The Wollondilly community will benefit from over $1.7 million in bushfire recovery projects announced by the Australian and New South Wales governments. 

This work is among 173 new projects approved under Stream Two of the Bushfire Community Recovery and Resilience Fund (BCRRF). 

Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor said the projects in this area include: 

• $50,150 to Catholic Care Western Sydney for the Trees and Minds project to provide mental health supports. 

• $300,000 to Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust for the Sowing Seeds of Hope project to provide horticulture therapy. 

• $280,627 to Habitat for Humanity to assist residents and volunteers in being better prepared for bushfire emergencies.  

• $63,000 to Catholic Care Western Sydney for the Cool Kids Bushfire Anxiety Support Program to support school-aged children in bushfire affected areas. 

• $280,000 to Wollondilly Shire Council for Connect and Interact Wollondilly to provide public wifi and interactive kiosks in impacted communities. 

• $26,500 to Buxton Community Association for a fire-resistant and bird inducing community garden. 

• $290,852 to MacKillop Family Services to provide post-disaster mental health and wellbeing education programs. 

• $221,215 to Wollondilly Shire Council to provide a mobile Recovery and Resilience Hub to provide immediate outreach support to impacted communities. 

• $67,300 to Catholic Care Western Sydney to deliver the REACH psychoeducational wellbeing group for affected individuals. 

• $20,160 to Catholic Care Western Sydney to provide financial advice and support. 

• $113,180 to FireThrive to educate individuals about bushfire preparedness. 

Mr Taylor said the projects had been driven locally, with governments throwing their support behind community-led solutions. 

“I’m so proud of the strength and determination of the Wollondilly community. The projects announced show how much communities can achieve when governments champion local solutions to local recovery needs,” Mr Taylor said. 

“This funding is supporting locally-led recovery that focuses on community wellbeing, connectedness, social recovery, and future disaster resilience.”     

Stream Two comprises $29 million from the Australian and NSW governments, for locally-led bushfire recovery projects, through the jointly funded Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.  

Funding for BCRRF is just one of the initiatives supported by the Australian Government to help communities recover from the 2019-20 bushfires. To date, more than $1.9 billion in Australian Government support has been provided to help bushfire affected communities, including $1.3 billion spent so far from the National Bushfire Recovery Fund.  

More information is available about all 173 funded projects at www.nsw.gov.au/grants-and-funding/bushfire-community-recovery-and-resili....