Hardship assistance for more flood affected Queenslanders

More residents affected by Queensland’s continuing flood emergency can now access disaster assistance payments of $180 and up to $900 for families of five or more to cover essentials like food, clothing and medicine.

Personal Hardship Assistance has been made available to new areas in Bundaberg, Barcaldine and Douglas, parts of Gladstone and Chinchilla in the Western Downs, and the shires of Carpentaria, Doomadgee and McKinlay.

A number of measures are also targeted at uninsured, low-income residents, including grants up to $80,000 to restore damaged houses to safe living conditions, as well as assistance to replace whitegoods and reconnect essential services.

This support is funded by the Queensland and Australian Governments under the joint Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) to help communities recover from the widespread devastation of this year's severe weather.

Newly Bundaberg localities eligible for Personal Hardship Assistance are Avoca, Avondale, Branyan, Bucca, Bundaberg West, Bungadoo, Delan, Drinan, Duingal, Givelda, GoodNight, Moore Park Beach, Morganville, Pine Creek, Sharon, South Kolan and Wallaville.

In Barcaldine, assistance is available to eligible residents in Alpha, Aramac, Jericho and Muttaburra, and the targeted locations of Plumbtree Hill Road and Barcaldine Downs Road.

In Douglas, the localities of Bloomfield, Dagmar, Forest Creek, Kimberley, Noah and Stewart Creek Valley have been activated for assistance. 

In Gladstone, flood-affected residents in Agnes Water, Baffle Creek, Boyne Valley, Captain Creek, Deepwater, Lowmead, Oyster Creek, Rosedale, Rules Beach, Turkey Beach are eligible to apply for personal hardship assistance.

For more information on grants, eligibility and how to apply, visit www.disaster.qld.gov.au.

Queenslanders can also access grants through the Community Recovery Hotline on 1800 173 349, which provides around the clock disaster support to people in need.

In addition, councils in Bulloo, Lockhart River, Somerset and Western Downs can now recoup the costs of their counter disaster operations and the reconstruction of essential public assets under the DRFA.

Fifty-nine local government areas are now receiving DRFA assistance in response to the rain and associated flooding across most of Queensland since Christmas Eve last year.