Community Recovery Hub to help bushfire victims

Council and aid agencies are on site at a Community Recovery Hub at Noosaville Library to help residents impacted by the bushfires.

“This has been quite traumatic for a number of residents and it’s important we provide as much assistance as we can in the aftermath of the emergency,” Council’s Community Services Director Kerri Contini said.

“The Recovery Hub is a one-stop shop for people to get answers to questions they might have and get linked in to appropriate services.”

The Hub will provide support, information and services to residents impacted by the bushfire event.

“The emotional impact of this type of event is often felt when people return to their homes and start to process their experience of the last few days,” Ms Contini said.

“The Recovery Hub has staff on-site to provide emotional support so we encourage people to drop in and connect.”

“Disaster funding payments are available for eligible people living in the evacuation zones that experienced a higher degree of impact, such as being evacuated from their homes for at least 48 hours, experiencing a loss of power or needing to undertake repairs of clean-ups as a result of the fire.”

These areas include Cooroibah, Noosa Banks, Ringtail Creek and Noosa North Shore, as well as some areas of Tewantin.

A range of funding is available including Hardship Assistance Grants of $180 per person for people who are unable to meet their immediate needs or Structural Assistance grants of up to $14,685 towards the cost of repairs to uninsured, owner-occupied homes.

Ms Contini said staff at the Hub can also help those eligible to fill out the funding applications.

If there are people outside these areas that have also suffered genuine hardship as a result of the fire event they are encouraged to contact the Recovery Centre and staff will link them into local support services.

An outreach mobile service will also be operating, targeting the residents in the Cooroibah and Noosa North Shore areas.

A range of funding is available including Hardship Assistance Grants of $180 per person (up to $900 for a family of five or more) for people who are unable to meet their immediate essential needs for temporary accommodation, food, essential clothing and medication.

The Community Recovery Hub is open from 9am to 5pm at Noosaville Library, 9 Wallace Drive. 

12 November 2019