Disaster Recovery
Western Qld Rainfall and Flooding March 2025
For community members impacted by the Western Qld Rainfall and Flooding March 2025 event who need assistance, help is available by contacting the 24/7 Community Recovery Hotline on 1800 173 349. Team members will assist community members to access available supports in their local area.
Community members who are experiencing emotional stress, can contact the dedicated Community Recovery Lifeline Hotline on 1800 116 671 to receive qualified disaster counselling.
Head to Health is available 24 hours a day whilst the flood impact is happening. Head to Health usual hours are 8:30am -5:00pm weekdays. Free call: 1800 595 212
For more information on grants and activated areas visit www.qld.gov.au/DisasterHelp
To access disaster resources, and information on available support services visit https://www.qld.gov.au/community/disasters-emergencies/queensland-disasters
Follow Community Recovery on Facebook @RecoveryQld
Impacted Queenslanders needing housing assistance are encouraged to attend a Community Recovery Hub, call the Community Recovery Hotline on 1800 173 349, contact their local Housing Service Centre or call 13QGOV (13 74 68).
Anyone affected by the flooding can call the Disaster Legal Hotline on 1300 527 700 for free legal help with insurance, employment, tenancy or family law matters (Mon-Fri).
The Department of Housing and Public Works have a Mortgage Relief Loan which offers short-term assistance to people experiencing difficulties with their home loan repayments. These difficulties may be as a result of unemployment, accident, illness or some other crisis. The Mortgage Relief loan is an interest free loan that must be repaid. There are no application fees or ongoing charges payable. Find out more here.
QCWA have a Public Rural Crisis Fund which provides support for Queensland women and families suffering from natural disasters or other crises.Find out more here.
Personal hardship financial assistance
Personal hardship financial assistance is available for Queensland communities impacted by rainfall and flooding in Western Queensland, March 2025.
If you have been affected by this event, you can:
Emergency Hardship Assistance
The Emergency Hardship Assistance grant is for help with essential needs, food, medication, clothing and temporary accommodation. This grant may be available if you:
- live in or are stranded in the affected area
- have experienced personal hardship and can’t meet your immediate essential needs.
Grant amount:
- $180 for individuals
- up to $900 for families of 5 or more.
More information about the Emergency Hardship Assistance grant.
Essential Services Hardship Assistance
The Essential Services Hardship Assistance grant is for help with essential services such as, power, gas, water, and sewage. This grant may be available if:
- you live in the affected area
- you have lost 1 or more essential services for more than 5 days and are experiencing personal hardship as a result
- your utility service provider/s confirm that you lost these essential services.
Grant amount:
- $150 for individuals
- up to $750 for families of 5 or more.
More information about the Essential Services Hardship Assistance grant.
Essential Household Contents Grant
The Essential Household Contents Grant is to replace essential lost household contents, such as bed linen and white goods. This grant may be available if you:
- live in the affected area
- own the items that have been lost
- own or rent the affected residence
- are uninsured or unable to claim insurance
- meet the income limits.
The Queensland Government will visit your home to assess the damage. They will need photographic evidence if items must be disposed of.
Grant amount:
- $1,765 for individuals
- up to $5,300 for couples or families.
More information about the Essential Household Contents Grant.
Essential Services Safety and Reconnection
The Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Scheme (ESSRS) is to help with safety inspections and repairs to reconnect essential services, e.g. gas, water, electricity and sewage. A grant payment may be available if you:
- live in the affected area
- have had your essential services disconnected
- own and live in the affected residence
- are uninsured or unable to claim insurance
- meet the income limits.
The Queensland Government will visit your home to assess the damage.
Grant amount:
- Inspection costs—$200 for safety inspection for water, electricity, gas and sewage.
- $4,200 for repairs or replacement of these services.
More information about the Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Scheme.
Structural Assistance Grant
The Structural Assistance Grant is to help with structural repairs or contribution towards replacement of dwelling. This grant may be available if:
- you live in the affected area
- you own and live in the affected residence
- your home has become structurally unsafe to live in
- you are uninsured or unable to claim insurance
- you meet the income limits.
The Queensland Government will visit your home to assess the damage.
Grant amount:
Uninsured, low income, owner-occupiers may receive up to a maximum of $80,000 to help repair your home to make it safe, secure and habitable.
More information about the Structural Assistance Grant.
Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment
A lump sum payment to help people affected by Western Queensland heavy rain and flooding that started in March 2025. Find out more here
Support for farmers
The Rural Financial Counselling Service are offering free, impartial support to help rural and small business to recover from Western Queensland flooding.
Exceptional Disaster Assistance Recovery Grants of up to $75,000 are available for affected producers following the Western Queensland Surface Trough and Associated Rainfall and Flooding, commencing 21 March 2025, to hire or purchase equipment and materials, clean up, remove debris, replace fencing and other costs associated with the recovery process. Producers should take photographs of the direct damage to accompany their application/s.
The Commonwealth-State Government has activated Disaster Assistance Loans up to $250,000 for eligible primary producers and small businesses and up to $100,000 for eligible not-for-profits which will help re-establish operations by covering costs relating to:
- Repairing or replacing damaged plant and equipment
- Repairing or replacing buildings
- Resupplying stock or livestock
Essential Working Capital Loans up to $100,000 are also available to help assist farmers with the repair or replacement of damaged assets, and for loss of income. Primary producers can also access freight subsidies up to $5,000 for the movement of stock, feed, machinery, fuel, water, and building or fencing materials.
For applications visit the QRIDA website, www.qrida.qld.gov.au or call 1800 623 946.
Primary producers interested in freight subsidies can contact Queensland’s Department of Primary Industries on 13 25 23 or via www.daf.qld.gov.au
The Rural Aid Counselling Intake Line – 1300 175 594 – is staffed Mon to Fri 9-4pm AEDST. This is a free service for registered farmers, their families, or farm workers.
QLD Floods Veterinary Hotline - 1800 621 918 - The Australian Veterinary Association is coordinating the veterinary hotline number to provide support and advice to veterinarians assisting in the flood response and to affected graziers. This is manned by volunteer veterinary practices who are members of the AVA and are also experienced cattle veterinarians. Affected graziers can receive support, general advice and referral to their nearest veterinary clinic if this is necessary for further treatment.
BlazeAid are offering assistance to graziers who require help restoring boundary fences. For more information email admin@blazeaid.com.au.
BlazeAid Boundary Fencing Assistance Request form, This does not include exclusion fencing and only refers to Boundary fencing, no internal fencing. Blazeaid are the sole organiser of works and Council will be the conduit.
online form here
Support for Small Businesses
Please help the Department of Customer Services, Open Data and Small and Family Business understand the impact on affected businesses and what assistance is required by completing this survey.
Exceptional Disaster Assistance Recovery Grants
Grants of up to $25,000 are available for affected small businesses following Western Queensland Surface Trough and Associated Rainfall and Flooding, commencing 21 March 2025, to hire or purchase equipment and materials, clean up, remove debris, replace or repair damaged infrastructure and stock and other costs associated with the recovery process. Businesses should take photographs of the direct damage to accompany their application/s.
Applicants need to show they are an eligible small business, within the defined disaster area and demonstrate they have suffered direct impact from the disaster. Read this page and the guidelines for more information.
If you are insured, full details and a copy of your insurance policy and/or claim must be provided. Please be aware that QRIDA may be unable to finalise your Disaster Assistance Grant application until the outcome of your insurance claim is determined and claim outcome is provided.
The maximum grant amount available is $25,000 and can be accessed through the following:
- Initial application/s up to the total amount of $5,000 is available to support an initial claim. Evidence of the direct damage is required such as photographs and quotations, tax invoices or official receipts.
- Subsequent application/s up to the total amount of $20,000 is available to support subsequent claims for which full evidence of payment is required.
Complete applications are assessed in order of receipt and QRIDA may request further information to help assess an application. Applications close 7 April 2026.
Find out more and apply here
Disaster Assistance (Essential Working Capital) Loan
Disaster Assistance (Essential Working Capital) Loans are available to assist primary producers, small businesses and non-profit organisations with essential working capital for expenses.
|
Loan amount
|
Maximum of $100,000
|
|
Loan term
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Up to 10 years
|
|
Interest rate
|
2.14%
|
|
Repayments
|
If needed, up to two years interest only may be available.
|
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Security
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A loan under the scheme must be secured by a mortgage of land and other assets satisfactory to QRIDA.
|
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Fees
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No establishment fees, no account maintenance fees and no fees for early payout.
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Concessional loans are provided to assist you with essential working capital for expenses such as:
- paying salaries or wages
- paying creditors
- paying rent or rates
- buying goods, including for example, fuel essential to carry-on the small business.
Interest rate: 2.14% | Applications close 31 December 2026
Find out more and apply here
Disaster Assistance Loans
Disaster Assistance Loans are available to assist primary producers, small businesses and non-profit organisations with re-establishing normal operations.
| Loan amount |
Maximum of $250,000 |
| Loan term |
Up to 10 years |
| Interest rate |
2.14% |
| Repayments |
If needed, up to two years interest only may be available. |
| Security |
A loan under the scheme must be secured by a mortgage of land and other assets satisfactory to QRIDA. |
| Fees |
No establishment fees, no account maintenance fees and no fees for early payout. |
Concessional loans are provided to assist you to re-establish the normal operations of your small business by covering costs such as:
- repairing or replacing damaged plant and equipment
- repairing or replacing buildings
- supplying stock for up to one month to replace lost stock and maintain liquidity of the business
- meeting carry-on requirements including:
- sustenance
- paying rent and rates.
Interest rate: 2.14% | Applications close 31 December 2026
Find out more and apply here
Floodwater safety
- Avoid walking through floodwater and mud as much as possible as it might be contaminated by sewage and debris.
- Floodwater can also hide sharp objects and debris that can cause serious injury.
- Avoid contact with any floodwater if you have broken skin or any wounds.
- Contaminated floodwater and mud can carry an increased risk of wound infections, diarrhoea, conjunctivitis, ear, nose and throat infections and other infections.
- Melioidosis and leptospirosis are serious bacterial diseases that can occur when skin abrasions come into contact with contaminated wet soil or water.
- There may be an increased risk of leptospirosis and melioidosis, which can both cause fever. Anyone who develops a fever following contact with floodwater should consult their doctor as soon as possible.
- If you need to wade in water or mud, protect your feet by wearing sturdy rubber or leather boots.
Food and medication safety
- Food, liquids or medicines that have come into contact with contaminated floodwater can make you ill and should be thrown out.
- Any perishable food that has been left unrefrigerated or above 5°C for more than four hours should be thrown out.
- Canned food that is open, swollen or damaged, or has a missing or damaged label should be thrown out.
Donations
GIVIT partners with the Queensland Government to manage offers of donated funds. Anyone wanting to donate to communities impacted by recent severe weather should go to https://www.givit.org.au/western-queensland-floods. 100% of donated money received by GIVIT is used to purchase what affected people and communities need to recover.
GIVIT is asking well-meaning Australians not to take or send unrequested donations into regions that have been impacted, as this is dangerous and can hamper rescue and recovery efforts. People who want to help are encouraged to visit the website to see what is needed.
Volunteering
Volunteer efforts work best when coordinated in a safe way for volunteers and those receiving assistance. For safety reasons, please do not attend evacuation centres or flooded areas. Anyone wanting to volunteer is encouraged to register with Volunteering Queensland’s EV CREW (register.emergencyvolunteering.com.au) for updates and to be linked with requests for help.