Mayor's letter to residents

Published on 28 October 2022

Hello, 

We are facing another challenging time with the flood event of last week continuing to impact many residents, particularly those on waterways and in rural areas of our municipality.  

Council has been working to support the emergency service response to this event. An evacuation centre was established for people and their pets displaced by flood waters, and we are working to clear and repair damaged roads, bridges, paths and parks. 

Information sharing at this time is really important and I thank the community for reaching out to Council whether it be with concerns about livestock, fallen trees, or water over roads.   

Please continue to communicate any concerns or issues with us. You can do this via our website, https://www.wangaratta.vic.gov.au/Services/Report-or-request or please call Customer Service on 03 5722 0888. 

If you would like to speak to the Councillor of your ward, we are only too happy for you to reach out, all of our details are below.  

To assist with the flood clean-up Rural City of Wangaratta are issuing flood fee waivers for waste disposal at all four transfer stations across the municipality: Wangaratta, Markwood, Moyhu and Eldorado. Applications for waste disposal waivers can be made by lodging a request online at www.wangaratta.vic.gov.au/Services/Report-or-request, forwarding an email to council@wangaratta.vic.gov.au, or calling our Waste Team on 03 5722 0722. 

There is also support available from the federal and state governments. 

The Australian Government has made disaster recovery funding available for our municipality. Some residents will be eligible for Disaster Assistance Payments and applications can be made through your Services Australia myGov account or call 180 22 66.  

The Victorian Government has a Flood Recovery Hotline 1800 560 760 to register for clean-up of your flood affected property, for financial assistance, temporary accommodation, or mental health and wellbeing support. Through Agriculture Victoria there are a range of assistance measures for farmers, please visit www.agriculture.vic.gov.au or call 136 186 for more information.  

Council Officers are here to assist and support you, as are all Councillors. Make contact, have a chat, and lets work through this together. If you are having a tough time seek help, call the Rural Financial Counselling Service 1300 771 741, Lifeline on 131 114, or Beyondblue 1300 224 636.  

The most important message I would like to relay to everyone in the community is that you are not alone and it’s ok to ask for help. The Rural City of Wangaratta is a great community that I’m proud to be a part of. 

Regards