Fire Recovery 2026
Bushfire Stabilisation Assistance
Longwood - Berrys Lane Fire Fences, Essential Water & Control Lines
Country Fire Authority (CFA) and Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic) can assist landholders impacted by a bushfire event with the following activities:
- Stabilising dozer and grader control lines on private property by pushing back soil and applying erosion‑control measures to protect the land and water quality. Reseeding and crop replacement are not included.
- Replacement of essential water* that has been taken by fire services from domestic tanks and stock or irrigation dams for firefighting purposes.
- Repairs to fences cut or damaged (including fallen trees) during fire response and subsequently not impacted by fire.
- Fences damaged by bushfire on the private/public land boundary only (and not covered by insurance).
To register, complete the form here
The following information and contacts have been developed to assist with Fire Recovery efforts within the Gecko Clan Landcare Network region.
Agency and support organisation contacts
| Agriculture Victoria | To speak to an Agriculture Recovery team member phone:
136 186. or 1800 226 226 email [email protected] Animal health and welfare: Kate Rowe and Lee Manning M: 0417 557 039 Pasture recovery, animal nutrition and water supply: Brad Costin M: 0439 347 488 Nick Linden M: 0438 369 486 Greg Bekker M: 0417 340 236
http://agriculture.vic.gov.au/agriculture/emergencies/recovery |
| AgBiz Assist | Rural financial Counselling
Jim Moll M: 0427 394 988 E: [email protected] Other contact details: T: 1800 834 775 W: www.agbizassist.org.au |
| Strathbogie Rural City Council | Phone: 1800 065 993 (toll free)
Website: www.strathbogie.vic.gov.au Email: [email protected] After Hours Call 1800 065 993 and follow the prompts. |
| Police & Emergency | Euroa Police Station
Contact details: Address: 40 Kirkland Ave, Euroa VIC 3666 Phone: (03) 5795 2017 Fax: (03) 9244 2367 Email: [email protected] Emergency: Call 000 |
| Emergency Recovery Victoria – connection people to support, financial aid and recovery services | T: 1800 226 226 W: emergency.vic.gov.au/respond |
| Fencing | Blaze Aid Australia: Coordinator: Debra Ong M: 0466 310 959 Enquires: Debbie Butler M: 0418 990 267Uniting Church Fencing: Alan Stafford M: 0412 578 237 |
| Gecko CLaN Landcare Network | Kerri Robson M: 0418 140 710 E: [email protected] W: www.geckoclan.com.au· Assisting in finding Stock agistment· Grant application support |
| Livestock Fodder
|
Feed Available at Longwood, Depo Rd
For Feed Access, please call Coll on M: 0427 920 245 and leave your details so feed can be arranged Feed Depo has now been open at Gooram, please call Jim on M:0417 392 880 VFF - Impacted farmers seeking fodder and those wishing to donate fodder can register on the VFF website at https://www.vff.org.au/vff-emergency-fodder-program/ or the VFF call 1300 882 833. |
| Health and Wellbeing | Rural Outreach Worker Ivan Lister M: 0474 501 406
If you or someone close to you is feeling overwhelmed: · contact your local doctor (GP) · call Lifeline (13 11 14) · Beyond Blue (1300 224 636). |
| Goulburn Broken CMA – waterways and river health | Sue Kosch T: 5797 4400 M: 0458 324 780 E: [email protected] W: www.gbcma.vic.gov.au |
| Metal Waste/Skips | Chilcorp Metal recycling
Anthony: M 0473 588 205 |
| Australian Red Cross | T: 1800 733 276 W: www.redcross.org.au |
| Centrelink – for exceptional circumstances relief help | T: 13 28 50 |
| Salvation Army | Benalla Captain Ben Anderson M: 0458 601 031 T: 03 5762 6547 W: www.salvationarmy.org.au |
| Help with insurance
|
You can get free advice before accepting a settlement offer from your insurer. Talk to a financial counsellor through the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007.
The Financial Rights Legal Centre can help you with insurance issues. They have factsheets and sample letters you can send to your insurer. You can contact Disaster Legal Help Victoria to ask about your legal questions. |
Emergency relief payments – Longwood fire
Emergency relief payments are now available for eligible people impacted by the bushfires in Strathbogie, Towong, Mansfield and Murrindindi Shires.
An emergency relief payment can help you to pay for things you need most, including:
- food
- clothing
- medication
You can apply for this payment if:
- your principal place of residence was damaged or destroyed by the fires and you can’t live in it, or
- your principal place of residence was in an evacuation warning area, and you evacuated your property
- and you have unmet immediate relief needs.
Call the Vic Emergency Hotline to apply for an Emergency Relief payment on 1800 226 226 (Press 0, then 1 to talk to someone or press 9 for an interpreter).
For more information go to https://services.dffh.vic.gov.au/january-2026-fires
Personal Hardship Assistance Program
Emergency relief payments
You may be eligible for an emergency relief payment if you have unmet immediate relief needs and:
- your principal place of residence is damaged or destroyed by the January 2026 bushfires, and you can’t live in it, or
- your principal place of residence was in an evacuation warning area, and you evacuated your property.
Under this payment, people can get:
- a one-off payment of $680 per adult and $340 per child
- up to a maximum of $2,380 per eligible family.
The payment is to help cover the costs of essentials like food, clothing, medication and accommodation. Payments are a fixed amount for each member of a household and are not calculated based on how much money you earn.
To apply for a payment:
The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) can help you apply for this payment.
- Call the VicEmergency Hotline 1800 226 226(Press 0, then 1 to talk to someone)
- Visit an Emergency Relief Centre.
Have personal identification (ID) with you if you can. This could be a:
- driver licence
- Medicare card
- letter or bill with your name and home address.
Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment:
People who have been impacted by the bushfires may also be eligible for an Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment.
This is a one off, non-means tested lump sum payment of $1,000 for eligible adults and $400 for eligible children.
More information will be available at 2:00 pm on Wednesday 14 January 2026 on the Services Australia website.
Emergency accommodation:
Short-term emergency accommodation can help for anyone who can’t go home because of the bushfires. This ensures everyone has a safe place to stay.
You may be eligible if you have no other place to go.
Before seeking this support, people are encouraged to consider options such as:
- contacting family or friends for support
- speaking to their insurance provider about what their policy will cover.
If you don’t have insurance or a place to stay, contact your local council.
Strathbogie Council: Phone: 1800 065 993 (toll free)
Household Power outage assistance:
Eligible households who have been without power for seven or more days within a two-week period will receive $2,380 per week for up to three weeks, helping families manage during this challenging time.
Applications can be made through electricity distribution businesses, with full details available at energy.vic.gov.au/about-energy/safety/power-outages.
Affected farmers and property owners:
VFF Disaster relief Funds: Up to $5,000
This form is for individuals seeking financial assistance from the VFF Disaster Relief Fund due impacts of the 2026 Victorian Bushfires.
An initial payment of $1,000 will be made to farmers/ any landholder whose properties have been directly impacted by fire (subject to funding availability). You can also apply for another $4,000.
Please call - VFF call 1300 882 833 or apply online.
Here is the form for the $1000 immediate grant.
https://form.jotform.com/260126639887065
If fires have affected your property – including dead or injured animals, crop loss or damage, or fodder and water needs – you can report it online. Your information will help us report on recovery and decide what support you need.
Loss and Damage Online Assessment Form
Bushfires | Emergency management | Farm management | Agriculture Victoria
VFF Fodder and Transport assistance
How you can assist
- Farmers can provide fodder. The VFF will call for the provision of fodder, if a fodder program is activated with government.
- Transporters must register with the VFF to be eligible for a freight rebate by government. This is only available for transporters directly engaged by the VFF Emergency Fodder Program. A consignment notice issued by the VFF is required.
- Donate to the VFF Disaster Relief Fund to support the Victorian farming community. Funds have previously been used to provide grants for replacing fencing and infrastructure as well as other support services. Donate today by contacting VFF on 1300 882 833.
If you have any questions, please contact us by calling 1300 882 833 or emailing [email protected]
https://www.vff.org.au/emergency-fodder-transport-pre-registration-application/
https://www.vff.org.au/vff-requestfodder/
Rural Finance:
- Email: [email protected]
- Post: Rural Finance, PO Box 1313, Bendigo Central 3552 - Please contact Rural Finance on 1800 260 425 if you have any questions.
Victorian Primary Producer Bushfire Recovery Grants, up to $75,000
The Victorian Government has recently announced measures to support Victorian primary producers impacted by the January 2026 bushfires. These measures include grants of up to $75,000 to assist with the costs of clean-up and reinstatement of primary production enterprises that have suffered direct damage as a result of the 2026 Victorian Bushfires.
Please check back soon, as further details regarding this program will be posted to this website along with information about how to apply.
Applications are expected to open as soon as possible.
Concessional Loans for Primary Producers:
Loans of up to $250,000 will be available for producers who have suffered significant damage to assets, while loans of up to $100,000 will support those experiencing a major loss of income.
This assistance will further help cover essential costs such as repairing or replacing damaged equipment, rebuilding infrastructure, purchasing livestock and meeting working capital expenses like wages, rent and fodder. Applications will open as soon as possible and will be delivered by Rural Finance. Information on eligibility and how to apply will be available at ruralfinance.com.au.
Livestock Disposal Advisory
Agriculture Victoria has established a Livestock Disposal Advisory service to assist landholders with advice to dispose of livestock
This service can be contacted on 0407 145 007 and [email protected]
Free disposal of bushfire-related waste at transfer stations:
Strathbogie residents can dispose of all bushfire-related waste at our transfer stations
free of charge. This includes food that has perished as a result of the power outages.
Our transfer stations will be open for extended hours this week.
Euroa: Tuesday 8.30am – noon and Wednesday 8.30am – noon
Normal hours from Thursday
Avenel Wednesday 10am – 3pm
Sunday – as per normal opening hours
Violet Town Tuesday 8am – 11am and Thursday 8am – 11am
Nagambie Tuesday 8.30am – noon and Wednesday 8.30am – noon
Longwood Wednesday 8am – noon, 1pm – 5pm
Please note: the Ruffy Transfer Station is closed until further notice