Baw Baw Shire Council has welcomed an additional $360,000 in disaster recovery funding to support the long term recovery of communities affected by the 2019 bushfires.
The funding has been provided by the Victorian Government and will support key bushfire safety and preparedness initiatives in the eastern region of Baw Baw Shire:
- An 100,000L additional static water tank at the southern end of Walhalla, to provide a reliable and constant alternative source of water to be accesses by emergency services.
- An upgrade of the Hard Stand area in Walhalla to facilitate safer and more reliable emergency service access.
Currently, Walhalla is heavily reliant on Stringers Creek as fire-suppression water supply. The addition of a new static water tank, in a more accessible location will help alleviate the risk associated with this reliance and provide a more efficient water supply to the area, especially in the drier summer months when the creek levels can be very low.
The existing Hard Stand area in Walhalla can be prone to waterlogging, causing issue for emergency service helicopters which have previously sunk into the softened surface. The upgrade will ensure a safe landing and take-off area, providing consistent emergency service access all year round.
Works on these projects are ready to progress and are anticipated to commence in coming weeks.
