Three community projects will be fast-tracked after Wingecarribee Shire Council successfully secured more than one million dollars in bushfire grant funding.
A total of $1.04 million will be distributed from the Australian Government's Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants Program to fund:
- The installation of water storage tanks at Canyonleigh, Bullio, High Range/Joadja and Penrose,
- Construction of a fenced off-leash dog park at Jordan's Crossing in Bundanoon, and
- The appointment of a Community Recovery Officer and program to work with bushfire impacted villages.
Council's General Manager Lisa Miscamble said the grant funding would help address social and built recovery progress and improve resilience across the Shire.
"The past two years have been particularly challenging for residents of our bushfire-impacted villages," she said.
"I'm confident these funds will provide a significant boost in morale."
Ms Miscamble said the successful projects had been nominated by the Shire's residents following community consultation.
"Last year Council presented a list of bushfire-specific community projects to the public for selection," she said. "Four projects were subsequently short-listed via online selection with three securing federal support."
The successful projects were amongst a suite of initiatives across the Wingecarribee and Wollondilly Shires to secure funding including the Balmoral Village Community Hub and Hill Top Village Park Project.
"I congratulate all our residents who threw their support behind these wonderful projects," Ms Miscamble said.
"I also thank the Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor for advocating on our behalf and I acknowledge the efforts of Council staff who prepared the successful grants submission."
The Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants Program funding complements grant monies secured by Council in 2021 including $4.59 million from the NSW Government to remove bushfire impacted vegetation and $44,000 to monitor the recovery of rare and threatened flora species.
To view the full list of successful Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants Program applicants and projects, visit https://recovery.gov.au/black-summer-bushfire-recovery-grants-program.
