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Northern Grampians Shire Council
Northern Grampians Shire Council
06/15/2012 | News release
Even more army cadets to give December flood-affected farmers a big hand
distributed by noodls on 06/14/2012 19:34
Even more army cadets have joined the effort to help December flood-affected farmers with around 130 to take part in The Big Hand clean up this weekend.
The cadets, from Stawell, Surrey Hill, Ballarat, Bendigo and Broadford, will set up camp at the Joel Joel Hall this afternoon before heading out to affected farms in the upper Wimmera catchment on Saturday and Sunday to help clean up.
Council Municipal Recovery Manager Greg Little said The Big Hand aimed to help farmers in the Joel Joel, Greens Creek and Campbells Bridge areas clean up debris left by the floods and undertake general maintenance and repair work.
Mr Little said there were originally 100 cadets signed up for the weekend but another unit put their hands up this week.
"The Council is really grateful to the army cadets for volunteering their time to come to the region to help our farmers, he said.
"The defence force has recognised the need to support our flood-affected farmers even though the Federal Government is still deciding whether to award them Category C emergency funding.
Mr Little said the Council had still not heard whether the application for Category C assistance for a disaster-affected area under the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRRA) had been decided at the federal level.
Both the State and Federal Governments have to sign off on Category C for it to come into effect. The State Government sent its approved application to the Commonwealth four weeks ago.
Mr Little said having Category C assistance declared would mean affected farmers, businesses and community organisations would have access to a $25,000 clean up and recovery grant.
At least 99 farms, 64 homes and 16 community assets in the upper Wimmera catchment were affected on December 18 when around 125mm of rain fell in just two hours. Many farmers lost fencing that had just been replaced after the January 2011 floods.
Mr Little said the cadets would be thanked for their efforts with a community barbecue on the Sunday at the Joel Joel Hall, after they perform a ceremonial parade near the soldier's memorial monument at 11.30am.
He said the army cadets would be led by the Stawell Army Cadets Unit and be supported by their commanding officers.
"Some of these farmers have been hit two or three times within 12 months so having the cadets come and help out for a weekend will be a real morale boost. The farmers really deserve a break.
The community is welcome to attend the army cadets' parade, starting at 11.30am on Sunday June 17 at the Joel Joel war memorial.
