23 Feb 2022
Hills farms get funding boost for fire protection │ Mount Barker Courier
By LOUIS MAYFIELD
Projects in the Hills have received over $2m in funding through the Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants program, with a majority of the investment going to protecting farms from fuel load and water loss.
In total, $1.5m will go towards supporting landholders in Woodside who were affected by the 2019 Cudlee Creek fire, bringing together a formerly isolated group of landholders in order to facilitate recovery from the mental trauma of the disaster.
The project will look to address inadequate water fighting infrastructure and massive combustible fuel loads putting the area at risk during fire danger season.
It is among seven Hills projects to be funded under the program.
SA Senator Andrew McLachlan said there were a broad range of recovery and resilience projects aimed at helping Australia to recover from the devastating 201920 bushfires.
Local needs "The program is backing projects which affected communities have said will best support their ongoing recovery," he said. "It was important that we funded projects based on local needs and which offered the greatest impact for our recovering communities.
"These important projects identified and funded demonstrate the real strengths of a locally-led approach."
Rebuilding Senator McLachlan said the impacts of the devastating Black Summer bushfires were still being felt in the Hills, and that the grants would directly assist affected communities.
"I know firsthand from my volunteer work with Disaster Relief Australia in the Hills that there are still many families hard at work rebuilding their lives and businesses," he said.
"They must continue to be cared for and assisted by us all."