The Gippsland Emergency Relief Fund (GERF) has provided financial assistance to the value of $80,750 to 50 families affected by recent fire, flash flooding and strong winds in Gippsland.

Natural disasters in early 2011 included:

• Tostaree fire in East Gippsland (1-4 February) which burnt out 11,000 hectares, destroyed two homes, and impacted a number of properties
• Flash flooding in West Gippsland (5 February) where falls of up to 120 millimetres caused damage to homes and power blackouts. The SES responded to more than 160 calls for assistance around Warragul and the Latrobe Valley
• Flash flooding and strong winds (22 March) caused damage to properties in the municipalities of South Gippsland, Baw Baw and Latrobe. Wilson’s Promontory and Fish Creek suffered severe damage

Bundaberg Rum Foundation honors major pledge

Diago (the Bundaberg Rum Foundation) has honored a major pledge made more than 18 months ago and presented GERF with a donation of $40,000.

Bushfire effort earns Prime Minister’s praise

The Gippsland Emergency Relief Fund has been awarded a Certificate of Appreciation “in grateful recognition of your significant commitment and contribution to the recovery and rebuilding effort in the aftermath of the 2009 Victorian bushfires.”

The certificate is signed by Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, Chair of the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority, Ian Dicker, and Victorian Premier, Ted Ballieu.

A team of Sage employees have volunteered to provide content management support for the GERF website.

The volunteers have been trained in how to maintain the site and are now available to update content as required, especially during emergencies such as bushfires or floods.

The Gippsland Emergency Relief Fund would like to acknowledge and thank the support of numerous businesses, organizations, community groups and individuals who gave so generously and with compassion to all those impacted by the Gippsland fires. We were humbled by the wonderful contributions to the Fund .

We wish to recognise the major Corporate supporters  of:

• International Power Loy Yang B and employees
• PDF Food Services
• International Power Hazelwood and employees
• International Sea Drilling and employees
• RLT Joint Venture and employees
• AKZ Reinforcing
• Solo Waste Australia Pty Ltd
• Prime Pharmacy Group
• Loy Yang Power Management and employees
• Traralgon Centrelink Call Centre – Spirit/Com
• Freedom Fuels
• TRUenergy Yallourn
• Silcar
• Fluor Australia
• Australian Energy Company
• SMEC Urban
• ESSO Australia Resources Pty Ltd
• Thiess Pty Ltd and employees
• Tokyo Electric
• Travellers Rest Hotel, Thorpdale
• Alstrom Power
• Patties Foods
• Pacific Smiles
• Albroys Car Centre
• Workways
• Radio Station Gold 1242 and TRFM
• National Australia Bank
• SGS Australia
• The LV Printers, Traralgon
• Australian Paper – Maryvale Mill
• Alan Wilson Insurance Brokers
• Lurganare Pty Ltd
• McMillan Partners
• Diamond Power and employees
• Yallourn Mine Alliance
• JP Slattery and Co.

Major support from Foundations, Community Groups

Schools and Unions

• The Andrews Foundation
• Bishop’s Family Foundation
• Rotary Clubs, Cleveland, Oakleigh
• Lord Mayor’s Charitable Fund
• Mirboo North Community Care
• Joan Salter Fund
• CFMEU Mining and Energy Division
• Traralgon Bowls Club
• Gippsland Grammar, Sale
• Inverloch Primary School – Walkathon
• Nagle College Sale

Major Fundraiser Events

• Gippsland Emergency Relief Concert – Austar, Ace Radio, Latrobe City Council  and Victoria Government
• Gippsland Art Auction – Artists Unit Organisers and Wellington Shire
• Gippsland Bushfire Benefit Concert – Monash Uni, ABC Gippsland Radio
• Auction at Zips by Ron Wilson and Alan Whitty
• Cargo Lounge Fundraiser
• Sale Business Community Golf Day
• Yinnar Community Auction
• Churchill United Soccer Club
• Bunyip Country Music Festival
• “Salute to the 39″ Kokoda Dinner
• Yallourn TRUenergy Fun Run/Walk

Media Support

• Gippsland ABC Radio
• WIN TV
• The LV Express
• Gippsland Times
• Gold 1242 and TRFM Radio

Major Car Donations

• Agnew Gold Mine, WA
• Jomax Engineering, Qld

Government Contributions

• Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority
• Bass Coast Shire
• South Gippsland Shire
• Korumburra, Wonthaggi and Latrobe Valley Courts

We would like to say a big “thank you” to everyone who supported GERF and for digging deep in the midst of an economic crisis and this unprecedented natural disaster. The magnitude of support was so great that all the donors cannot be acknowledged here; however, without your vital support we could not provide financial and material assistance to those impacted.

John L Mitchell                                      Andy Tegart
President                                            Hon. Secretary

Would you like to write a note of support to those Gippsland communities, victims and firefighters who have been affected by the Gippsland fires? You can do so by filling out the form below. Your message will be reviewed and the posted on this website for others to see.

Click here for older comments.

The LV Printers has published a couple of books over the past few years recording fire and flood events in Gippsland. The Gippsland Emergency Relief Fund has received nearly $80,000.00 from sales of ‘Red Alert’ and ‘Of Fires and Flooding Plains’.

A third book called “Gippsland’s Four Fires”  records the events of January and February this year.

LV Printers says, “After much thought we are about to publish a third book, called ‘Gippsland’s Four Fires’, that records the events of January and February this year. We have deliberately held off with any publication because of the circumstances, including loss of life and property, until now. Even now we publish the book with a great deal of reluctance because of the toll of the various events.”

However, the reality is that the money raised previously provided some support for people affected by the 2009 fires and the reality is there will be another emergency situation at some stage in the future.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy or three, it can be organised through The LV Printers. Cost is $20.00 which includes postage and handling and GST. If they are picked up from LV Printers, the cost is $18.00 each.

The photos have been provided by a range of people and there are some quite stunning shots although use of any very personal images has been avoided.

Orders can be placed by calling The LV Printers on (03) 5174 2348, or by emailing accounts@lvprinters.com. Copies are also available from mecu service centres in Moe, Morwell and Traralgon, and they will also be available from the Warragul Gazette, which has been very supportive, including with provision of some photos.

love Ellen.

Cheers
Darren Andrews
Producer & Presenter
Country Cafe
Radio Adelaide 101.5FM

Any locals wanting to donate fodder, help with agistment or donate to the VFF’s Bushfire Disaster Relief Fund can do so via the VFF’s website or by calling 1300 882 833.

The VFF also need fencing materials, generators and peoples time to help.

Latrobe Valley Veterinarians

Latrobe Valley Veterinarians stand ready to assist animals affected by the fires. Veterinarians at Latrobe Veterinary Group (Morwell and Traralgon), Animal Clinic Morwell and Moe Veterinary Centre will assess pets injured by fires, free of charge. Where possible, all treatment will also provided free of charge. All clinics are also happy to assess and treat wildlife as needed before placing with qualified carers. If your pet has been injured in the fires, or you find injured wildlife, please contact any of these veterinary clinics for help.
Contact numbers Latrobe Veterinary Group 5133 8005 and 5174 5622 Animal Clinic Morwell 5134 2868 Moe Veterinary Centre 5127 3511

Telstra

Telstra have announced a relief package for its residential and small business customers in Victoria who have been forced from their homes or whose phone services have been affected by the recent bush fires.   Under the package Telstra is offering its affected customers:

• Free call diversion from their fixed line to another fixed or mobile service of their choice;
• Mobile calls charged at fixed line rates, in accordance with their selected HomeLine or BusinessLine plan, for local and STD calls made on their mobile service, in situations where Telstra mobile customers have been evacuated from their homes or who have lost their service due to the fires.

To access the free call diversion or to report loss of their Telstra fixed service, customers should contact 13 22 03.

The Victorian Government

The Victorian Government is helping to coordinate the support for communities affected by bushfire. Anyone willing to volunteer time and skills should call the Information Victoria Bushfire Volunteer Hotline on 1300 366 356 (local call cost).

Emergency and relief agencies are very grateful for the generous offers of assistance and are working with the Government to determine how to make best use of the help in coming days.

Thank you to everyone offering support to the people affected by the bushfires. Please note you may not be contacted immediately as agencies are concentrating on volunteers who are already trained. Link