Campaspe Shire residents impacted by the October 2022 flood event can now get the support and resources they need for recovery from Council's newly-opened, fit-for-purpose Recovery Hub at 48 Mackay Street in Rochester.
Campaspe Shire Mayor Cr Rob Amos said Council's flood recovery team has operated from several temporary locations since the floods and now had a permanent, specially-fitted-out premises from which to operate for the next few years.
"The new Campaspe Shire Recovery Hub is the primary location for people to access the services and support they need to recover from the floods," Cr Amos said.
"We are most grateful to the Victorian Government for providing the funding to establish the hub and to recruit a dedicated flood recovery team to support our flood-impacted communities.
"The hub also has a mobile outreach van which will enable the staff to visit people in the community through pop-up sessions, events and specialised programs."
The Recovery Hub will also provide educational programs for the wider community. People will be able to participate in forums and programs designed to equip them with knowledge and skills on emergency preparedness and resilience.
In addition to Council's Flood Recovery Team, a range of government and professional agencies will operate from the hub, including Anglicare case management and financial counselling, Partners in Wellbeing small business financial counselling, Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, Mind Australia, Echuca Regional Health case management and Bendigo Community Health case management.
The Campaspe Shire Recovery Hub is open Monday to Friday, from 8.30am to 5pm. To contact the hub, please call 1300 666 535 and press 2, or email [email protected].
Other Flood Recovery News
The new Campaspe-wide Municipal Recovery Committee (MRC), with broad representation from agencies and communities from across the shire, held its first meeting in July.
"The new Municipal Recovery Committee will be a vital link between the flood-impacted communities, government departments, agencies and Council," Cr Amos said.
"The MRC's role is to coordinate flood recovery processes and support flood-impacted communities within Campaspe Shire. This involves coordinating information, resources and services, establishing priorities and contributing to the development and implementation of a Municipal Recovery Plan.
A key priority of Council is to enhance the organisation's emergency management capability so it is better positioned to respond to emergencies into the future. As part of this process, an independent organisation-wide After Action Review is currently underway.
"An After Action Review is standard practice post an emergency," Cr Amos said. "The review will test Council's response to the event, and the robustness of our procedures and practices. The review is being conducted by experts in the field who will engage staff from across the organisation in a comprehensive debriefing process."
Following the review, a report will be prepared for Council with recommendations to strengthen the organisation's capability.
