2024 storm recovery – services and assistance for residents

Council representatives at Hills Hub, Emerald, until 28 June

Council staff will be stationed at the Hills Hub at Emerald Monday to Friday 9:30am to 2pm until Tuesday 28 June to chat with storm-affected residents.

Staff will be available to provide a direct, face-to-face touch point for the community to discuss recovery activities including clean-up, Council services and supports available for storm affected residents.

Council teams will continue to reach out to residents whose properties were damaged during the storm, and provide referrals to additional support they may need, including:

• Information on available options for private property clean-up
• Counselling and support services
• Financial aid/counselling
• Planning permit support/information.

Previous community drop-in sessions

Information drop-in sessions for storm-affected residents have been held in various locations on Thursday 28 March, Friday 15 March, Wednesday 13 March, Saturday 2 March and Tuesday 20 February. 

An online recording, and answers to questions raised, at the first community information session on Tuesday 20 February are available here: February 2024 community information session for storm-affected residents – questions and answers.

Storm clean-up

Council’s priority works

We are continuing to work with our contractors to prioritise clean-up works across the shire.

Works are being scheduled based on community safety and need, with the most urgent works being undertaken first:

• Trees that are blocking, or are over, the road
• Hanging branches over the road or footpath
• Assessment of trees in kindergartens where land is owned by Council
• Trees blocking driveways on the road reserve (not within the property)
• Fallen trees or hanging branches in public areas in townships
• Fallen trees or hanging branches in other parks, reserves and open spaces.

Public safety remains our number one priority. If you need to report a road, tree, or drainage issue on Council-managed land that could pose an immediate risk to public safety, please report it online.

Otherwise, call our customer service team on 1300 787 624 during business hours.

Council is unable to pick up green waste from private properties, but we will continue to work as quickly as we can to clear trees, branches and green waste from Council-managed land.
 

Kerbside storm debris removal program

Clean-up crews continue to work in storm-affected areas.

If you live in an eligible location and have been unable to dispose of your storm waste via other means, you can continue to leave it on your nature strip for collection by Council crews.

The kerbside storm debris removal program commenced on 20 March and has been extended due to the large volume of debris to be collected across our storm-affected areas.

Storm debris collections have been undertaken by Council in partnership with Emergency Recovery Victoria (ERV), however ERV’s on-the-ground support of the program has now come to an end.

Council will continue to prioritise storm debris clean-up in the remaining areas. Collections are occurring in 543 roads in 19 townships across the shire.

Residents can leave tree branches and trunks (up to 30cm in diameter) as well as other storm-related waste (such as building debris) on their nature strip for collection.

General hard waste will not be collected as part of this program. 

For a full list of townships and roads included as part of the program, see kerbside storm debris removal program locations. 

The Fire Danger Period may have ended, but don’t forget that if you’re planning on burning off, you must meet the conditions of your Open Air Burn Zone: www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/burningoff

Emergency Recovery Victoria clean-up support

• Emergency Recovery Victoria has announced clean-up support for storm-affected communities. If your home was damaged by the February storm event and is not covered by insurance, you may be eligible for clean-up support.
• Information, including eligibility criteria and registration form, can be found on Emergency Recovery Victoria’s website 

Drop-in centre and mobile community outreach program

Drop-in / relief centres are now closed

• With most of the area's power now restored, the drop-in centre at Cockatoo and the relief centre at Emerald have closed operations. 
• Please see below for the locations of our mobile community outreach program.

Mobile community outreach program

Council staff are visiting storm-affected communities as part of our mobile community outreach program.

We’ll be available at a number of local cafes to have a chat, provide information and referrals for support, and to answer any questions.

We want to hear from community members impacted by the storms, so please join us for a cuppa and chat, pick up an information pack and ask us questions.

The community outreach program for storm-affected communities will be at the following locations:

Friday 8 March 

• Up the Hill Bakehouse, Shop 1, 35-37 Beaconsfield-Emerald Road, Beaconsfield Upper, 8:30am–4:30pm

Emerald Lake Park and Nobelius Heritage Park have partially reopened

Emerald Lake Park and Nobelius Heritage Park have partially reopened to the public.

Members of the public can now access:

• the lakeside carpark
• paths around Lake Treganowan
• playgrounds
• paths around Lake Nobelius
• Nobelius Heritage Park

Please note that the bush tracks and the Model Railway and Bellbird car parks remain closed until further notice in order for safety works to continue.

Clean-up works are continuing around the precinct.

Assistance paying your rates

If you’re facing financial hardship or feeling worried about paying your rates as a result of the storms, go to our Request a rates payment plan or apply for financial hardship webpage

Emergency relief payments - Victorian Government

The Victorian Government is offering emergency relief payments (via its Personal Hardship Assistance Program) to eligible community members whose homes have been impacted by the storms of 13 February 2024.

Emergency relief payments are designed to provide immediate financial help for eligible Victorians experiencing extreme financial hardship due to the storms. 

Step 1 – Find out if you may be eligible for the payment

You are eligible for a relief payment if: 

• your principal place of residence is in an evacuation warning area, or the fires or storms have damaged your home, AND
• you have unmet immediate relief needs. 

Please note: Residents who have experienced loss of power only are not eligible for an emergency relief payment. Please contact your power or insurance company for further information.

More info on this and other relief payments

Visit the Financial Help page on the Victorian Government website or call VicEmergency on 1800 226 226 (press 9 for an interpreter). 

Step 2 – If you think you may be eligible for this relief payment, call the Vic Recovery Hotline (1800 560 760)

If you think you may be eligible for this emergency relief payment, please call the Vic Recovery Hotline on 1800 560 760 (Press 9 for an interpreter if needed). 

More information

Visit the Emergency Victoria website for more information about Emergency Relief Payments. 

Prolonged power outage payments – Australian and Victorian governments

If your household or small business was without power for 7 days cumulatively, within a 2-week (14 day) period, from Tuesday 13 February to Tuesday 27 February as a result of severe weather events on Tuesday 13 February and Thursday 22 February, you may be eligible for a Prolonged Power Outage Payment.

If you have not already been contacted by AusNet about the Payment, and believe you are eligible, you can access claim forms on AusNet’s website.

Report an issue to Council

If you need to report a road, tree, or drainage issue on Council-managed land that could pose an immediate risk to public safety, please report it online

Otherwise, call our customer service team on 1300 787 624 during business hours, Monday to Friday.

Technical support for farmers and industry from Agriculture Victoria

• Agriculture Victoria is offering technical support for Victorian farmers and agricultural industry for topics on responding to the recent storms. Call 0427 694 185 or send an email to recovery@agriculture.vic.gov.au.
• You can also self-report the agricultural impacts of the storm to assist with reporting via the AgVic impact assessment form. 

View more info at Agriculture Victoria

MCH centres are now open

Our Maternal and Child Health (MCH) centres have now re-opened at all locations.

Water and sewerage

South East Water advised customers in Garfield, Tynong, Pakenham, Bunyip, Koo Wee Rup and surrounding areas of possible issues following the storm (such as low water pressure, slow drainage or gurgling from their sewer). For updates or to report issues in these areas, visit the South East Water website or call 13 28 12.

Some residents who live further north in our Shire (including in Emerald, Cockatoo and Gembrook) are customers of Yarra Valley Water and can contact Yarra Valley Water or view its Faults and Outages map for mains water issues.

More information

• Vic Emergency Hotline: 1800 226 226
• Listen to ABC local radio or other emergency broadcasters including SKY News
• Road closures - www.traffic.vicroads.vic.gov.au
• Public transport www.ptv.vic.gov.au/live-travel-updates
• Water outages - South East Water and Yarra Valley Water