Flood Recovery Support
Our region has faced the full extremes of Mother Nature in recent years - from drought, to fire, to floods.
Flooding - February and May 2022
A Local Recovery Plan is developed to ensure the people, property and environment impacted by a disaster continue to recover - be it in the immediate aftermath or over the long-term. The Plan documents the supports, reconstruction and restoration needed, the actions to be taken, and the measures of success for delivering on the Plan for the communities affected.
In response to the February 2022 flooding event, the Lockyer Valley Local Recovery Group developed a Plan. This was updated to incorporate the impact and community need following the second intense rainfall event in May 2022: 'February & May 2022 Flood Recovery Plan' (PDF).
Council Assistance
- Council's Hardship Policy may apply to residents experiencing financial hardship due to the flooding events. Completed Hardship Application Forms can be submitted to Council at mailbox@lvrc.qld.gov.au.
- See the Frequently Asked Questions for updates on road repairs.
- Other Council assistance measures may be promoted on Council’s social media pages: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter.
Grants, other financial assistance
Community Recovery Grants
The Queensland Government's Personal Hardship Assistance Scheme remains activate for people experiencing hardship as a result of the 2022 flooding events:
- Essential Household Contents Grant* – one-off payment as a contribution towards replacing or repairing essential household contents.
- Structural Assistance Grant* – one-off payment as a contribution towards repairs to your home (owner/occupied households) to make it secure and safe.
- Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Scheme * – a grant to help owner/occupied households reconnect essential services that were damaged by a disaster.
* These grants are subject to an Income Test.
How to apply
- Online: Community Recovery Portal; or
- Telephone: 1800 173 349
Resilient Homes Fund
Queensland homeowners who experienced damage to their residential property because of flooding in 2022 may be eligible for the joint Federal and State Government $741 million Resilient Homes Fund.
Funding aims to improve homeowner's flood resilience by repairing, retrofitting, raising or buying-back eligible properties.
How to apply
- Online: Register your interest
- See the Frequently Asked Questions (PDF) for further information and web links
Lifeline Community Flood & Drought Support Grants
Funded by the Department of Communities, Housing and Digital Economy, this Lifeline-administered Grant provides lump sum payments to assist individuals, families, non-farming small businesses and other entities such as Parent and Citizen Associations in the Lockyer Valley, who are experiencing financial stress following the 2022 flooding events.
Applications are accepted in each quarter of the 2022-2023 calendar year.
How to apply
- Download and complete the application form
- Return via email to Lifeline Southern Downs: CDS@lifelinedarlingdowns.org.au; or
- Online: Individuals | Families | Business/ Entity; or
- Telephone: 1300 991 443
Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority Grants
Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority (QRIDA) Grants and concessional Loans are available to assist small businesses, primary producers and not-for-profit organisations affected by the 22 February - 5 April 2022 South East Queensland and/ or 6 - 20 May Southern Queensland flooding events, with a range of costs incurred during this recovery process.
Extraordinary Disaster Assistance Recovery Grant
For the clean-up and reinstatement of operations. Applications close 10 March 2023 (new date).
- Primary producer - up to $75,000 available
- Small business - up to $50,000 available
- Not-for-profit organisation - up to $50,000 available
Disaster Assistance Loan
To re-establish normal operations. Applications close 31 December 2023.
- Primary producer - up to $250,000 available
- Small business - up to $250,000 available
- Non-profit organisation - up to $100,000 available
Disaster Assistance (Essential Working Capital) Loan
To provide essential working capital for operational expenses. Applications close 31 December 2023.
- Primary Producer - up to $100,000 available
- Small Business - up to $100,000 available
- Non-profit Organisation - up to $100,000 available
Further information
Contact Clinton McGrath, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries:
- Telephone: 0428 102 319
- Email: clinton.mcgrath@daf.qld.gov.au
RACQ Foundation Community Grants Program
The RACQ Foundation gives community groups, charities and sporting clubs the opportunity to rebuild after natural disasters through this Grants Program.
Applications for 2023 (round two) close Monday 2 October.
How to apply
- Review the eligibility criteria and funding priorities - up to $50,000 available; grants up to $100,000 considered in exceptional circumstances
- Gather your project and organisation documents before commencing your application
- Enter your online application
Health, wellbeing and other household support
Community Support Services
The Queensland Government continues to work with a wide range of organisations to help minimise the impact of the 2022 rainfall and flooding events in the Lockyer Valley.
If you or someone you know needs assistance or support, please use this brochure for information and contact details for key community services available in your local area. Some of the active, localised services are noted below.
Community services
- Laidley Community Centre, 10am to 2pm, Monday to Friday
- Lockyer Community Centre, 10am to 2pm, Monday to Friday
- Salvation Army Services - Flood Outreach, Piper Ashburn: qldfloodoutreach@salvationarmy.org.au
- My Community Directory is a free service where you can search for a wide range of support services across the Lockyer Valley
Community Recovery Hotline
The State Government's Department of Communities, Housing and Digital Economy can guide you towards relevant support during your time of recovery from a natural disaster:
- Community Recovery Hotline
- Telephone: 1800 173 349
Financial and business counselling support
- Business Wellness Coach, Katherine Watson, Rural Financial Counselling Service Southern QLD, telephone: 0429 370 116 | katherine.watson@rfcssq.org.au
- Field Officer, Emily Higgins, Department of Employment, Small Business and Training | Emily.Higgins@desbt.qld.gov.au
- Financial Counsellor - Disaster Recovery, Tim Van der Heijde, Uniting Care, telephone: 0418 155 268 | tim.vanderheijde@uccommunity.org.au
- Rural Financial Counsellor, Vicki Franklin, Rural Financial Counselling Service Southern QLD, telephone: 0447 667 812 | vicki.franklin@rfcssq.org.au
- Small Business Financial Counsellor, Andrew Forbes, Rural Financial Counselling Service Southern QLD, telephone: 0455 220 547 | andrew.forbes@rfcssq.org.au
- Strengthening Business Facilitator, Renae Berry, AusIndustry | Renae.Berry@ep.industry.gov.au
Gambling support
- Counsellor/ Community Educator, Karen Moran, telephone: 0467 704 413 | kmoran@lifelinedarlingdowns.org.au
Legal support
- Hub Community Projects, Osharni Goonewardene, Paralegal, telephone: 07 3372 7677 | legal@hubcommunity.org.au
- Queensland Advocacy for Inclusion (for persons with disability and additional needs), telephone: 1300 130 582 | 3844 4200
- Alex Ladd, Solicitor, alex@qai.org.au
- Chloe de Almeida, Solicitor, chloe@qai.org.au
Tell us your story
There are a range of ways to share your experience, needs and thoughts about the February and May 2022 flooding events.
Council's flood impact and photo portal
Council has set up an online application ('app') to help you document the impact of the 2022 flood events through photos, videos and other information. It is suitable for use on mobile devices or computers.
How does it work?
- Click on the app: LVRC Flood Impact Assessment and Photo Portal
- Locate your property or area of interest
- Click on the area to drop a marker
- Upload your photos and/or videos
- Use the comments box to provide additional feedback, report user issues
- You're done!
Got more than one impacted location?
Simply start a new session for each location using the 'start a new survey' button.
The information captured through this app is vital for Council to understand the impacts of the flood on our community, property and infrastructure. It helps Council better manage recovery from the event, and actively put strategies in place to reduce the impacts of future disaster events.
DAF's primary producer impact survey
The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) and industry have developed a survey to help assess the level of recovery assistance required by primary producers.
How does it work?
- Visit the online Natural Disaster Impact Survey tool
- Answer the questions in the survey, including any damage to your infrastructure, livestock and/ or crops
- Upload any photos you have captured of this damage
- You can also report damage to DAF's Customer Service Centre via telephone: 13 25 23.
- You're done!
This survey continues to complement the work of DAF’s on-ground teams and to speed up the assessment process.
Donate
Please do not send goods into the disaster affected areas: this puts added pressure on impacted residents and services supporting recovery efforts who cannot store or distribute your kind donations.
Instead, community members are encouraged to make donations to appeals where funds can be designated to the Lockyer Valley:
