Bushfire funding: $177 million for NSW regional projects after bushire horror

Wineries, community swimming pools, parks, livestock stockyards, fish farm and orchards wiped out by devastating bushfires will share $177 million to rebuild and boost local jobs.

Wineries, community swimming pools, parks, livestock stockyards, fish farm and orchards wiped out by devastating bushfires will share $177 million to rebuild and boost local jobs.

The federal and state government funds will flow to 71 projects across NSW including the Walcha swimming pool, Macleay Valley Skydiving Adventure Park, a connected green space at Farmers Creek near Lithgow and an upgrade to Armidale and Guyra Livestock Selling Centre.

Georgia Sinclair and Katie Lee enjoy a wine at Glandore Estate Wines in the Hunter Valley. Picture: David Swift

Hunter Valley Wine and Tourism Association will use a $585,000 grant to retain and create 280 local jobs to ensure the local wine industry is viable long term.

It is expected the grant projects will boost tourism by more than 10 per cent over the next 18 months and inject $34 million into the local Hunter economy.

The Association’s chief executive Amy Cooper said the tourism sector suffered a 30 per cent drop during the summer, as seven bushfires ravaged 19 per cent of the region, damaging hundreds of properties.

“We had a significant loss of our 2020 vintage to smoke taint,” she said.

“We’d already been suffering from a number of years of drought, and then we had bushfires, and then the whole industry having to close with COVID, was just that additional level of challenge to overcome.”

Hunter Valley Wine and Tourism Association chief Amy Cooper plans to use a grant to help the local industry recover after it was ravaged by bushfires. Picture: David Swift

Glandore Estate Wines was the region’s cellar door of the year for 2020, and Ms Cooper said it was an example of the Hunter Valley’s “unique” tourism offerings, which the government grant will help to boost.

“It will make a huge difference for us,” she said.

“Some of the activities we intend to do include trying to boost our destination marketing, making visitors aware of our region and that we’re here, open to trying and recover.”

Ms Cooper said the Association would also be able to organise more public and business events.

Meanwhile the Bilpin Fruit Bowl has plans with its $1.2m grant to clean-up and replace dire damaged infrastructure, and develop a new 8000 sqm energy efficient hothouse that will allow the company to produce strawberries all year round.

The Government is funding tourism grants in areas that were affected by the bushfires earlier this year. Picture: David Swift

The hothouse will also be used as a “pick your own” strawberry patch for visitors.

Emergency Management Minister David Littleproud said getting regional industries back on their feet would be a “vital economic driver” in bushfire affected regions.

“Having places to come together, attractions for visitors, improvements to local infrastructure and support for key local industries were identified as priorities for communities and we have listened,” he said.

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro said the joint funding was “the next step” in rebuilding.

“The NSW Government remains committed to helping our regional communities recover after the tragic bushfires and this funding is the next step in helping people in bushfire affected communities get back on their feet,” he said.

“While the physical environment in many bushfire regions is starting to show signs of repairing, jobs and infrastructure must follow which is why we are funding these important community projects.”