Financial Support for those who have been affected by the bushfires is still available from a multitude of agencies:

• Anglicare
• Agriculture Victoria
• Centrelink
• DHHS
• Red Cross
• Salvation Army
• St. Vincent De Paul
• Victorian Business Grants
• Windermere

If you have any questions regarding how to access financial support, please contact us.

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After a bushfire, people may be unsure of what to do next. The Bushfire Case Support program provides practical support for bushfire affected individuals and families. Case Support Coordinators can help you with:

• Discussing your needs and the next steps you could take
• Information and support to access services  
• Completing paperwork  
• Community information  
• Financial counselling and assistance with insurance  
• Advice for business owners
• Support can be provided face to face, over the phone or at a location that suits you.

Learn more about the program, or to access the program contact a Windermere Case Support Coordinator by calling 0414 384 512 between 9am – 5pm weekdays.

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Agriculture Victoria staff are working with affected landholders to assess injured livestock and losses of agricultural assets and livestock. Agriculture Victoria can also provide technical advice and help you make decisions on topics such as:

• agisting livestock affected by a bushfire
• assessing livestock after a bushfire
• stock containment areas

For more information, please visit the Agriculture Victoria website https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/

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Fencing waste stockpile sites

Sites have been set up by DELWP and council to stockpile agricultural metal/wire only waste.

Council has negotiated with a private contractor to collect this waste metal from these stockpile sites:

• Buchan (Old sawmill, 2286 Bruthen-Buchan Road)
• Cann River Landfill
• Cobungra (Plowmans at Tolands road)
• Ensay (Blowhard gravel pit – Little River Road)
• Newmeralla Recreation Reserve
• Nowa Nowa (old railway station site)
• Omeo (old soil dump site)
• Wairewa (Waterpoint, opposite the Wairewa Transfer Station, Carl Smith road)

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Water supply

Those whose water has been affected by the bushfires can access emergency untreated water supplies at:

• Swifts Creek Recreation Reserve has a connection point for people to fill up a water cube. You need a male 50mm Camlock fitting and pump. Limit use to 1,000 litres each so resources are not depleted.
• Goose Gully (90 Balfours Rd, Lucknow) has a standpipe. Use is capped at 4,000 litres per person per day. 7 am to 7 pm daily.

For more information visit the Southern Rural Water website or phone 03 5139 3100.

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Individuals affected by bushfire can experience a range of thoughts, feelings and behaviours that can be intense, confusing and frightening. There are a number of support services available to the community, you'll find the details of these below.

• Lifeline: 131 114 | 24-hour telephone counselling, information and referral service.
• BeyondBlue: 1300 224 636 | Provides information on depression and anxiety. To access professional counselling services, please make contact with your GP and ask for a referral.
• Kids Help Line: 1800 551 800 | Confidential telephone counselling service for young people aged 5–25 years.
• Headspace: 1800 650 890 | Free online support and counselling to young people 12 - 25 and their families and friends.
• ParentLine: 132 289 | Counselling and information for families with children (up to 18 years) from 8am to midnight, 7 days a week.
• Men’s Line Australia: 1300 789 978 | 24–hour counselling and advice for men.  
• Safe Steps Family Violence Support: 1800 015 188 | 24-hour family violence support service.
• Family Violence support:  1800 737 732 | There is an increased risk of family violence after an emergency. Help is available by confidentially calling 1800 737 732 or by going to the 1800 Respect website.
• Windermere: 1300 946 337 | Counselling and support for people of all ages affected by the bushfires.

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We offer a dedicated Bushfire Rebuilding Support Service to help with your rebuild, for information please visit our Bushfire Rebuilding page.

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