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Flooding Assistance

Storm & Flood Assistance Information

Council has developed a guide that is available to those affected by the recent flooding.

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Flood Recovery Updates

Register to receive updates relating to the recovery from recent flood events in Lithgow

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Council news

Helping your children in a flood emergency

Stressful events can change how children view the world around them and make them feel like they are no longer safe. But there are steps that we can take to help support their recovery. Emerging Minds provides resources, information and tools for professionals and organisations working with children, parents and families to support child mental health and wellbeing. In recognition of the floods occurring around Australia, Emerging Minds has collaborated with the Australian Child and Adolescent...

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Check your Tradie

Before you let trades come onto your property to help with storm and flood clean-up or rebuild, make sure you’ve checked that they’re licenced. You can do this through http://verify.licence.nsw.gov.au/home

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Funding available to natural disaster declared communities

This announcement has only just been made late Monday evening. Further details will be made available Tuesday July 5th, on how to apply. Disaster assistance is now available in 23 local government areas (LGAs) following severe storms and flooding from 27 June 2022, which continue to impact large areas of Sydney and the New South Wales coast. The LGAs are Blacktown, Blue Mountains, Camden, Canterbury Bankstown, Campbelltown, Central Coast, Cessnock, Fairfield, Georges River, Hawkesbury,...

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Disaster Assistance Extended

Disaster assistance is now available in 18 additional local government areas following severe storms and flooding last month.

The additional LGAs are Bourke, Coonamble, Dubbo, Glen Innes Severn, Kyogle, Lithgow, Liverpool Plains, Lockhart, Muswellbrook, Narromine, Orange, Parkes, Singleton, Snowy Monaro, Snowy Valleys, Tamworth, Walgett and Warren.

These areas are now included in addition to the initial declaration for the local government areas of Tenterfield, Forbes, Bathurst, Blue Mountains, Cowra, Lachlan, Moree, Blayney, Brewarrina, Broken Hill, Cabonne, Cobar, Gilgandra, Gunnedah, Gwydir, Narrabri, Port Macquarie Hastings, Upper Hunter, Warrumbungle and Weddin.

Assistance is being provided through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

Assistance available under the DRFA may include

  • Help for eligible people whose homes or belongings have been damaged (eligibility criteria apply)
  • Support for affected local councils to help with the costs of cleaning up and restoring damaged essential public assets
  • Concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, primary producers and non-profit organisations
  • Freight subsidies for primary producers, and
  • Grants to eligible non-profit organisations.

For information on personal hardship and distress assistance, contact Service NSW on 13 77 88 or online at www.service.nsw.gov.au

To apply for a concessional loan or grant, contact the NSW Rural Assistance Authority on 1800 678 593 or visit www.raa.nsw.gov.au

Information on disaster assistance can be found on the Australian Government’s Disaster Assist website at www.disasterassist.gov.au

Help for storm & flood affected landholders & communities

If you find yourself in a life-threatening situation, dial 000. If you require assistance due to flood or storm damage, please phone the NSW SES on 132 500. Do not drive through or enter flood waters. Roads may have been damaged severely, debris may have been deposited anywhere and flood waters can carry diseases and pathogens. 

Please see below for information and links for help and financial assistance for those who have been affected. Please feel free to pass this on onto anyone you know who may have been impacted.

This page is the best way for you to be aware of new information on the recovery. If you would like to receive information on the recovery support as it progresses, please register with the Community Recovery Officer Rachel Nicoll at Rachel.Nicoll@Lithgow.nsw.gov.au or phone 0419 100 085 to help you.

 

Road closures & travel advice. For up to date information on the latest road closures and real-time traffic conditions, https://www.livetraffic.com/

Insurances. If you have insurance, contact your insurer for advice on the actions you should take as soon as possible after flooding. The Insurance Council of Australia can also provide advice on lodging a claim, click https://disasters.org.au/ or call 1800 734 621 anytime. Also, the Legal Aid NSW Disaster Assistance Hotline is available to help with insurance claims and any associated legal problems that may arise, call 1800 801 529 or https://disasterhelp.legalaid.nsw.gov.au/.

Current declarations
A list of all Local Government Areas with current declarations as a result of flooding can be found
https://www.raa.nsw.gov.au/disaster-assistance/declared-natural-disasters.

For Mental Health Support 24hours/7 days you can call: Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 or the NSW Mental Health Line on 1800 011 511.

For assistance from Telstra with diversions, data and reconnection support, call 1800 888 888

Financial Assistance

Disaster Recovery Payment: $1,000 for adults and $400 for children
The Disaster Recovery Payment is a one-off, non-means tests payment of $1,000 for adults and $400 for children, who have been seriously injured, lost their homes or whose homes have been directly damaged, or the immediate family members of a person who has lost their life, as a direct result of the storms and floods. https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/help-emergency to find out if you are eligible, or phone Services Australia on 180 22 66.

Disaster Recovery Allowance: short-term income support for 13 weeks
The Disaster Recovery Allowance provides a short-term income support payment to assist individuals whose income has been affected as a direct result of the storms and floods, for up to 13 weeks. https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/help-emergency or phone Services Australia on 1180 22 66.

If you have a small business you can call the Business Concierge at Service NSW on 13 77 88 or visit https://www.service.nsw.gov.au
Farm Household Allowance
The Farm Household Allowance program provides assistance to farming families experiencing financial hardship, no matter the cause of that hardship. The program provides eligible farmers and their partners with a package of assistance that includes:
– up to four years of fortnightly income support (in every 10-year period)
– ancillary allowances such as Pharmaceutical Allowance, Telephone Allowance, Rent Assistance and Remote Area Allowance
– a professional financial assessment of the farm business (worth up to $1,500)
– funding to help develop skills, access training and pay for professional advice (up to $10,000 and can now include reasonable travel and accommodation to undertake training)
– regular support of a case manager.
For further information, https://www.agriculture.gov.au/ag-farm-food/drought/assistance/farm-household-allowance

Disaster Relief Grant
The Disaster Relief Grant helps people to recover from the effects of a disaster and re-establish a basic standard of living. It is not provided to replace insurance or compensate for losses. You may be eligible for financial support if:
– Your home (primary place of residence) was damaged by a natural disaster
– You do not have insurance for the damage
– You are a low-income earner with limited financial resources
https://www.emergency.nsw.gov.au/Documents/factsheets/Factsheet%20Disaster%20relief%20Grant.pdf or phone Resilience NSW on 13 77 88 and ask about the Disaster Relief Grant.

 

Rural Assistance Authority Natural Disaster Assistance
For disaster relief loans and natural disaster transport subsidy, https://www.raa.nsw.gov.au/disaster-assistance.

Other Financial Assistance:
For information on all available disaster assistance, please contact the Disaster Customer Care Service at Service NSW on 13 77 88 or https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/floods.

Please note, a number of these measures have eligibility requirements.

Flooding Support Services

Australian Red Cross Support

The Australian Red Cross has a number of services and resources offered to communities –

Animals and Livestock

Emergency assistance for fodder or livestock support. For help with the provision of emergency fodder, animal assessment, veterinary assistance, stock euthanasia and disposal, livestock feeding and management advice and care of animals in evacuation centres, call the Agriculture and Animal Services Hotline on 1800 814 647 or https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/animals-and-livestock

Missing or stranded stock. Register with the Agriculture and Animal Services Hotline on 1800 814 647 and consider contacting your local council, local veterinary clinics, animal welfare or rescue groups, microchip registry, and check social media sources such as local community noticeboards.

Damage survey

Primary producers and agricultural landholders affected by the floods are asked to complete the DPI’s natural disaster damage survey, the information collected is used to determine the scale and severity of the impact and what assistance and resources are required where. Surveys can be submitted via phone or computer. Ag industry representatives can fill this form out on behalf of farmers, with their consent. Visit https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/climate-and-emergencies/emergency/community/primary-industries-natural-disaster-damage-survey

 

Helping wildlife after floods
Native wildlife may have been heavily impacted by the floods, either through injury, death or habitat destruction. Disorientated, stressed and/or injured, animals should be monitored, remove threats such as pet, vehicles and children, note the exact location and problem and contact a wildlife rescue group, such as WIRES.

 

Donations – Official donation channel open – storms and flooding: GIVIT

To help people affected by the severe storms and flooding across New South Wales, generous Australians are encouraged to donate money, items, skills and services online at www.GIVIT.org.au  to donate.

Fact Sheets

Storms and floods can cause extensive damage to your home, contents and other assets. Recovering is a gradual process, however there are a number of fact sheets containing useful tips and practical information to help the assessment and clean-up for your circumstances.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this page is based on knowledge and understanding at the time of writing. However, because of advances in knowledge, users are reminded of the need to ensure that the information upon which they rely is up to date and to check the currency of the information with the appropriate officer of Lithgow City Council.