Bushfire Recovery Shoalhaven

20 January 2020

The NSW Government is coordinating the clean-up of residences and businesses impacted by the NSW bushfires. This includes both insured and uninsured properties.

For more information and to register for help with your clean-up visit NSW Bushfire Clean-Up.

23 January 2020

To support our local communities, @NBN Australia is providing free Wi-Fi services at the following locations:

✅ Ulladulla Civic Centre - 81B Princes Hwy Ulladulla (NSW)

✅ Lake Conjola Community Centre – Lot 7025 Lake Conjola Entrance Rd Lake Conjola (NSW)

For more information and updates visit nbn.

17 January 2020

A number of financial institutions are offering bushfire financial assistance programs to their customers. The aim is to offer immediate practical help to assist customers to manage the impact of natural disasters on their finances.

Financial assistance may include:

• assistance with temporary accommodation
• food and clothing
• deferred loan repayment arrangements
• deferred credit card repayments
• personal loans to purchase replacement goods at discounted interest rate and no establishment fees
• waived interest rate adjustments on term deposit withdrawals
• Disaster Relief Packages to support volunteer firefighters.

Assistance for business customers may include:

• loan restructuring without incurring the usual bank establishment fees
• affected business customers with merchant facilities may be eligible to receive monthly terminal access fee waivers

While members of the community are understandably keen to return to their properties and sift through fire-damaged material, they need to be aware of the associated health risks.

The Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District issued health information and advice to South Coast community members currently in, or returning to, areas impacted by bushfires yesterday, reminding residents and their families to take extra precautions when returning to homes and properties affected by bushfires.

Community members should not sift through fire-damaged material until it has been inspected and verified to be free of asbestos and other hazardous material.

Building and structures burnt in bushfires can leave potential health and safety hazards in the remaining rubble and ash.

These include asbestos, ash from burnt-treated timbers, medicines, garden or farm chemicals, household chemicals and cleaning products, damaged gas bottles, metal and other residues from burnt household appliances as well as ash and dust.

Fibres can also become trapped on clothing and other items and transported off-site.

Licensed contractors from NSW Public Works are progressively working through fire-affected areas in the Shoalhaven as quickly as they can.

For more information on your property, call 1800 88 55 39.

More information on property hazards following a bushfire can be found on the SafeWork NSW website.

Practical support is available to all businesses affected by the NSW bushfires, from damaged or destroyed property to disrupted business and reduced income. For more information visit Disaster Assistance - Support for Small Businesses Affected by Bushfires and the Small Business Commissioner website.

The best way to support Shoalhaven communities affected by the recent bushfires is to give monetary donations.

Please make bushfire relief donations through:

Call the Bushfire Relief Donations Hotline on 0439 436 657

Donate online through Shoalhaven City Council Mayor's Relief Fund

• The Red Cross' Disaster Relief and Recovery

• The Salvation Army Disaster Appeal

• Vinnies Bushfire Appeal

• Wildlife Rescue South Coast Inc.

• RSPCA Bushfire Appeal

• WIRES Emergency Fund

• Buy A Bale

Treading Lightly Inc. Milton Ulladulla Region Bushfire Appeal
BSB: 633 000
Acc No: 170066377

Please make international donations ONLY through:

paypal.mayorsrelieffund

OR call the Bushfire Relief Donations Hotline - +61 439 436 657

Shoalhaven City Council Mayor, Amanda Findley, has opened the Mayoral Relief Fund in response to the Currowan Fire Emergency that is impacting the southern Shoalhaven.

The community support of donated items has been overwhelming and extremely generous to date. Charity and volunteer organisations have now reached capacity for item donation. Therefore, the Mayoral Appeal Fund is the preferred method to assist the Shoalhaven towns and villages impacted.

If you would like to make a tribute to “Bushfire” you can donate via Council to

Shoalhaven City Council

BSB: 062 585

Account: 10948473

Please quote Reference: Bushfire

Donations can also be made at our Customer Service Centres in both Nowra and Ulladulla or at any Commonwealth Bank branch using the BSB and Account number and reference "Bushfire".

All donated funds are held in a separate trust account. The management and distribution of these funds will be overseen by an Independent Advisory Panel chaired by the Mayor Amanda Findley.

The Panel will ensure all funds are distributed equitably and consistently to those who are directly affected by the fire emergency, in compliance with the Commonwealth charitable law requirements.

Donate now

Those worst-hit by bushfires in the South Coast can access 13 weeks' income support provided by the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Allowance.

The financial support is available to those who had lost their income as a direct result of the fires in the Eurobodalla, Shoalhaven, Central Coast, Mid-Western, Muswellbrook, Queanbeyan-Palerang, Upper Hunter and Wollondilly council areas.

Claims would be open from Wednesday, December 11.

Minister for Natural Disaster and Emergency Management David Littleproud said anyone who had been out of work because of the fires should contact the Department of Human Services to check their eligibility.

"This lets people who can't earn an income because of the fires stay in their homes," Mr Littleproud said.

"It's going to take some time to rebuild and this will keep communities together while that happens.

"The Federal Government will keep standing shoulder-to-shoulder with these communities until they're back on their feet.

"We will make further support available for bushfire affected communities as it is needed."

Claims can be made at www.humanservices.gov.au/disaster or by calling 180 22 66.

More information on disaster assistance is available at www.disasterassist.gov.au.

For more information or to make a claim visit www.humanservices.gov.au/disaster or call 180 22 66.

More information on disaster assistance is available at www.disasterassist.gov.au.

If you are insured please contact your insurance company directly.

The Insurance Council Disaster Hotline can be contacted on 1800 734 621 or www.disasters.org.au for further information.