Homes destroyed by bushfires will be cleaned up under a state and federal program that prioritises local contractors, at no cost to those affected. State Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Lisa Neville, made the announcement of a 50-50 arrangements between the State and Federal governments to invest $75 million into the immediate clean up of properties and public buildings in...

In an effort to get the right help to those who need it for bushfire recovery, chair of the newly formed Bushfire Recovery Victoria (BRV) agency, Ken Lay, met with agricultural producers affected by bushfires in Bairnsdale last Thursday.Producers from across the region were brought together by Food & Fibre Gippsland acting chief executive officer, Dr Nicola Watts, to meet with Mr Lay who has...

Clifton Creek Primary School principal, Sue Paul, hasn’t been able to inspect what is left of her school since the fires burnt it to the ground on December 30.Ms Paul, who lives in Bairnsdale, said while she hasn’t yet returned to Clifton Creek, she has been unable to escape social media and has seen the devastation of the bushfires, including images of the school.“I had parents sending me...

Buchan’s CFA captain, Peter White, remembers the afternoon the fires were menacing the township.Captain White was the sector commander for Buchan and Gelantipy and had just a CFA strike team and a DELWP taskforce under his command.The odds were stacked against Buchan and its surrounding communities from the outset.“We had three ultra planes and two tankers, that’s all we had,” Cpt White said.Cpt...

One of Australia’s wealthiest people has chipped in a whopping $70 million towards the bushfire rebuild and was in town last Saturday to offer his team of expertise.Fortescue Metal’s founder and non-executive chairman, Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest, has pledged the money through his philanthropic Minderoo Foundation, to help communities rebuild after bushfires in Victoria, South Australia and New...