Council welcomes State funding to support recovery

Published on 02 July 2021

Baw Baw Shire Council welcomes the announcement of financial support from the Victorian Government to assist with our recovery efforts in the wake of the devastating storms that have recently struck our region.

The Victorian Government’s Council Support Fund will provide $8.2 million in support to be shared by 10 councils, of which Baw Baw Shire Council is one.

The fund is designed to boost recovery capabilities in the Shire. It can be used to employ additional recovery staff, onboard specialist contractors and provide targeted training support to help our affected local communities recover.

Bushfire Recovery Victoria (BRV) has been coordinating the State Government’s recovery efforts, and this week Baw Baw Shire Council CEO Mark Dupe met with BRV Acting CEO Carmel Flynn in Walhalla – one of the hardest hit localities in the Shire - to give BRV a first-hand look at the situation on the ground and to discuss our community’s recovery priorities.

Mark Dupe also met with the Victorian Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp to discuss our local impacts and the need for support.

Both of these meetings follow discussions between Mayor of Baw Baw Shire Councillor Danny Goss and the Victorian Minister for Roads and Road Safety Hon. Ben Carroll MP around the impacts and recovery support needed for our road network, particularly in the northern areas surrounding Walhalla and the Mt Baw Baw Tourist Road.

Plans for a community meeting in Walhalla to involve residents, businesses and organisations that have been directly affected are underway. The meeting will take a collaborative approach, involving community members, representatives of Baw Baw Shire Council, BRV, Regional Roads Victoria, the Catchment Management Authority, and DELWP. The Red Cross will also be on hand to provide psychological first aid.

More details about community meetings and the next steps in the recovery process will be shared as they are confirmed.

Quotes attributable to Mayor Cr Danny Goss:

“Council welcomes this crucial funding support from the State Government to assist our recovery efforts. There are regions in our Shire that have been absolutely devastated and it’s taken a big toll on residents and businesses. The level of direct dialogue we’ve had with the Government and the key agencies about our local needs has been encouraging, as has the degree of inter-agency cooperation as we work through all the impacts. We look forward to working together closely as recovery efforts progress.” 

BRV Acting CEO Carmel Flynn, Baw Baw Shire Council Municipal Recovery Manager Christian Thomas and CEO Mark Dupe survey the damage in Walhalla.

Victorian Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp and Baw Baw Shire Council CEO Mark Dupe met in Warragul to discuss local impacts in Baw Baw and the need for support.

Victorian Minister for Roads and Road Safety Hon. Ben Carroll MP and Mayor Danny Goss on site at Mt Baw Baw Tourist Road discussing the impacts and recovery support needed for Baw Baw's road network.