How News Corp Bushfire Fund is helping communities rebuild

It was a summer of devastation that left communities in crisis. News Corp has announced the first round of funding from the $1 million fund to aid the recovery of those hit by the bushfires.

• ‘We won’t forget you’: $1m to fire victims

It was an unprecedented summer of devastation that hit us with a rush and a roar.

Our recent bushfire crisis devastated communities, destroyed wildlife populations and left many feeling overwhelmed.

In continuing to serve Australians, News Corp has today announced the first round of funding from the dedicated $1 million fund to aid the recovery of communities affected by the fires.

The first round from the News Corp Bushfire Fund, set up in partnership with the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal, will fund 21 grants across NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Queensland, totalling $368,386.

NSW will receive eight first-round grants, Victoria will be awarded eleven and South Australia and Queensland will receive one grant each.

A new cool room will be built at the Lindenow sports arena near Bairnsdale. Jenni Toleman, Geoff Enever, John Whitbourne, Margaret Hicks, Jim Johnston, Wayne Sharp, Joanne Woodward and Jeremy Woodward celebrate the good news. Picture: Alex Coppel.

The fund was established in March to help local not-for-profit organisations and

community groups in bushfire-ravaged areas to deliver locally led projects to assist people in their recovery.

From a budget of $1 million, the fund will provide grants of up to $25,000 to support

communities in rural areas of Australia

Buxton Public School students are excited about a grant of $25,000 which will be given to the school to replace play equipment which was lost in the bushfires late last year. Picture: Jonathan Ng

The Capicorn Film Festival in Queensland’s Gladstone has been awarded a $25,000 grant for a five-month workshop for youth and community groups.

Announcing the grants, News Corp Australia’s Community Ambassador Penny Fowler said the funding would help those hardest hit by the bushfire disaster and breathe new life into devastated communities.

“Communities in regional and rural Australia have been hit by so much devastation this year,” she said.

“We are delighted to provide some hope and bring the spirit back into communities with these bushfire grants.

“These projects will go a long way towards helping locals rebuild, recover, and move on as a

stronger community.”

Locals Bruce Hurley, Alison Dumaresq and Jeff Wilson on the Lakes Entrance Walk, which will be upgraded to build community resilience and enable environmental tourism. Picture: Alex Coppel.

In Victoria, Mallacoota and Lakes Entrance are among the towns that will receive first round grants of $25,000 for projects aimed at strengthening social connections and boosting tourism.

The town of Mallacoota, which made headlines across the world when it became the epicentre of Victoria's bushfire crisis, will receive a grant to fund five music workshops aimed at bringing residents together to help them get through trauma of rebuilding.

Other projects awarded grants include a film festival workshop in Queensland’s Gladstone and sailing events aimed at frontline workers for those affected by the Kangaroo Island bushfires in South Australia.

In the NSW town of Mogo, a grant of $25,000 will be given to the “Eurobodalla Woodies” who lost their workshop and tools in the December fires. Sharyn Morrison, Barry Fenning, Helmut Delrieux, David Smith, Nick Stone and Ann Salmon are pictured at the site.

Natalie Egleton, CEO of the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal, said for many communities, social and economic recovery was really only just starting to get under way, especially given the limitations imposed by COVID-19.

“From our experience supporting disaster-affected communities, we know that for those

affected by this summer’s bushfires, their recovery will be a long and ongoing process,” she said.

Ms Egleton said the partnership with News Corp offered a great opportunity “to get funds on the ground”.

“Their support means these grants will enable local community groups to lead local recovery efforts in a way that best meets the priorities of that community, because it’s different for each impacted community,” she said.

“For some communities, the priority is rebuilding facilities lost in the fire, such as the Eurobodalla Wood Makers Guild building in Batemans Bay. For others it’s reviving the community’s arts and culture, like celebrating the local music scene in Mallacoota, and for others it’s about supporting mental health and wellbeing, through gardening projects that will also restore the local bee population in the Bega Valley.”

Bushfires wreaked havoc in Malua Bay, just south of Batemans Bay. Picture: Alex Coppel.

In NSW, Buxton Public School has been awarded $25,000 for a new playground to replace the previous equipment, which was destroyed in the bushfires. Vandals trashed the fire-damaged school days later in the aftermath of the catastrophic bushfires.

The News Corp Bushfire Fund is one initiative forming part of News Corp Australia’s

ongoing bushfire recovery relief, which has so far donated $1.9 million to bushfire-affected

regions across the nation.

Originally published as How News Corp Bushfire Fund is helping communities rebuild