pies and Pastries, Geeza and Firebean Organic Coffee.
“And what’s really exciting about the Etty Street space is the capacity for at least six dedicated kitchen spaces.
“At the current site, there is only one dedicated kitchen, leaving the other five food businesses having to adapt the rooms to suit.”
Barkers Creek Valley 1872: This Holtermann image taken in 1872 has been artificially coloured by Malcolm Qualtrough (click image to zoom in). The view is towards the south from near the Walker Street rail crossing. On the right, the old Gaol stands out clearly on the hill as does the old Castlemaine Hospital, once located below it on Gingell Street, while the Camp Reserve occupies the lower land in the background. The train station with its two goods sheds is in the background but unfortunately, one of the sheds met with an accident with a train and was later demolished. At this stage, the only change to the landscape of the river valley has been the construction of dual railway lines. To the west or right of the railway line, the valley slopes down gradually to the creek located behind the small residence and enclosed by the wooden rail fence.2022: This modern image was taken from as close to the original as possible and shows the station in the distance with the one remaining goods shed. Since 1872 virtually the entire rail corridor to the west or right of the main line has been filled in and built up to the level of the railway line. In recent times, structures have been built on this raised area to support the Castlemaine – Maldon Railway project, and the buildings can be seen in this image. This infilling of the land has in fact created a gigantic levee bank on the eastern side of Barkers Creek and where once any flooding would have spread to the east and the west of the creek, nowadays it has only one way to go, and that is the west bank of the creek in Gingell Street where flooding frequently occurs.
Justine Wallace began using a caravan as her studio during lockdown and it turned out to be a nice place to work and became “a room of one’s own”.
Justine studied Fine Art at Victorian College of the Arts. She has been teaching over the past 30 years and making art.
Hi Justine, Can you tell me what brought you to Castlemaine?
When I was a child I would come to visit my uncle who was a lovely warm fellow and my auntie who lived in Chewton. They were happy times, enjoying the bush and collecting eggs from the chickens, which we cooked for breakfast.
My dad and uncle opened the Wallace Brothers Gallery in Hargraves street in Castlemaine, which ran for years showing local artists’ work. When I spent time with my dad as a kid he was usually busy so I hung out for hours at the Theatre Royal playing an old table top game called ‘Galaga’.
My nan also lived in Castlemaine in Gingell Street and I have fond memories of my visits to her and being given Golden Gaytime ice-creams.
What do you love about this part of the world?
I have always loved Castlemaine. Living in the city for many years, my plan was to return here one day. I love the community and remember when I was a kid having friends and family connections, which are the best things you can hope for in your life. I love being around nature and watching the seasons change. The yellow wattles come out you know that winter will be over. The Crimson rosellas arrive and lay their eggs in the nesting box. Then they hatch and fly away. The dam fills up and goes down and all this makes me feel connected.
What keeps you busy lately Justine?
I am sculpting a portrait of my uncle, David Wallace. Like me, he is a retired art teacher. When we talk about teaching and education there’s a lot of joy, but also sadness. Over the decades, we’ve both seen teaching, art and humanities become more and more devalued over time. It’s been difficult to watch, because David believes that art and education are for everybody, not just for a privileged few.
My work questions the traditions of portraiture and public sculpture, which tends to represent a very narrow view of history. We need to balance gender, class and racial representation in public statues.
What are your other interests?
I study and learn about animals, which I also sculpt and paint. I study the indigenous plants and animals in the area. I live near a nature reserve where there are phascogales and echidnas. I have a concern about the damage from climate change and deforestation. I am interested in protecting the indigenous flora and fauna as we expand into their habitat.
Who would your three dream dinner guests be?
Louise Bourgeois – French-American sculptor, Penny Wong and Bruce Pascoe.
What are your pet peeves?
There is not enough public figurative sculpture commemorating history-making women an First Nation’s Peoples in Australia. Figurative public sculptures are almost always depictions of men, by men. This sends a very clear message to communities that we don’t value and celebrate diversity nearly as much as we should.
What are you reading at the moment?
I listen to podcasts and at the moment am listening to Alli Ward, Ologies, who interviews specialists in their fields. It is very entertaining and interesting.
Local GP Richard Mayes and his wife Lucy Mayes from the Hush Foundation
Burnout, bullying, workforce retention, toxicity and abuse are endemic in the medical system, and with the continued strains of the pandemic, there has never been a better time for change.
Local resident Lucy Mayes and fellow organisers of the Gathering of Kindness want to flip this narrative and instil a culture of kindness throughout the healthcare system.
“Patients often report one of the most powerful elements of their care is an act of kindness,” Lucy said.
“The medical system is often about measurements, and there is a huge amount of evidence to support this model.
“There is biochemistry in giving, witnessing or experiencing kindness, which changes our internal physiology.”
Lucy, inspired by her husband Dr Richard Mayes’ experience of burnout, wrote a book called Beyond the Stethoscope: Doctors stories of reclaiming hope, heart, and healing in medicine. Lucy interviewed 30 doctors from various fields across Australia and New Zealand, including the founder of the Gathering of Kindness, Catherine Crock.
“At first it was difficult for Richard to share his vulnerability,” Lucy said. “The purpose of the book is not to be perfect but to be human, and it helped Richard to heal and many others have since shared their experiences.”
Richard (aka the dancing doctor), is also an award-winning medical educator and will be presenting at this year’s Gathering of Kindness with his all-ages, all-abilities dance troupe, Silvertops Dance Crew.
The Hush Gathering of Kindness aims to build and nurture a culture of kindness throughout the healthcare system.
Now more than ever, kindness is needed, particularly with the ongoing pandemic bringing new anxiety, stress and challenges to our healthcare workers. They remain at the frontline in emergency departments, wards, and intensive care units, risking their own health and the health of their families.
The annual Gathering of Kindness provides an opportunity to share ideas, learn the ways kindness is driving change for the better around the world, and for all stakeholders in healthcare to have a voice in co-creating a kinder healthcare system for all.
A week of events will be held around Australia from Monday November 7 to Friday November 11. World Kindness Day is on Sunday November 13.
Health and aged care staff and organisations, and patients and families can join in the Hush Gathering of Kindness events.
For more information and the full program, visit www.gatheringofkindness. org/2022. Tickets are available at events. humanitix.com/gathering-of-kindness-2022/tickets
The much-anticipated opening of Porcupine Village in Maldon remains on the horizon, as managers Doug and Deborah Baird await the green light to fling open the gates of the replica gold mining town.
In the meantime, visitors can dine in style in the new Golden Nugget Restaurant, open for dinner Fridays and Saturdays, and a carvery lunch and live music on Sundays.
The replica gold-miners village, which sat abandoned for 20 years, has had new life breathed into it since Melbourne businessman, Frank Hutchinson, bought the property for $1.7 million in 2020. And with the assistance of a $1.7 million government grant in June the village is looking fantastic.
The tourist attraction is a great way to step back in time to the 1850s and get a glimpse of what it was like to live during the gold rush, walking among the 40 ramshackle buildings complete with a bar, blacksmith’s shed, general store and undertaker’s office.
There will be a range of accommodation options available including motel rooms, glamping and a caravan park. Visitors will be able to get up close with native animals at the wildlife sanctuary, buy produce grown onsite at the greengrocer, or buy some unique metalworks made by the onsite blacksmith.
The village caters for birthdays and weddings and includes a specially designed function marque, which has proven to be a controversial addition, with objections from local residents that the marque is not keeping with the heritage of the town.
Manager Deborah Baird told the Express that functions were booking fast and the restaurant hosted a beautiful wedding over the weekend.
“Sundays have been incredibly popular, we have different local musicians perform and happy hour from 3pm-4pm,” she said.
Head chef Sonya McCarthy said Deborah and Doug were the best managers, and the owner Frank was lovely and incredibly supportive of new ideas.
“We’re having our first themed night this Friday,” Sonya said. “We’ll have a Chinese menu for a few weeks and then we’ll try Indian and Spanish. On Saturday we have fine dining.
“One of the most popular dishes has been the eye fillet steak with a Panacea Estate red wine jus and the Warral Honey Creme Brulee.
“We use a lot of local produce including buying our meat from the Maldon Butchers, cheeses, olives, oil, and preserves as well as a huge selection of local wines and cider. Plus we grow a lot of the fresh produce ourselves.”
Award-winning local author, Alex Miller, has launched a new novel exploring sexuality, self-exploration, friendship and marriage in a modern world.
A Brief Affair centres around protagonist Dr Frances Egan, a 42-year-old mother and career woman who discovers a long-forgotten diary while working in a former asylum in Sunbury.
The characters and many of their experiences are written through the lens of the author’s own thoughts, feelings and experiences, and those of the people close to him.
Miller has an exceptional ability to write female characters seamlessly, which seems to stem from his belief that women and men are essentially the same.
“I read Sexual Politics by (American writer and activist) Kate Millett, written in 1969. It was profound, well-researched and argued,” he said.
“It gave me, as a man, permission to write women.
“I also lean towards the person who doesn’t get a say, which I think is my story too, coming from a working-class family in London. I can’t write about people I don’t like. I’ve tried.”
Raised in the UK by parents of Scottish and Irish descent, Miller travelled to Australia on his own when he was just 16 years old.
A working-class boy from South London during the post-war period, he wanted to be a writer but was never taken seriously.
After a six-week-long boat journey, Miller landed in Sydney. Suitcase in hand he started walking, asking people passing by, “which way to Queensland?”
“It was so different to England. I felt liberated,” he said.
“I wanted to be a cowboy in the outback. So that’s what I did. I worked with Indigenous people in Augusta on the Gulf of Carpentaria. That was special.”
Miller and his wife Stephanie have called Castlemaine their home for the past 22 years. They met when they were studying.
“The first day I saw her at the top of the stairs, I thought that’s the one. Turns out she thought the same,” he said.
“During the term we kept giving each other looks, but we never spoke. One night at the end of term we both decided to go to the pub with a group of students.
“At the end of the night, I said, ‘aren’t you cold sitting on your own? Why don’t you come over?’ She came over and kissed me. It went on for a lifetime. Everyone in the bar started slow clapping and the barmaid poured cold water on us.
“She was the one. Steph makes life possible.”
A Brief Affair is available now in all good book stores.
Late one night an apple was restless, he had a fruit sticker on and it was uncomfortable and itchy. “What are they even for?” the apple wondered.
In the morning the apple studied each type of sticker he could and found out that most stickers had different purposes and varied from fruit to fruit.
One fine morning the apple got picked up by a lady in a blue flowery dress and got taken to a black moving thing, which at the end had a lady in a black uniform standing next to some sort of computer … a conveyor belt, the apple realised.
Later on, the apple got put in a fruit bowl with a bunch of other fruit. All the fruit talked until night. In five days, the apple realised something, something wonderful … The fruit the lady brought home had no fruit stickers on them. The apple asked eagerly and found out that fruit stickers were not in use anymore.
What happened here in this story can happen in reality but it doesn’t have to happen like that, fruit stickers could become reusable, biodegradable or even edible.
Today (Oct 28, 2022) launches the opening of the Boorp Boorp Boondyil (“Passing Knowledge to our Children”) exhibition at the Castlemaine Market Building.
Read all about it in next week’s Castlemaine Mail or find out more at the Mt Alexander Shire Council website
After a two-year hiatus, Maldon is finally able to host its 47th Folk Festival. With a huge line-up of local, and international performers, this weekend (Friday through to Sunday) is set to be an incredible experience for lovers of all things folk.
With 55 acts, appearing over four days, featuring local artists and performers travelling from New Zealand, the United States, and Ireland, it’s an event not to be missed.
Folk Festival Event Organiser Pam Lyons told the Mail, “Everyone’s really enthusiastic. We’ve got a huge number of volunteers from Maldon and surrounds, lots of billets, and tickets are selling fast,” said Pam.”We don’t really ever have ‘headlines’ everyone’s really, really, good. Although we do have Claymore and Rich Davies and the Low Roads who are local favourites.”
There will be performances from local artists the Darling Buds of Maldon, Jam Tarts, Harpers Bizarre, Mick Coates, and the Steiner School Orchestra and would the festival be folk if it didn’t include a poetry recital or two? Featuring performances from locals Marty and Richard Leech and an old-time favourite Campbell the Swaggie.
Campbell is a fair dinkum reciter of Aussie Bush Poetry, who roves the country attending markets and festivals from Darwin down to the Victorian Markets. Campbell raises funds for the Royal Flying Doctors and emergency relief appeals to assist premature and chronically ill children.
While not an official part of the festival events, there will be one person sorely missing; local character Steve McMahan, who sadly passed earlier this year. Steve always got into the spirit of the festival with performances at his wine bar, 48 Main, and created a special space for music and friends all year round. He will be missed by many. Pam, who joined the festival committee in 2012, has been working tirelessly to bring together a remarkable group of artists ever since.
“I love the weekend when the town fills up, performers are playing, and I’m able to walk around and talk to people.” Maldon’s historic streetscape truly comes alive during each Folkie, with a relaxed and friendly vibe that takes you back to the days of old.
Make sure to pop down this weekend and check it out for yourself! For ticket information, visit the festival website.
The Harcourt bowling green after the rain on Friday night.
Harcourt Bowling Club weekend pennant teams were lucky to get on the green last Saturday with the rain we had and more forecast.
After the Friday evening downpour, the Harcourt bowling green was more like a swimming pool, but with a lot of work by the club’s greenkeepers, the good drainage and morning sunshine, the Saturday pennant was able to go ahead.
The club thanks volunteer greenkeepers Ron, Darrell and David for their preparation of the green.
Although all divisions were unable to score wins, the club welcomed new bowlers Tim Carr, Rick Williams, Rod Watson, Darren Cunningham and Wayne Walsh and hope they enjoy playing at Harcourt.
Weekend pennant results:
Division 2 – Harcourt 64 lost to Bendigo 83.
Tony Olsson (s) 10/29, John Kays, Wendy Chaplin, Darrell Normington.
Steven Douglas (s) 12/26, Grahame Hill, Terry Chisholm, Carrol Frost.
Brian Smith (s) 24/13, Brett Jenkinson, Seth Bird, Phil Clarke.
Rod Harris (s) 18/15, Brian Leech, Chris McAuliffe, Mary-Anne Doyle.
Division 6 – Harcourt 68 lost to Bendigo 83.
Wayne Walsh (s) 17/18, Barry Marsh, Ron Douglas, Kaye Grant.
Daryl Gale (s) 18/15, Darren Cunningham, Heather Braid, Alf Manallack.
Ken Tribe (s) 14/36, Russell Maltby, Rick Williams, Diane Marsh.
Terry Robinson (s) 19/14, Judi Miles, Les Harding, Kathy Harding.
Division 7 – Harcourt 46 lost to Kangaroo 70.
Col Foster (s) 18/20, Libby Harris, Geoff Ace, Gary Selwood.
Brian Buchanan (s) 13/29, Damian Bird, Tim Carr, Ian McMillan.
Brian Nunn (s) 15/21, Dave Jefferies, Russell Timmins, Kay Francis.
Tomorrow Division 2 will host Kangaroo Flat, Division 6 will travel to Bridgewater, and Division 7 will travel to Heathcote.
MIDWEEK PENNANT
Due to weather conditions all Harcourt midweek pennant games were cancelled as below.
Division 2 – was to travel to Bendigo East.
Division 4 – was to travel to Dingee next Monday October 31, all being well weather-wise, Division 2 will host Woodbury and Division 4 will host White Hills.
The Kidman Mixed Fours tournament scheduled for October 23 was postponed due to the forecast of impending rain and thunderstorms. The new date has yet to be determined.
JACKPOT BOWLS
Jackpot Bowls is continuing weekly weather permitting. This is open to all bowlers. Games will start at 12.30pm – names in by 12pm (on the sheet in notice board).
Saturday was a fine and sunny day and Castlemaine bowlers were pleased to be able to play pennant, although disappointing for Division 5 they were to go to Dingee but roads were unsafe due to floods.
Premier Division 1 played at home against Bendigo. The battle of the Darroch family, Lachy and Luke skipping against each other and what a battle it was with Pa helping grandson Luke against Lachy and his Castlemaine team. In front of their dedicated family and friends it was a tussle all day with the end result a draw 17/17 (a fitting end).
Peter Brain and team had a good win, but overall Bendigo too strong.
Division 4 did well with all four rinks recording a win.
Division 5 was a washout, hoping for fine weather next Saturday.
Results as follows:
Division 1 Premier Castlemaine 59 lost to Bendigo 86.
Peter Brain 22/11, Greg Brain 6/27, Lachy Darroch 17/17, Rod Phillips 14/31.
Division 4 Castlemaine 100 defeated Golden Square 69.
Mal Stevens 23/21, Maureen Fletcher 24/9, Steve McCombe 28/22, Rosalie Roberts 25/17.
Unfortunately another wet day on Monday with all Bendigo greens closed.
No midweek pennant.
Teams for Saturday October 29 are as follows:
Division 1 (Premier) Castlemaine plays at South Bendigo.
Chris Brain, Robin Lynas, Kevin Shuttleworth, Peter Brain (skip).
Michael Diprose, Lee Bastin,Paul Darroch, Greg Brain (skip).
Bernie McConnell, Kevin Earl, Darren Taylor, Lachy Darroch (skip).
Taylor Walsh, Klai Jermyn, Neil Bouch, Rod Phillips (skip).
Division 4 Castlemaine plays at Eaglehawk.
Don Ross, Peter McKnight, Chris Crossley, Mal Stevens (skip).
Russell Chapman, Jack Taylor, Bruce Miller, Maureen Fletcher (skip).
Sandra Grant, Alicia Beauchamp, Pam Hunter, Steve McCombe (skip).
Alene Jolme, Rod Fletcher, Graham Fraser, Rosalie Roberts (skip).
Division 5 Castlemaine plays Inglewood at Castlemaine.
Joe Smith, Pat Devereaux, Ian Devereaux, Alan Nicholls (skip).
Kathy Hayward, Peter Rotteveel, Ian Devereaux, Alan Nicholls (skip).
Lesley Carlin, Don Barnett, Wendy Walsh, Nina Hufer (skip).
Jan Brain, Don Steet, Sandra Phillips, Tricia O’Shea (skip).
Teams for midweek pennant. Monday October 31.
Division 2 Castlemaine plays at Bendigo East.
Jack Taylor, Rod Fletcher, Chris Crossley, Maureen Fletcher (skip).
Pat Devereaux, Graham Fraser, Charles Madgin, Tricia O’Shea (skip).
Division 3 Castlemaine plays Bendigo East at Castlemaine.
Don Steet, Sandra Grant, Pam Fraser, Bruce Miller (skip).
Sandra Phillips, Regina Saville, Angie Hill, Nina Hufer (skip).
Florence Stevens, Peter Rotteveel, Alan Nicholls, Kathy Parsons (skip).
‘Girls on the Green’ returns on Thursday November 10 (not as previously reported on November 3) and runs over six weeks. Teams of three or four ladies or individual entries. All ladies welcome, 5.30 for a 6pm start, a fun-filled evening finishing approximately 7.30.
Entries to Maureen by November 8, call 0417 321 048.
Joint clean-up funding, more operational support and wider relief payment eligibility has been made available as tens of thousands of Victorians continue to deal with widespread flooding across the state.
Victorians whose properties are destroyed or damaged in the floods can have their properties cleared of hazards, and made safe, at no cost thanks to joint funding from the Australian and Victorian Governments.
Clean-up assistance is being provided through the jointly-funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements with an initial investment of $150 million to prioritise hazard assessments and clean-up.
This first phase of the jointly funded clean-up program will be coordinated by Emergency Recovery Victoria with registrations already open.
ERV will work with local contractors to demolish, remove and dispose of structures that were destroyed or damaged beyond repair by the floods.
They will also remove hazards and debris that pose a threat to property or work crews.
Additional ADF support has also been deployed to assist in the clean-up.
Emergency re-establishment payments have also been activated, providing up to $43,850 for households without flood insurance, facing financial hardship, whose homes have been damaged or destroyed to help pay for clean-up, emergency accommodation, repairs, rebuilding and replacing essential household items.
These grants are for residents whose homes are uninhabitable for more than a week – a situation many in Victoria’s hardest-hit communities are facing.
About 50,000 homes, 14 hospitals and 300 schools and early childhood facilities have been identified within flood impacted areas in Victoria to date. These numbers are expected to grow as higher water levels travel downstream in the coming days.
In addition, the Federal Government’s one-off, non-means tested Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment of $1000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child has been made available to people who live in the Mt Alexander Shire and some other LGAs.
Activation of these arrangements allows more councils to claim expenses from the joint State and Commonwealth funding for a range of activities including early relief and recovery activities such as the establishment and operation of Relief Centres, the removal of debris from residential properties and emergency works to urgently restore an essential public asset. Activation across additional councils will occur as impacts of the floods are understood.
For support with payments, clean-up or any other flood issues, Victorians can contact the Flood Recovery Hotline on 1800 560 760.
Our flood coverage remains free to read. Please consider supporting the Castlemaine Mail’s local journalism with a digital subscription.
Flood waste tip fees waived
The waste levy for flood waste will be completely waived, and landfill operator gate fees covered, in flood-affected local areas including Macedon Ranges and Mt Alexander shires until the end of the year to snsure all flood waste can be disposed of at landfill free of charge.
In collaboration with councils and the waste industry, the government will work to ensure that all impacted communities have access to a facility or site to dispose of their waste quickly and safely.
The waste levy for flood waste and the gate fee usually charged by the site operator will be waived for the following 46 worst-affected local government areas until December 31.
The rebates will make sure all flood waste can be disposed of at landfill free of charge, with the waste levy usually between $62.95 per tonne and $125.90 per tonne, depending on the type of waste and the location of the landfill.
The Environment Protection Authority will work with councils and landfill operators to implement the waste levy waiver.
It is projected that 300,000 tonnes of waste will be sent to landfill as a result of this month’s floods.
SES to the fore
Victoria State Emergency Service volunteers are among the agencies providing emergency assistance to flood affected communities
Victoria Emergency Service volunteers provide support to communities 24 hours a day seven days a week 365 days a year. SES volunteers have been on the ground providing flood preparedness advice directly to households at risk before floods occurring. They have been working in their communities to provide sandbagging support and putting their lives on the line working with other emergency service personnel to rescue people and their pets when they have been isolated by floodwater. VICSES volunteers ask that community members heed emergency advice to prepare, evacuate if advised to do so and to never drive on flooded roads.
For advice on how to prepare for floods and to find your local flood guide visit ses.vic.gov.au
For flood and storm emergency assistance call 132 500.
Financial support extended
The Australian Government has extended support for people affected by floods making the one-off, non-means tested Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment available to more local communities.
In Victoria, the payment of $1000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child is now available to people who live in Mount Alexander Shire.
“People are doing it really tough at the moment and that’s why we’ve acted really quickly to try to get flood payments out the door to people to try to help them get back on their feet,” federal MP Lisa Chesters said.
“Yesterday, my office received calls from residents living in Redesdale and Heathcote who have been severely impacted by these floods. Today, we have announced more support for them.
“Local communities across Greater Bendigo and Mount Alexander are doing it tough right now, and this modest payment will ensure those impacted can meet their immediate needs.
“This support is on top of the already announced access that locals have to the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Allowance. This allowance aims to help employees and sole traders who have experienced a loss of income.”
People affected by the flooding can check their eligibility for the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment and Disaster Recovery Allowance on the Services Australia website at servicesaustralia.gov.au/disasterevents before lodging a claim for assistance.
If people need additional support to claim, they can call the Australian Government Emergency Information Line on 180 22 66.
CFA pitches in
Local Country Fire Authority volunteers made up a number of emergency strike teams that were deployed to Echuca and Rochester last week.
Thanks to Rohan Taylor of Kyneton CFA for providing this photograph taken in Echuca.
Those to put their hands up to help make both towns ‘flood safe’ from rising flood and river waters included CFA members from the Macedon Ranges area’s Mountain Group and Coliban Group brigades. While three long days were put in by many members, those with work commitments volunteered what time they could to help make the towns safe from expected further rising waters from flood run-off and the Campaspe and Murray Rivers.
Sandbagging was the order of the day with long, high walls built by the volunteers.
In areas where a clean up could begin, in parts of Rochester for example, CFA volunteers were busy helping business and home owners with that ordeal, too.
Our flood coverage remains free to read. Please consider supporting the Castlemaine Mail’s local journalism with a digital subscription.
