Entire Gold Coast council area now activated for personal disaster assistance

All localities within The City of Gold Coast have now been activated for Personal Hardship Assistance payments following the battering from Christmas Night’s severe storms and subsequent heavy rainfall over the new year period.

New suburbs activated for assistance include Benowa, Broadbeach, Broadbeach Waters, Bundall, Clear Island Waters, Gilberton, Highland Park, Jacobs Well, Main Beach, Mermaid Beach, Mermaid Waters, Norwell, Southern Moreton Bay Islands, Stapylton, Steiglitz, Surfers Paradise, Woongoolba and Yatala.

Eligible disaster impacted residents across the Gold Coast can apply for a range of support measures including grants of $180 for individuals and up to $900 for a family of five or more to cover the costs of essentials like food, clothing and medicine.

Other assistance can help repair a home, replace household contents, or reconnect essential services like electricity, water and sewerage.

The Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Scheme is also available to provide uninsured, low income residents with grants to help reconnect essential utilities such as electricity, gas, water and sewerage.

Extending disaster payments across the entire Gold Coast LGA acknowledges the significant impacts of the storms, which saw trees uprooted, thousands of homes damaged, and more than 130,000 people without power.

Other localities on the Gold Coast and in the Logan and Scenic Rim local government areas were activated for the Personal Hardship Assistance and Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Schemes on 27 December 2023.

Funding is being provided through the joint Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

The Queensland Community Recovery Hotline (1800 173 349) remains available around the clock for questions on eligibility and how to apply for disaster assistance measures.

Gold Coast, Logan and Scenic Rim residents can also visit www.qld.gov.au/disasterhelp.