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Community

3 July, 2024

Grants available to those impacted by floods in McKinlay Shire

It's an initiative of the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal.


The Blue Heeler Hotel in Kynuna was devastated by flooding earlier this year.
The Blue Heeler Hotel in Kynuna was devastated by flooding earlier this year.

The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal has partnered with Suncorp Group to provide grants to support ongoing resilience building and recovery efforts in parts of Queensland, including McKinlay Shire.

It has been six months since Cyclone Jasper crossed the Far North coast and five months since Cyclone Kirrily crossed the North Queensland coast and became a state-wide disaster event, as the rain moved west.

Not-for-profit groups and organisations in those areas, including McKinlay, can apply for grants up to $20,000 through the Rebuilding Futures program, for community-led activities that address local prevention, preparedness and recovery needs.

Nina O’Brien, FRRR’s disaster resilience and recovery lead, said that it was vital that disaster-impacted communities were supported to proactively take action to prevent and prepare for, as well as respond to, the impacts of extreme weather events.

“The effects of an extreme weather event do not dissipate when the immediate danger is over,” she said.

“Recovery needs to evolve over the medium to long-term, as locals identify ways of building community resilience and reducing the impact of future disasters on community wellbeing and physical infrastructure.

“But for a community to build back better after a disaster, it’s critical that the needs of all groups in the regions, particularly members of the community with less access to resources, information and support, are considered and prioritised, both in recovery and in planning for potential future events.

“Ultimately, it is the people and processes that really make communities tick and make a difference in effective disaster recovery, prevention and preparedness.”

Grant applications close on July 11.

For more information, visit www.frrr.org.au/rebuilding-futures

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