SORELL/TASMAN Recovery News Edition 5: 25 March 2013 Welcome to Recovery News. This newsletter will provide those affected by the recent bushfires with practical information and advice. There will be future editions providing updates as required. Victorian volunteers repay the favour When mother of 12 Megan Edwards returned to the fire- “Today, that same kindness is coming back to us,” Marian ravaged site of her family home in January, she didn’t know said. “It’s a great thing to know that people do care, and if she and her husband David had the strength to start that whatever good you do in this world comes back to again. But standing on her Murdunna block last week, where you ten-fold.” a small army of Victorian Rotary volunteers was erecting a shed and the fence for a new orchard, Megan said the family could again see a future. “For the first time we’re starting to say maybe and yes…,” Megan said, “That’s what this support means to us. It’s brought us a step closer to our new start.” The Edwards’ home was the first stop for a host of volunteer Rotarian workers from the Hazelwood Rotary Club, the Traralgon South Community, and the Callignee, Woori Yallock, It’s a step closer to a new start for Megan and David Edwards, with Churchill, Warburton, and Morwell areas of Victoria. their children Sarie-Anne, Uriah, Jasmine, Lilly, Nekoda, Seth, Willow and Emma-Lee. (Tammy, Eli, Simeon and Bridgit are absent). Photo by Marian Larner, a past president and now the Publicity Officer Coralie Walker, Canberra. for Tasman Rotary Club, said the Victorians phoned and In this edition: offered their support within days of the January bushfires. Victorian volunteers repay the favour .................................1 Rebuild and Rebound - community grants open “As a result we have at least five teams of 10 volunteers for your ideas… ...............................................................................2 eager to travel across from Victoria to provide free labour Do you have photos of the bushfire or its aftermath for whatever projects are needed within the fire-affected that you’d like to share? ................................................................2 communities,” Marian said. Win tickets to North Melbourne vs Sydney ...................2 Spotlight shines on clean-up milestone ...............................3 “Some people need stables rebuilt, others want sheds, STAARC - Here to Help .............................................................4 and still others require help with internal yards. We want Students settling into temporary school ............................4 the community to know that as soon as you have your Dunalley Hotel Bushfire Account...........................................4 materials available, Rotary has the volunteer manpower to Grass seeds protect farms and oysters ..............................5 complete your job.” Would you like to join a Men’s Shed? ..................................5 Help - volunteers required ........................................................5 A friendship with the Victorians was established in the Threads of friendship arrive from Alice Springs .............6 months following their 2009 bushfires. Marian knew from her Working bee organised for Connellys Marsh beach ..6 experience with the Port Arthur shootings that six months Free financial advice .......................................................................6 down the track, victims are sometimes unfairly told that they Introducing our Active Partners ..............................................7 should be moving on. It’s a critical time; depression can set in Social workers: Helping individuals, families and the if people are not supported. So in mid-2009 Marian helped community ...........................................................................................7 organise free holidays on the Tasman Peninsula for fire- Remain alert for scammers .......................................................7 affected people from the Traralgon and Gippsland regions. Storage Solutions .............................................................................8 Rebuild and Rebound - community grants open for your ideas… Community grants are being made Community workshops are being The first round will be for small available for projects that YOU decide organised for the weeks commencing projects to a maximum of $15,000, will best help to rebuild and revitalise 15 April and 13 May (at various with applications closing at 5.00pm fire-affected communities in the Sorell locations and times, to be announced). on Friday, 12 April 2013. Round Two and Tasman regions. These will help to bring people will be for small and large projects, together to discuss their ideas and get with applications closing at 5.00pm on The purpose of the Tasmanian Bushfire a sense of community priorities. John Friday, 31 May 2013. Appeal Community Assistance Grants and other Community Liaison staff will is to fund projects that are identified also be talking informally to groups and “The expressions of interest will be as priorities by the community. And individuals as opportunities come up. assessed for eligibility by a community- to ensure this decision-making process based committee and will then go is led by the community, the Sorell/ So who can apply? It’s strongly through a process of ranking by the Tasman Affected Area Recovery recommended that you connect with community,” John said. “This process Committee (STAARC) is holding a community group, STAARC, or aims to ensure that final projects are in workshops and consultations over your local council to ensure that your line with community views. the coming weeks, as well as inviting proposal reflects local priorities and feedback from surveys. meets eligibility criteria. Applicants “A list of all eligible projects, in order must demonstrate a capacity to of ranking, will then be submitted John Harkin, Manager of Community complete the proposed project or to the STAARC, which will in turn Recovery in the Bushfire Recovery program and: make recommendations to the Unit, said the grants are an important • apply on behalf of an incorporated Tasmanian Bushfire Appeal Distribution step in getting the peninsula back on its body Committee for funding arrangements.” feet again. • have the support of an incorporated organisation. For more information, go to: “We are interested in hearing about www.bushfirerecovery.tas.gov.au ideas that will contribute to recovery,” The period for submitting expressions John said. “These initiatives always of interest in the grants will be held To discuss your ideas or to ensure your work best when individuals, community over two rounds. Expression of Interest addresses the groups and organisations collaborate selection criteria, contact: to develop and deliver projects together, so we’ll be working hard to Sakura Oddie on 0438 204 604 help with this.” John Harkin on 0409 365 067 WIN! WIN! Do you have photos of the RESERVED SEATING TICKETS TO bushfire or its aftermath that you’d like to share? NORTH MELBOURNE vs SYDNEY We welcome your contributions and are keen to publish 13 APRIL AT BLUNDSTONE ARENA some in our newsletter, on our website or in other 15 double passes are up for grabs. publications coming up such as the Recovery Plan. You have to be in it to win it, so fill out your If you’re interested, please email entry form and place it in the box at the Dunalley, [email protected], and we can send you Murdunna or Sorell Information and Service Hub an “Acknowledgement of use of image form” to fill out before 10 April. and return with your snaps. 2 Recovery News Spotlight shines on clean-up milestone Whoops … correction Within days of receiving State-wide Residents can call Hazell Bros' We made a mistake in our last edition news coverage as the 100th property dedicated number 0439 367 192 of Recovery News. The figures owners to have their bushfire-ravaged during business hours to enquire about included in the article about the block cleared, Judy and Noel Young the clean-up schedule. You can also visit opening of the Murdunna Playground were recognised by a stranger. the Bushfire Recovery Unit website were incorrect. The correct www.bushfirerecovery.tas.gov.au to information is: “We were looking at new garages view a map containing provisional when a woman said to us that we’ve timeframes for all properties to be The play area at the Murdunna Rest become media stars,” said Judy. cleaned up by Hazell Bros. Stop was the result of a superb community effort, including funding “I’m certainly not used to being Property owners who are yet to from the Tasman Op Shop and recognised by anyone – although on register their property for clean-up Library ($8,000), the Tasman Council the day of the clean-up, when all of the should contact the Bushfire Recovery ($8,000) and the State Government media were around me, it did cross my Unit on 1800 567 567. ($4,700). mind that this is what movie stars do. “It’s given us all a good laugh, especially the grandkids. But deep down the clean- up is mostly closure for Noel and I. Life is a journey and we followed a path for the past 40 years; now we’re on another path and about to start a new chapter.” The work on Judy and Noel’s Dunalley block received a lot of attention because it was a milestone in the Hazell Bros clean-up, but the good news is that all 307 registered properties should be completed by the end of April. And to help residents navigate the next leg of this journey (the design and rebuilding process),