East Gippsland Rotary Fire Aid | Community organisation

East Gippsland Rotary Fire Aid

Phone: +61 3 5150 2300

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23.01.2022 Delivery of one the containers donated by East Gippsland Rotary Fire Aid.

22.01.2022 A very big thank you to the gorgeous ladies from Heliades - Hellenic Women's Network Vic for their kind donation to EGRFA and for their fun and friendship.

22.01.2022 Bring the kids and come join us for a game of mini golf

22.01.2022 What we have achieved over the past 8 weeks since the fires. What have the money donations been used for? - Source & distribute hay to the drought & fire affected communities. - Pay haulage contractors... - Purchased numerous large bags of high protein pellets for the farm breeding stock, using local grain stores for distribution which supports the local retailers also. The breeding season is about to commence, this is an urgent need. - Ordered 1.5 containers of star pickets to assist with the many kilometres of fencing required to prevent stock wandering. Treated pine posts & wire are also being sourced for the hobby farmers. - Developed a money voucher system whereby all fire survivors receive funds in the format of the vouchers, which can be redeemed across 90% of retailers & professional businesses of East Gippsland, this activity also supports the retailers by shopping locally. Once a voucher is presented to a store, the store owner scans the voucher through & we reimburse via EFT. The money vouchers were in circulation very quickly hand delivered to the specific families [this is an ongoing process]. - We have distributed new workwear to fire affected properties which allowed people to save their limited clothing. - Community BBQs & working Bees where members of communities can reconnect, develop relationships and talk. - Sourcing & Distributing donated furniture, bedding & white goods to those in desperate need. - Collecting names & addresses of those fire affected properties that would like/need a Shipping container which will allow them to store work tools etc securely, the containers will hopefully be ready for distribution next week. - Being a conduit for those needing professional assistance urgently. - An amazing amount of volunteering & traveling over a vast region to assist the communities Pearl Findlay-James Chairperson East Gippsland Rotary Fire Aid President Bairnsdale Rotary Sunrise Ph: 0408 891 246

20.01.2022 East Gippsland Rotary Fire Aid chair, Pearl Findlay-James, who has advocated extensively for a change in legislation to allow quicker response to support fire-affected people, welcomed the news. It is a huge step forward in the recovery process, she said.

20.01.2022 Update 9am SAT 11 Jan - East Gippsland Fires This morning we are out and about reassessing East Gippsland welcomed rainfall overnight- 10-20mm fell in some ar...eas Ground and air crews are about this morning to map the fire run from yesterday and assess the impact the rain has had on fire activity We know that the rain has caused some damage to roads including material like rocks, dirt and burnt trees slipping onto fire affected roads Thanks to epic efforts by machinery operators, fire crews, hand fallers and the ADF we are making good progress on a number of roads This morning we can provide the following update on two key roads that will be back open to local residents (with ID to be presented at Traffic Management Points): - The Great Alpine Rd through to Omeo - Buchan- Bruthen Rd Gelantipy Rd to Murrindal If you are not a resident, but need to get essential supplies or services through- you will need a permit so please call into the Bairnsdale DELWP Office, 574 Main St, Bairnsdale Restricted access for these roads remains in place- only residents and those providing essential relief and supplies will be permitted access to these roads Drive with caution- rocks and other debris have fallen over the road and there are still a lot of crews working on roads Cooler conditions will continue for a few days across East Gippsland Check https://traffic.vicroads.vic.gov.au/ for other road closures in your area Please continue to check VicEmergency for updates and your local emergency broadcaster to keep up to date with the situation as it changes CFA Gippsland Forest Fire Management Victoria East Gippsland Shire Council East Gippsland Outdoors. Victoria, Australia. Love East Gippsland Buchan Caves Hotel Omeo Pharmacy Bruthen Inn Hotel Bruthen Pizza & Takeaway Bruthen Fire Brigade Bruthen General Store Tambo Valley Golf Club Ensay Winery Little River Inn Ensay Swifts Creek Bakery Swifts Creek IGA Albion Hotel Omeo Caravan Park Golden Age Hotel Omeo Hilltop Hotel Omeo Omeo Ski Hire Mossi-Tambo Fire Brigade Omeo CFA Pajero 4WD Club of Victoria Inc Four Wheel Drive Victoria Gippsland Four Wheel Drive Club Camping Victoria Parks Victoria ABC Gippsland TRFM SES Tambo Valley Unit Photo credit- Macalister Earthmoving- Great Alpine Rd 11 January

20.01.2022 Rotary International District 9820 Bairnsdale Cluster has commenced its Emergency Fire Recovery Program in readiness of the lead agencies giving the go ahead to commence working within our local communities, addressing the needs of the individuals & communities, Locals working with Locals. Rotary International has the worldwide reputation of being there when it counts, Integrity and a squeaky clean reputation finance wise, every $ donated is used for the benefit of those we serve, Service above Self. Thank you in anticipation of your support for all those in desperate need.

19.01.2022 The first of the Rotary Fire Aid Containers were delivered to Sarsfield today. Kaelene De Lany, Fire survivor, Allan Cutler (Haulage Contractor) John Fallon & Pearl Findlay-James of East Gippsland Rotary Fire Aid were on site for the official hand over . All the containers have been purchased by Rotary District 9800 Melbourne. A huge Thank You from East Gippsland

18.01.2022 Committee Chair Pearl Findlay-James discusses fundraising from various bush fire appeals, how money is being spent, and plans for the future.

18.01.2022 An enjoyable lunch yesterday, the Melbourne Army Band giving everyone a reason to swing their hips Many giveaways RSPCA showbags, King G work clothing, Dignity Packs & the most valuable give away of all Free Toilet Rolls . Thank you to the East Gippsland Rotary Fire Aid Cluster

17.01.2022 Information for people affected by the East Gippsland bushfires https://www.eastgippsland.vic.gov.au//faq_bushfire_informa

17.01.2022 A huge Thank You to Cr Angela Owen & the Rotary Club of Forest Lake QLand for their dedication and hard work putting the CFA packs together [munchies , toiletries etc] and to TOLL for transporting the pallets interstate to reach us in East Gippsland. Your actions speak louder than words

15.01.2022 Rotarians at work at Sarsfield Community night, we were privileged to be invited to prepare the community dinner celebration. Thank you for inviting us in Sarsfield

13.01.2022 7:30AM SAT 4 JAN - Gippsland fires overview Dont be deceived by this mornings calmer conditions Overnight most of the fire activity has been in the high count...ry right across East Gippsland where it has remained hotter, windier and drier Many fires are beginning to join up particularly around the Princes Highway area from Orbost through to Cann River and Genoa Three fires around the Omeo region joined up overnight to become a 6,000 hectare fire and it is now moving towards the Cobungra area (around 7KMS away from Cobungra and approx. 20KMS from Omeo at around 6:30AM) Conditions stayed milder around the more southern/lower parts of the region with lower temperatures and lighter winds than predicted but this is likely to change into mid-morning/lunchtime As the day progresses and weather heats up the risk will increase right across the region Fires north of Bairnsdale have fortunately remained reasonably steady overnight but the risk is still real in this area and the community needs to stay very much aware of conditions and relevant warnings through VicEmergency throughout this morning and into the afternoon Further wind and weather changes are expected in the region by mid-afternoon which will have varying impacts on different fires Around the Dargo and Licola areas significant community protection works are underway with dozers- campers should not be around these areas- with the entire Alpine National Park and Mitchell River National Park remaining closed as are most of the State Forests in the area A reminder that the Princes Highway between Lakes and Orbost is NOW closed. CFA Gippsland Forest Fire Management Victoria Vic Emergency East Gippsland Shire Council East Gippsland Outdoors. Victoria, Australia. Love East Gippsland Eyewatch - East Gippsland Police Service Area East Gippsland & Omeo Region Buy Swap Sell East Gippsland Adventures Parks Victoria Gippsland Four Wheel Drive Club Four wheel driving in victorian high country Four Wheel Drive Victoria Camping Victoria Bairnsdale, Victoria Bruthen Fire Brigade Bruthen Inn Hotel Bruthen Bakery Bruthen Pizza & Takeaway Tambo Valley Golf Club Tambo Valley Picnic Races Little River Inn Ensay Ensay Winery Swifts Creek Bakery Swifts Creek IGA Swifts Creek Bush Nursing Centre Albion Hotel Omeo, Victoria Golden Age Hotel Omeo Hilltop Hotel Omeo Dinner Plain Dinner Plain Hotel Mt Hotham Dargo, Victoria Dargo Hotel Dargo River Inn Licola Wilderness Village

13.01.2022 The cool change has arrived Heavy rain is currently falling in Swifts Creek This change has resulted in erratic winds that will continue for the next few hours... Crews will remain in these areas until the fire behaviour and risk decreases Buchan South has been downgraded to a Watch and Act with reduced fire activity- please still monitor conditions and advice messaging Heavy rainfall may cause land slippages from recently burnt fire areas- please adhere to all road closures and monitor conditions There will be cooler conditions across East Gippsland over the next few days Please continue to check VicEmergency for updates and your local emergency broadcaster to keep up to date with the situation as it changes Photo- DELWP Incident Control Centre Swifts Creek 7pm CFA Gippsland Forest Fire Management Victoria East Gippsland Shire Council Love East Gippsland Bruthen Pizza & Takeaway Bruthen Inn Hotel Bruthen Fire Brigade Omeo Pharmacy Tambo Valley Golf Club Ensay Winery Swifts Creek Bakery Omeo Caravan Park Golden Age Hotel Omeo Hilltop Hotel Omeo Omeo, Victoria Omeo Ski Hire Mossi-Tambo Fire Brigade Omeo CFA Pajero 4WD Club of Victoria Inc Gippsland Four Wheel Drive Club Camping Victoria Parks Victoria ABC Gippsland TRFM SES Tambo Valley Unit Buchan Caves Hotel

12.01.2022 Thank you so much to our friends Rotary Club of Forest Lake

12.01.2022 An enjoyable lunch yesterday, the Melbourne Army Band giving everyone a reason to ‘swing their hips’ Many giveaways RSPCA showbags, King G work clothing, Dignity Packs & the most valuable give away of all ‘Free Toilet Rolls’ . Thank you to the East Gippsland Rotary Fire Aid Cluster

12.01.2022 Donations from GIVIT to assist with the fire recovery program. Amazing generosity , Thank you so much.

11.01.2022 EGRFA and members of the 5 East Gippsland Rotary clubs have been busy distributing 273 Christmas hampers to fire affected East Gippslanders. Anne Cross co-ordinated the sourcing of all local products for the hampers and then managed a team of packers who put them all together. Rotarians have been out delivering hampers far and wide, to towns and also to very remote communities. The reaction of and gratitude from recipients is heartwarming especially when they realise they haven't been forgotten and that we are still there for them, especially after the huge distraction of Covid 19 for most of the year. Christmas will be tough for some of these survivors as will the upcoming anniversary of the devastating fires. We are sending our love and best wishes.

11.01.2022 EGRFA Committee was nominated for an EG Shire Australia Day award in the Events section. We were proud to be nominees and congratulated the worthy winner of the Events category, Paynesville Classic Boat Rally. Photo shows some of our committee members looking fabulous at the awards night!

10.01.2022 Residents will be relieved to have better access.

09.01.2022 Rotary Club Of Bairnsdale Sunrise members Anne and Jenny visited Buchan yesterday to drop off some donated clothing on behalf of East Gippsland Rotary Fire Aid. Anne said, "It was satisfying to know they will be well used and wanted". Anne and Jenny also met a husband and wife team who have been camping at Buchan over the past 6 weeks. He goes off with the team of 11 backpackers from all over the world each morning to build fences with BlazeAid and she assists with buying food, preparing food, cleaning bathrooms, washing dishes and cleaning clothes! They both have fallen in love with Buchan.

08.01.2022 If anyone has an upright freezer they would like to donate to Fire Aid please get in touch will be going to a fire affected family in need.

08.01.2022 East Gippsland Rotary Fire Aid Chairman and Sunrise Rotary Club President Pearl visited Orbost, Genoa & Mallacoota. She brought gifts of warm clothes, hand made quilts, a generator & shipping container personally delivered to fire affected locals.

08.01.2022 The five Rotary Clubs of East Gippsland have come together, forming a Fire Aid Committee, in preference to each club working on their own with possible double up. We are a greater force as one collective. 100% of all funds raised will be used to benefit the East Gippsland Community and individuals, that have been impacted by this fire disaster, through no fault of their own.... Money raised will be divided into the following categories; 1. Hay/Fodder/ fencing, many land-owners have insurance for their fencing and only require volunteers to assist with cleaning of fence lines. Others will require hay / fodder for their livestock, this we are presently assisting with. 2. Money vouchers, to allow people to purchase new items they can determine for themselves within the local area, returning dignity and independence to the survivors. A knock- on effect to the local retailers will occur, placing money into local businesses which have been hit hard by the loss of the peak holiday season trading. 3. There is also an emergency fund, this is for items that sit outside the above two categories and are deemed to be having a great impact on a community or a family and need urgent action e.g. fuel for a truck load of hay / fodder to be transported into the area. 4. Community BBQs and working Bees will be organised to assist and support small communities to reconnect with neighbours that may have had to find temporary accommodation outside their local area & support network. Rotary is a worldwide not for profit organisation, where the Local Rotary Community works alongside the Local Communities

08.01.2022 When you donate to East Gippsland Rotary Fire Aid 100% of all funds raised will be used to benefit the individuals and communities of East Gippsland.

07.01.2022 Update 7pm Wednesday 8 January East Gippsland fires The fire edge across East Gippsland is approximately 1500km thats close to the distance from Melbourne... to Brisbane. We need to remain vigilant in the current situation, with weather expected to warm up tomorrow, Thursday 9 January and conditions worsening on Friday 10 January. AusNet Services has restored power in some parts of Buchan. Despite cooler conditions, it is important not to become complacent. You need to act on the advice and warnings provided to you. More dangerous conditions are coming please remain aware and ready to act. If you have returned to your home, please stay informed and be aware of local conditions. Road closures and restricted access remains in place for roads in fire affected areas. Only residents and essential supplies are permitted to access these areas by road. Reminder- the situation is always changing so its important to keep checking Vic Emergency for updates and tuning in to your local emergency broadcaster. Image credit: Dale Appleton CFA Gippsland Forest Fire Management Victoria East Gippsland Shire Council East Gippsland Outdoors. Victoria, Australia. Love East Gippsland Destination Gippsland Bruthen Inn Hotel Bruthen Pizza & Takeaway Bruthen Fire Brigade Bruthen General Store Tambo Valley Golf Club Ensay Winery Little River Inn Ensay Swifts Creek Bakery Swifts Creek IGA Albion Hotel Omeo Caravan Park Golden Age Hotel Omeo Hilltop Hotel Omeo Omeo Ski Hires Omeo Pharmacy Mossi-Tambo Fire Brigade Omeo CFA Pajero 4WD Club of Victoria Inc Four Wheel Drive Victoria Gippsland Four Wheel Drive Club Camping Victoria Parks Victoria ABC Gippsland TRFM SES Tambo Valley Unit

06.01.2022 Thank you to the Rotary Club of Glenferry, Big Day out working at Sarsfield, Rotary supplied 40 ft container, some internal fencing, cleaned up chook shed, fence line, pool fence, the pool, mowed lawns, well done your genoristy and comrade was and is most welcome

06.01.2022 Hi Guys. Come visit us in Bruthen today!

05.01.2022 East Gippsland Rotary Fire Aid committee would like to remind their voucher recipients to use their vouchers by the end of this current financial year (30/06/2021). The voucher program began in January 2020 and has reached the stage where EGRFA needs to put an end date on it. The program is designed to help fire survivors and also to support local traders. We appreciate your assistance in this matter.

05.01.2022 UPDATE 1pm Monday 6 January A USA team of Firefighters have arrived to help us in East Gippsland They are a great team with extensive fire experience and will... be here for the next couple of months They are helping the communities of Anglers Rest and Cobungra- who sadly were significantly impacted by fire yesterday They are working with our local crews to re-establish access and assess the impact to these communities The Australian Defence Force will be setting up a 100-bed base camp in Swifts Creek in the next couple of days This base camp will house local and USA crews to allow an extra 3 hours of work each day- with no lost time travelling Forest Fire Management Victoria CFA (Country Fire Authority) Camping Victoria Hilltop Hotel Omeo Golden Age Hotel Omeo CFA Gippsland East Gippsland Shire Council East Gippsland Outdoors. Victoria, Australia. Love East Gippsland Bruthen Inn Hotel Bruthen Fire Brigade Tambo Valley Golf Club Ensay Winery Little River Inn Ensay Swifts Creek Bakery Omeo Caravan Park Mossi-Tambo Fire Brigade Omeo CFA Four Wheel Drive Victoria Camping Victoria Omeo, Benambra, Swifts Creek, Ensay, Bruthen Bairnsdale Buy Swap Sell ABC Gippsland Parks Victoria TRFM Photo credit - Brad Fisher

05.01.2022 The Great Alpine Road is currently CLOSED from Ensay to Bruthen due to debris flow after heavy rainfall on Tuesday evening. A 30 km stretch of road has been imp...acted by the severe weather. For the most updated information on road closures in the area, visit the VicTraffic website at https://traffic.vicroads.vic.gov.au/

04.01.2022 UPDATE 10am 10 JANUARY 2020- East Gippsland Fires We know everyone is tired after months of fire impacts in the East Gippsland area but today is not the day... to become complacent Conditions are already heating up and were seeing an increase in fire activity flaring up around Omeo and the Cobungra area We need everyone to remain vigilant and alert to the changing fire situation expected throughout the day Fires are expected to be most active from Omeo through to Buchan South Residents planning to leave should have done so by now enact your fire plan Our crews in high country areas today are focused on asset protection, while crews to the south, in the areas north of Bairnsdale are working in the bush on containment lines As the cool change comes through later today, we will see strong winds, potential thunderstorms and increased fire activity- please be alert and ready to act The fire situation is still very active and dynamic in East Gippsland and may change at any time Keep up to date with VicEmergency and with your local emergency radio broadcasters CFA Gippsland Forest Fire Management Victoria East Gippsland Shire Council East Gippsland Outdoors. Victoria, Australia. Love East Gippsland Destination Gippsland - A page for tourism businesses Bruthen Inn Hotel Bruthen Pizza & Takeaway Tambo Valley Golf Club Ensay Winery Omeo Pharmacy Little River Inn Swifts Creek Bakery Swifts Creek IGAOmeo Caravan Park Golden Age Hotel Omeo Hilltop Hotel Omeo Mossi-Tambo Fire Brigade Omeo CFA Pajero 4WD Club of Victoria Inc Four Wheel Drive Victoria Camping Victoria Parks Victoria ABC Gippsland TRFM Buchan, Victoria

02.01.2022 Signs of new life. Ferns at Club Terrace. New growth on eucalypts in Buchan.

02.01.2022 East Gippsland Update 8pm 6 February 2020 Severe thunderstorms are forecast for parts of east Gippsland which could result in heavy rainfall of up to 50mm. S...trong winds could create challenging conditions for firefighters and it is possible that lightning could ignite new fires. For the latest information and warnings, check www.emergency.vic.gov.au or the VicEmergency App. Orbost Incident Control Centre Ground crews and aircraft focused on stopping the spread of fire near Bonang, Bendoc and Cape Conran. The road to Mallacoota reopened to all traffic and the road to Combienbar is now also open to residents and permit holders. Swifts Creek Incident Control Centre Today firefighters continued burning out to strengthen control lines on the southern edge of the Pheasant Creek Fire near Benambra. Crews had to stop burning out this afternoon due to storms. We are monitoring the weather and burn area. Crews will resume burning out when conditions are suitable. Over the last three days burning out created additional smoke in Benambra and nearby communities. We thank the local community for their patience and understanding. Firefighters continued to strengthen control lines, extinguish hotspots and remove hazardous trees on the northern edge of the Tambo Complex of fires near Wattle Circle. Crews are also working to remove hazardous trees and make roads and tracks safe in the recently contained Shannonvale McNamara Hut and the Bindi Tin-Pot Creek fires. The Benambra-Corryong Road north of Uplands and the Limestone Road east of Nunniong Road are closed. Bairnsdale Incident Control Centre During the past 24 hours firefighters have made good progress with burning out operations near the Wulgulmerang, Jones and Mount Stewart sectors of the Tambo Complex fire, helping to further consolidate control lines near Wulgulmerang, Gelantipy, Suggan Buggan and Dargo townships. In the past 24 hours 0-30mm of rain has fallen on parts of the fireground. This fire has burnt 324,546 hectares of public and private land and theres still a lot of work to do before we can contain this fire. We recommend that visitors refer to: www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/ and www.traffic.vicroads.vic.gov.au for the most up to date information about road and park closures.

02.01.2022 We are very saddened by the devastating bushfires in our district and across Australia. If you are looking to donate to help those suffering, it is important to... make sure your donation is well directed. Below are details of 3 Rotary funds which are assisting those affected. 1. Rotary District 9820 Disaster Relief Fund We are encouraging clubs to donate to our districts Disaster Relief Fund in the first instance. The Disaster Relief Fund has already committed $10k to the East Gippsland Rotary Fire Aid Committee below, and will continue to donate funds to where they are most effective. BSB 633000 Acct 137927174. Please email Janne Speirs when you donate [email protected] 2. East Gippsland Rotary Fire Aid Committee This is an account of the Rotary Club of Bairnsdale with the funds controlled by the East Gippsland Rotary Fire Aid Committee. Rotary Club of Bairnsdale Projects Account BSB 633000 Acct 165960451. Please email the East Gippsland Rotary Fire Aid Committee when you donate [email protected] 3. RAWCS - Rotary Australia World Community Service National Fire Appeal This is the only option for those who can only donate to a recipient with DGR (Donor Gift Recipient) status, or those who want tax deductibility on their donations. Go to www.rawcs.org.au to donate. To make sure the funds go to those affected by the fires in our district, tag the donation to East Gippsland. RAWCS do use 2.75% of the donations for administration.

01.01.2022 Rotarians at work, the Lemon farm at W

01.01.2022 Today our chairman Pearl had the privilege of saying Thank You to a few of our local CFA members