The Australian Government has provided funding to local community projects in Dobell under the Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants program, with 12 projects in Dobell receiving $9,920,609 in support.
An upgrade to Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary’s existing fire trails so they can carry Category 1 Firefighting Vehicles and an upgrade to communications system for emergency services in Dobell communities are among the 524 projects funded under the program.
Senator for New South Wales Jim Molan said the overall program funding was boosted by $110 million to $390 million to further support communities around Australia to recover from the 2019-20 bushfires.
“As part of the now $2.2 billion National Bushfire Recovery Fund, the Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants program is backing projects which the affected communities have said will best support their ongoing recovery,” Senator Molan said.
“The grants will fund a broad range of recovery and resilience projects, from social and community wellbeing right through to projects that support local jobs, small businesses and infrastructure.
“It was important that we funded projects based on need and merit and which offered a lasting and tangible impact, tailored to local needs and conditions. The quality of the projects funded shows that our ‘locally led’ approach works.
“We understand that recovery from bushfires takes time, and we will continue to support impacted communities through their recovery from the devastating Black Summer bushfires of 2019-2020.”
Local projects funded in Dobell include:
| Applicant | Project Title | LGA | Funding amount |
| Australia Walkabout Wildlife Park Pty Ltd | Walkabout Fire Trail Upgrade: Protecting Culture, Community and Wildlife | Central Coast | $57,620 |
| Australian Red Cross Society | Australian Red Cross 2019/2020 Australian Bushfire Recovery Program | Bellingen, Wollondilly, Lithgow, Nambucca, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Queanbeyan-Palerang, Muswellbrook, Bega Valley, Tamworth, Snowy Monaro, Snowy Valleys, Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Cessnock, Mansfield, Wellington, Indigo, Gold Coast, South Burnett, Bundaberg, Ipswich City, Fraser Coast, North Burnett, Gympie, Glamorgan/Spring Bay, Kingston, Lower Eyre Peninsula | $7,256,492 |
| Careflight Limited | Building Resilient NSW Communities through Trauma Care Training | Gwydir, Mid Western, Glen Innes, Snowy Monaro, Ku-ring-gai, Singleton, Central Coast, Inverell, Armidale, Eurobodalla, Tweed, Upper Lachlan | $252,000 |
| Central Coast Council | Water and Sewer Bushfire Management Planning | Central Coast | $381,000 |
| Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council | Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council – Fire Trail Construction | Central Coast | $220,261 |
| Mackillop Family Services Limited | Building community capacity and resilience to respond and recover | Lake Macquarie, Central Coast | $240,507 |
| Mangrove Mountain Flora Reserve (R.67322) Land Manager | Community Emergency Communications Enhancement | Central Coast | $600,100 |
| New South Wales State Emergency Service Volunteers Association Ltd | The First Responder Resilience Program (FRRP) | Walcha, Tamworth, Sutherland Shire, Upper Hunter, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Kyogle, Kempsey, Cootamundra-Gundagai, Shoalhaven, Wagga Wagga, Ku-ring-gai, Bellingen, Hawkesbury, Glen Innes, Goulburn-Mulwaree, Cessnock, Coffs Harbour, Inverell, Central Coast, Gwydir, Greater Hume, Blue Mountains, Lismore, Tweed, Snowy Valleys, Dungog, Eurobodalla, Richmond Valley, Narrabri, Uralla, Oberon, Bega Valley, Snowy Monaro, Mid Western, Tenterfield, Mid Coast, Wingecarribee, Upper Lachlan, Lithgow, Penrith, Lake Macquarie, Nambucca, Queanbeyan-Palerang, Muswellbrook, Clarence Valley, Byron, Wollondilly | $463,900 |
| Pearl Beach Progress Association Inc | Pearl Beach Community Support Centre (CSC or Project) | Central Coast | $91,630 |
| River Cares Incorporated | Building Community Resilience and Bushfire Prepardeness | Central Coast | $21,200 |
| The Alternative Technology Association Inc | Green Rebuild Toolkit | ACT unincorporated, Clarence Valley, Blue Mountains, Coffs Harbour, Wagga Wagga, Eurobodalla, Oberon, Cessnock, Mid Coast, Upper Hunter, Central Coast, Inverell, Kyogle, Bellingen, Muswellbrook, Uralla, Tenterfield, Tamworth, Cootamundra-Gundagai, Narrabri, Wingecarribee, Lismore, Lithgow, Penrith, Kempsey, Mid Western, Queanbeyan-Palerang, Bega Valley, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Greater Hume, Glen Innes, Walcha, Lake Macquarie, Sutherland Shire, Singleton, Snowy Monaro, Shoalhaven, Nambucca, Ku-ring-gai, Goulburn-Mulwaree, Upper Lachlan, Armidale, Ballina, Byron, Richmond Valley, Gwydir, Hawkesbury, Dungog, Tweed, Snowy Valleys, Wollondilly, Southern Grampians, Pyrenees, Strathbogie, Glenelg, Ararat, Golden Plains, Northern Grampians, Moyne, Campaspe, East Gippsland, Wellington, Mansfield, Greater Bendigo, Indigo, Wodonga, Alpine, Wangaratta, Ballarat, Towong, Alpine Resorts (including the Falls Creek Mount Hotham Mount Buller and Mount Stirling alpine resort areas only), Brisbane, South Burnett, Somerset, Southern Downs, Whitsunday, Ipswich City, Townsville, Redland, Rockhampton, Bundaberg, North Burnett, Cook, Mareeba Shire, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Gympie, Gladstone, Lockyer Valley, Livingstone, Noosa Shire, Scenic Rim, Fraser Coast, Toowoomba, Break O’Day, Central Highlands, Flinders, Southern Midlands, Glamorgan/Spring Bay, Murray Bridge, Mid Murray, Playford, Southern Mallee, Kingston, Adelaide Hills, Kangaroo Island, Mount Barker, The Coorong, Lower Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula | $161,399 |
| Wyong Creek Literary Institute Inc | Wyong Creek Hall disability access | Central Coast | $174,500 |
Further details of the funded projects are available on the National Recovery and Resilience Agency website at: https://recovery.gov.au/programs/black-summer-grants