13 January 2026

Recovery Hub

Council is running a Recovery Hub this week with attending agencies to offer practical support and guidance in these early stages of the recovery. The following agencies will be attending tomorrow:

• Mount Alexander Shire Council business helpdesk
• Regional Development Victoria
• Rural Financial Counselling Service
• Department of Families, Fairness and Housing
• Services Australia
• Representatives from several insurance companies
• Telstra
• PowerCor
• Agriculture Victoria
• Coliban Water
• VicRoads
• Red Cross
• Blaze Aid - fencing
• Salvation Army
• Dhelkaya Health
• Castlemaine Community House
• VIC Police
• Bendigo & District Aboriginal Co-operative
• Lisa Chesters MP, Member for Bendigo
• Maree Edwards MP, Member for Bendigo West 

On Thursday and Friday this week there will be computers available for use, provided by Workforce Australia.

🗓️Until further notice
⏲️11.00am - 5.00pm
📍Castlemaine Town Hall

Key agricultural fire information

Agriculture Victoria has provided some useful resources for those dealing with animals:

Agriculture Victoria bushfire information 
https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/farm-management/emergency-management/bushfires

Assistance with agricultural animal welfare/ loss and damage request form
https://forms.bio.vic.gov.au/loss-and-damage-online-assessment-form

Fodder donations/requests 
https://www.vff.org.au/vff-emergency-fodder-program/

Assessing cattle after fire 
https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/farm-management/emergency-management/bushfires/what-to-do-after-a-bushfire/assessing-cattle-after-a-bushfire

Assessing sheep after fire 
https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/farm-management/emergency-management/bushfires/what-to-do-after-a-bushfire/assessing-sheep-after-a-bushfire

Disposal of carcasses
https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/farm-management/emergency-management/bushfires/what-to-do-after-a-bushfire/disposing-of-carcasses-after-bushfire-flood-or-drought

Financial counselling

Rural Financial Counselling Service Victoria West is available to assist farmers and small business owners impacted by the recent fires. Experienced counsellors provide free, confidential support with insurance matters, financial recovery, education around available assistance and grants, navigating lenders, and planning next steps. Support is available in person, by phone or online.

• Email enquiry@finwellsupport.com.au or call 1300 735 578 for help.

There are several counselling, support and assistance agencies at the Recovery Hub this week.

How to help

• Bendigo Bank is accepting financial donations that will go to community groups helping people impacted by the fires. Donations given to support a specific impacted area will remain within that community to aid its recover. Donate now.
• West End Resilience has a volunteer notice board where you can offer support such as meals, transport, tools, care and more.
• Castlemaine Community House and Castlemaine Safe Space are accepting donations of pantry items, fruit and vegetables, household cleaning items and toiletries.
• Harcourt Football Netball Club and Taradale CFA are accepting monetary donations.
• The Good Op Shop needs volunteers to sort donations.

Tell us how your business has been affected by the current fire event

We want to know if your business has been affected by the current fire event in our region.

Council wants to know how many businesses have been impacted, and to what extent. We can connect you to support services and advocate on behalf of shire businesses for state and federal support.

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Mount Alexander Shire Council
email: business@mountalexander.vic.gov.au  web: www.mountalexander.vic.gov.au

Mount Alexander Shire Council acknowledges that the traditional custodians of this
land, the Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung peoples, proudly survive. We acknowledge their continued practice of custom and their close cultural, spiritual, physical, social, historical and economic relationship with the land and waters that make up
their country, which includes Mount Alexander Shire.