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.

New localities in the Bundaberg region activated for Personal Hardship Assistance are Avoca, Avondale, Branyan, Bucca, Bundaberg West, Bungadoo, Delan, Drinan, Duingal, Givelda, Good Night, 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.

North in Douglas Shire, flood impacted residents in the localities of Bloomfield, Dagmar, Forest Creek, Kimberley, Noah, and Stewart Creek Valley can apply for hardship payments. 

For Gladstone, activated areas include Agnes Water, Baffle Creek, Boyne Valley, Captain Creek, Deepwater, Lowmead, Oyster Creek, Rosedale, Rules Beach, and Turkey Beach.

For more information on Personal Hardship Assistance, 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, the councils of 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.

There are currently 59 Queensland local government areas activated for DRFA assistance in response to the prolonged rains and major flooding experienced across the state since Christmas.