LOCAL LIFE
The Hills Shire declared a natural disaster zone during recent flood event
The Hills Shire was declared a natural disaster area in the wake of the recent rain and floods that impacted most of NSW from Thursday , 4 April , to Saturday , 6 April .
The announcement activates an automatic release of Federal and State funding for The Hills Shire Council to use on cleanup and essential infrastructure repairs , including roads and community facilities . Mayor of The Hills Shire , Dr Peter Gangemi thanked the Australian and NSW Governments for their support as the cleanup and repairs begin , particularly in the Shire ’ s rural north .
“ Flood waters have now receded , roads have re-opened , and we are beginning to see the impact that these floods and heavy rain have caused ,” Mayor Gangemi said .
“ McClymonts Road in Maraylya was one of our worst hit roads , with some of it washed away by flood waters . Approximately 60-80 tonnes of silt and fallen trees must be removed before we can reconstruct this road .
“ Potholes are beginning to appear across our entire road network . The weather has also delayed road upgrades , including the one at Terry Road in Box Hill .
“ We are experiencing a certain level of battle fatigue , and this State and Federal Government support is the helping hand our community needs .
“ I look forward to moving towards our path to recovery , which unfortunately marks the fifth instance we ’ ve had to undertake flood cleanup and repairs within just a few years .”
Residents can also access a range of funding and support programs to help them recover and rebuild , including :
1 . Primary producers and small businesses can access concessional loans up to $ 130,000 , as well as transport subsidies up to $ 15,000
2 . Sporting and recreation clubs can access concessional loans up to $ 12,000 and grants up to $ 2000
3 . Not-for-profit organisations can access concessional loans up to $ 25,000 and freight subsidies for primary producers .
To apply for a concessional loan or primary producer grant , contact the NSW Rural Assistance Authority on 1800 678 593 or visit www . raa . nsw . gov . au .
In addition , residents can apply for Disaster Relief Grants to support their recovery and return to a basic living standard .
For further information on how to access funding and support , visit the Australian Government ’ s National Recovery and Resilience Agency : recovery . gov . au / NSWflood .
McClymonts Road in Maraylya .
10 ISSUE 107 // MAY 2024 theindependentmagazine . com . au THE HILLS INDEPENDENT