Financial assistance is now available for residents living in parts of the Gladstone Regional Council area who have been directly affected by recent bushfires.
Communities Minister Coralee O'Rourke said severe bushfires had devastated communities including Lowmead and Mt Maria, damaging properties and forcing residents to evacuate their homes.
"Queenslanders have faced, and continue to face, devastating bushfires that have impacted their communities, homes and businesses" Mrs O'Rourke said.
"That is why we are providing Emergency Hardship Assistance grants to residents in the worst-affected areas of the Gladstone Regional Council area.
"These grants are for residents who have been directly impacted to help with the immediate, unexpected costs of replacing essential items, such as food, medication and clothing."
Grants of up to $180 per person, to a maximum of $900 for a family of five or more, are now available to eligible people experiencing genuine financial hardship as a result of the impact of the bushfires.
The areas activated in the Gladstone Regional Council area include targeted parts of: Lowmead, Mount Maria, Euleilah and Berajondo.
A Community Recovery Hub will open at the Rosedale Memorial Hall at 77 James Street, Rosedale from midday today (Friday 20 December) until 5pm.
It will continue to open from 9am to 5pm from Saturday 21 to Monday 23 December.
Grant applications can also be completed through the Community Recovery online portal at www.communityrecovery.qld.gov.au or via the Self Recovery app.
Alternatively, residents can ring the Community Recovery Hotline on 1800 173 349 to apply for grants over the phone or to seek advice on how to access other support services.
Mrs O'Rourke said the Palaszczuk Government was continuing to monitor the bushfire situation across the state, with Ready Reserve staff ready to be deployed to affected areas if needed to support locally-led community recovery efforts.
"The Palaszczuk Government is here to support disaster-impacted communities as they recover and our dedicated ready reservists are always on standby to support local residents and to assist with applications for assistance whenever and wherever they are needed," she said.
"Other income tested grants such the Essential Household Contents Grant, Structural Assistance Grant and Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Grant are also available to eligible residents who are uninsured and have experienced certain loss or damage following this disaster."
The grants have been made available through jointly-funded Commonwealth/State-Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
