Support for Grampians and Little Desert fire-affected farmers

Farm business support

Primary producers impacted by the Grampians and Little Desert bushfires (2024–25 Western Victoria bushfires) may be eligible for financial assistance and technical decision-making support, including Business Bushfire Recovery Grants and the Disaster Recovery Allowance. See the details below.

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Primary producers directly impacted by the Grampians and Little Desert bushfires (2024-25 Western Victoria bushfires) may be eligible for a $5,000 Business Bushfire Recovery Grant.

The Business Victoria support is available to small businesses, including primary producers, apiarists, and other agriculture-based operators.

Eligibility

Businesses located in these local government areas are eligible to apply:

  • Ararat
  • Hindmarsh
  • Horsham
  • Northern Grampians
  • Southern Grampians
  • West Wimmera.

To be eligible you must:

  • have an active ABN and GST registration
  • have experienced a 40% decline in revenue over a 3-month consecutive period compared to the same 3-month period in the previous year as a result of the 2024–25 Western Victoria bushfires; and
  • the decline in revenue is at least $10,000.

OR, you are a primary producer and you can demonstrate:

  • direct damage to business assets (e.g. fences, pasture, sheds) located within the defined burn area (use this link to confirm the burn area)
  • at least $10,000 in recovery-related expenditure incurred before 30 June 2025
  • an active ABN and GST registration.

Businesses that operate part-time or regularly in an eligible local government area may also qualify, even if based elsewhere.

Applications close at 4 pm on 13 November 2025, or earlier if funding allocation is exhausted sooner.

Check the program guidelines for the full eligibility criteria.

Program guidelines

The Business Bushfire Recovery Grant program is jointly funded by the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements for the Western Victorian Bushfires which commenced in December 2024 (AGRN 1166).

This program helps small businesses, including primary producers:

  • have increased capability and capacity to recover and/or restart business operations
  • improve resilience

Grant amount

Eligible businesses will receive a one-off payment of $5,000.

How do I apply?

This grant is administered by the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions.

All applicants, including primary producers, must use the pre-application eligibility checker. If it appears you are eligible, you will be emailed a unique grant application link.

Once you receive your unique grant application link, make sure you complete all the questions in the application form and submit it via the Business Victoria grants portal.

Once you submit your application, you will be kept updated on its progress. You can check your application status on the Business Victoria Grants Portal. If you are unable to access the Business Victoria Grants Portal, please call 13 22 15.

You will receive an email notification about the outcome of your application.

Your application will be processed as quickly as possible, however the evidence and assessment process required for this grant program means a specific timeframe for applications cannot be given.

Applications for this program will close at 4 pm on 13 November 2025.

Further information

For more information contact Business Victoria at info@business.vic.gov.au, call 13 22 15 or visit Business Victoria.

Support is also available through the Rural Financial Counselling Service which offers free, confidential advice to help you assess eligibility and assist with the completion of applications. Call 1300 735 578 or visit wswrcs.com.au

People who live or work in Ararat, Hindmarsh, Horsham, Macedon Ranges, Northern Grampians, Southern Grampians and West Wimmera local government areas may be eligible for the Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA).

Check which local government area you are in.

The allowance provides up to 13 weeks of income support for workers and sole traders who have experienced loss of income due to the recent bushfires.

It is available to people who work or live in a declared Local Government Area, who have lost some or all of their income as a direct result of the disaster, and will earn less than the average Australian weekly income in the 13 weeks following this income loss.

Members of the community are encouraged to seek information regarding eligibility and how to claim via Services Australia.

Fire-affected farmers who have also been impacted by drought may be eligible for support through the Victorian Government’s drought support package.

The targeted support services focus on Local Government Areas in south west Victoria where conditions are most impacting farmers and communities: Glenelg, Southern Grampians, Warrnambool, Moyne, Corangamite, Colac Otway, Surf Coast, Ararat, Pyrenees, Golden Plains, Greater Geelong, as well as nominated postcodes in the southern half of West Wimmera Shire (primary production enterprises located in postcodes 3312, 3317, 3318, and 3319).

The south west drought support package includes funding for the:

  • On-Farm Drought Infrastructure Grants Program
  • technical decision-making support program
  • Rural Financial Counselling Service wellbeing counsellor.

Where can I get more information about the drought support package?

Agriculture Victoria is working with impacted farmers to deliver technical information and decision-making support, including on recovery topics:

  • Grazing, cropping and pasture management
  • Soil erosion management
  • Land management
  • Animal health and nutrition
  • Farm mapping and planning
  • Water supply and quality
  • Weed management

For information on technical support, contact Agriculture Victoria on 136 186 or email recovery@agriculture.vic.gov.au

Find out about upcoming technical events

Farmers and service providers are encouraged to subscribe to the Resilience and Recovery digital newsletter to access latest events and information.

The Rural Financial Counselling Service (RFCS) offers free, confidential and independent financial information, options, decision-making support and referral services to farmers and small, related rural businesses who are in, or at risk of, financial hardship.

A Rural Financial Counsellor can visit farmers at their place of business or residence and can assist with business planning, creditor negotiation, cash flow management, accessing government and industry support programs and referrals to other professional services.

Contact the RFCS service for south west Victoria:

RFCS Victoria West
Phone: 1300 735 578
Email: admin@wswrcs.com.au
Website: wswrcs.com.au
or connect with your closest service by calling 1300 771 741 or visiting rfcsnetwork.com.au.

A full list of available farm business and personal wellbeing supports is available in the online resource directory.

Managing the impacts

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The Agriculture Victoria website has information about what to do on your farm after a bushfire, including: stock water, pasture recovery, finance and insurance and carcass disposal. More information is available at What to do after a bushfire.

WorkSafe Victoria has information about safe work practices on the farm including maintaining managing the risks associated with bushfire recovery and tips on working safely with chainsaws and other farm equipment.

Recovering from the impacts of fires and floods on parks and forests is important. DEECA’s role involves:

  • rehabilitating and restoring the damage caused by fire control operations
  • reopening our strategic road network and protecting it from erosion
  • restoring forest and park infrastructure
  • protecting water quality and supply
  • protecting cultural heritage
  • wildlife rescue
  • helping other agencies with the recovery of the local community when a fire has affected the community's safety or economic or social well-being.

We try to reopen any closed areas as soon as possible. This may take some time. We may need to replace infrastructure or clear hazards such as falling trees to make the area safer.

Fences and control lines after bushfire

Landholders are expected to manage risks to their assets from the potential impact of bushfire. All landholders are expected to have appropriate levels of insurance cover for boundary and internal fences, in the same way any business venture or private householder should protect and insure their assets.

It is the responsibility of the owner of private land to fence their property and secure stock within their boundary.

DEECA has a policy about fences and fire control lines after bushfires.

Some landholders who have boundaries alongside national parks, state parks or state forests may be eligible for assistance following bushfire.

Under its bushfire recovery policy, the Victorian Government will assist with fencing repair and replacement by paying half the cost of materials to repair or replace bushfire damaged fencing of agricultural land bordering national parks, State parks and State forests to its pre-existing standard.

Under this policy, half the costs of materials up to a maximum of $5000 per km is funded. Payment will consider the type of fence being replaced. This includes fences damaged by a backburn which are treated the same as damage by bushfire. Labour costs are to be met by the landholder. This policy is managed by Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic).

Internal fences burnt by bushfire is not covered under this policy. Landholders are responsible for internal fences on private land.

Where fences (boundary and internal) have been damaged by firefighters either by machinery or cutting of the fence to gain access, FFMVic will fully cover the cost of repair or replacement of the damaged section of the fence to the pre-existing standard.

To find out whether you are eligible:

This scheme helps to relieve hardship in the community by replenishing essential private water supplies that have been used by fire services during bushfire emergencies.

The Victorian Government has a policy regarding replacing essential water used during bushfire fighting operations.

CFA and Forest Fire Management firefighters have the legislative powers to take water from any waterway or water source for firefighting purposes.

The water owner can request replacement of essential water under this scheme.

The water replacement scheme recognises that, while farmers understand the urgency of firefighting, their basic water interests have to be protected too.

If taken for firefighting purposes, a reasonable and sufficient volume of essential water will be provided to sustain the:

  • health of affected residences and pets
  • health and productivity of stock

To lodge a request for essential water replacement, download and complete the Essential Water Replacement form, then email it to emergency.recovery@deeca.vic.gov.au.

Your local council, DEECA or CFA office can assist you with lodgement if required.

Essential water replacement requests must be submitted within 3 months of the essential water being taken for bushfire fighting operations.

Farm water

Summer water calculator

Use the summer calculator to check water levels in your dams and tanks and to estimate how long water for stock will last.

Included features:

  • No login required, mobile-friendly
  • Calculates automatically
  • You can select different dam shapes plus name dams and tanks
  • Accounts for batter slope and average summer evaporation rates
  • Delivers estimate of useable water – you can allow for sludge
  • Help information available on every page
  • Export a PDF summary of your current available water – print or email
Measuring the depth of your dam

Watch a short video  to measure the depth of your dam

Farm water calculator

This farm water calculator tool has been developed to assist with planning on farm water supplies.

The figures and formulas used are based upon best science at this time. But, due to the variable nature of water and the assumptions contained within the science, these figures should be used as a guide only.

Managing water in stock containment

A stock containment area consists of one or more small yards where stock are confined during periods of drought, natural disasters and other emergencies. Find out more about managing water in stock containment areas

Page last updated: 13 May 2025