Community Newsletter Update

Community Meetings
Community meetings will be held at the Rec Reserve, Spring Valley Road on Friday evenings commencing 8pm
Please note: Meeting will now be held fortnightly. Next meeting is 24th July.

Updates from Community Meeting 10th July

· A new grant for toilets and showers
It is anticipated that the Bushfire Appeal Fund will shortly announce a new grant to help those that lost their primary place of residence put toilet and shower facilities on their blocks while they rebuild. Further details to be advised; please check with the Hub once the grant officially announced. We believe there will be some assistance for those who have already arranged facilities.
· Material Aid
Thanks to a mighty volunteer effort by Russell, Chrissy and Deb, all donated items have now been shifted from the three portables outside the Flowerdale Hall into two of the large Grocon buildings behind the Hub. We are working to remove the three portables this week ahead of the community's planning/tree planting/market day at the Hall on the 19th July.
Material aid hopes to operate 9-6pm Mon-Fri and Saturday morning 9-1pm, if sufficient volunteers/Hub staff are available.
From now on, ALL material aid will be issued via the Hub. Arrangements are being made to remove the shipping containers from the Rec Reserve; storage of items within the containers that are needed in the Village and Rec Reserve will be arranged shortly. A huge thank you to everyone who has been working in recent weeks to sort and distribute the donated materials from the containers.
· Hub Shuttle service
From Monday 13th July the Hub will operate a free shuttle service for people in the Flowerdale area that need transport to/from the Hub. Anyone wishing to come to the Hub for material aid or other assistance, including village residents, can ring the Hub on 5780 2704 and book a time for the shuttle to collect them.At this stage we hope the shuttle will operate 9.15-2.45pm Mon-Fri and 9-1pm Saturday, or outside of these hours by arrangement, if we can source drivers.
One day each week, the shuttle will run to/from Whittlesea, leaving the Hub at 10am and returning 2pm. Anyone wishing to register for this service should call the Hub on 5780 2704.
· Australian Government Services
A reminder that Centrelink staff are at the Community Services Hub (on the Flowerdale Hall site) 1-5pm Tuesday-Friday, and 10am-1pm Saturday. Esther and Tom (and/or their colleagues) are able to help with issues across all government services, including taxation and child support. No appointments necessary; just call in during the above hours.
· Firewood The Hub received its first load of firewood this week. At this stage the deliveries are just enough to meet immediate needs for people to keep warm. We are still working with the Shire and other agencies to try to source dry wood, and/or arrange regular deliveries.
Should people want to replace stockpiles lost during the fires, they are welcome to contact either Henry Kielbaska, 3505 Whittlesea–Yea Road, Flowerdale, 0427 808 435 or Ric Stubbings, 31 Spring Valley Road, Flowerdale, 5780 1494, to arrange access to their properties (where felled trees are stored) and take a chainsaw to cut wood.
· Recovery Service Meeting
The Hub is hosting a meeting at the Flowerdale Hall on Wed 15th July for as many agencies, volunteers and organisations as possible who are delivering recovery services in the Flowerdale area.
The meeting intends to identify anyone/everyone who is interested in being part of Flowerdale medium-long term recovery, the services they are looking to provide, how long they intend to be here, how people access their services, and whether there is a lead/coordinating agency operating within their field.
As part of the meeting, agencies will also be advised about the community's planning day on 19th July, where the community will determine what it envisages the Flowerdale area being like going forward. Agencies will be invited back after the 19th to hear what the community wants, and to identify how they can help realise the community's vision.
A representative of the Flowerdale Recovery Committee will be present at these meetings to ensure the community's voice/interests are considered; although everyone involved is committed to the community leading the recovery.
· Stories The Rural Women's Network are looking for stories about what women are doing to help rebuild lives of those directly affected by the 2009 bushfires. Submissions are due 15th July. Anyone interested can read full details at http://flowerdale.vic.au/assets/document/1246510625-rural_women_s_network.pdf
· Fresh fruit & vegies
Fresh fruit and vegies are now available at the Flowerdale Hall on Saturday mornings, 9am-1 pm.
· Free Men's Golf Day
A free men's golf day is being held at Broadford Golf Club on Friday 31st July 2009. A morning round of golf (experience not necessary, but BYO golf clubs!) will be followed by lunch and speakers covering topics around the recovery process, financial counselling and the role of case managers. Registration forms are available at the Hub, or email briank@mitchellchs.org.au or call 5784 5555. You're encouraged to take a mate, brother, son or other male family member affected by the February bushfires. Men wishing to attend can register for a shuttle service from the Hub by calling 5780 2704.
· Family Portraits
On Sunday 26th July families are able to have portraits done for those who have had total loss of houses. People will be given a disc for free so they are able to print. Book through Odette (Community House) 0429012129
· Centrelink (Tax Returns)
Centrelink are able to help people with their tax returns for people who have lost documentation through the fires. This also includes people with small businesses. See Centrelink at Hub for more details.

Flowerdale Recovery Committee
· A weekly report will be sent to all agencies eg: VBRRA, Shire in regards to recovery projects that are currently being worked on with what status they are at. This will help enable communication between Recovery Committee & all agencies involved.
· Community Workshop for the 19th July is now changed venue to the Hall.
· CFA Tanker: The CFA, via Alan Davies, have told Darley that they will pay for a new tanker. The CFA, via Alan Davies, have told Darley that the tanker has been ordered, and the supply time would be 12 months. Region 12 Flowerdale Brigade have not been informed by the CFA that a tanker had been ordered, or indeed was even being allocated to Flowerdale.
As a result there will be a meeting on Tuesday 14th July with Alan Davies. John Burgess will attend. He will bring Natalie Welsh from Darley with him to that meeting.
It was also noted that Deb Simmons knew about negotiations and plans with the CFA, but did not inform the Region 12 Flowerdale Brigade or any member of the Flowerdale CRC of these negotiations.
· Recovery Committees meet once a month to discuss & share issues. A weekly report will go to John from other committees & will be forwarded to all agencies. VBRRA have similar plan principles which will be scored 1-5 on issues.
· Press on Bob Dixson being in Flowerdale is on the internet & ABC. SBS Insight are wanting to do Web Story on Flowerdale.
· Greencross are fully supporting Flowerdale with us rebuilding. If you would like to see more information http://www.greencrossaustralia.org/our-work/build-it-back-green.aspx
· IPO will be at Hall. Darley will fit out office space with necessary equipment. Should be up & running in approx 2 weeks. Will have full interactive services including touch computer screen technology & other internet sources. You will be able to print out information & take away with you.
· Sustainability workshop being held in Kinglake West will be videotaped and copies will be available on DVD. Small fee maybe charged to cover costs of disc.

Poems for Sale at Next Community Market
Mark writes poetry and has written poems "Brick by brick - we will rebuild" and "Ode to the fireys". He sells them for $5 each with all profits going to our CFA (already handed over $55 which was gratefully accepted from last Community Market), and they will continue to do so from sales of these 2 poems. They also sell frames, magnets, bookmarks, etc. with his poems on them and will be at the next market again.

Material Aid
VBRRA have now opened Material Aid at 5 Oldfield Road, Pheasant Creek (the old choc factory). Everyone who has a blue DHS form can now access all material aid from this centre. Opening hours are Tues-Fri 9am-5pm. Phone 0435656811 (Kat or Dave) for further information.

Independent Planning & Building Surveyors
The question was raised at community meeting whether only the council can approve planning & building permits. No they are not the only people who can do this. The following are links to building commission website which maybe of interest in obtaining information:
Bushfire information: http://www.buildingcommission.com.au/www/html/2237-introduction.asp
Registered Building Practitioners: http://www.buildingcommission.com.au/www/html/1731-introduction.asp
Main Website page for Building Commission: http://www.buildingcommission.com.au/www/html/7-home-page.asp

Sponsors for Goods