Rural co-ordination officer appointed
People living in rural areas of Victoria may benefit from the support of a number of newly-appointed rural co-ordination officers.
As the area continues to rebuild after the devastating floods that affected some parts of the state in late 2010 and early 2011 Victoria's new rural co-ordination officers may offer benefits.
In Greater Bendigo, Brett Belot has taken up the role of rural co-ordination officer and is currently working in local farming communities to ensure that people in the agriculture sector have the support they need.
"Many farmers have been overwhelmed by the extra workload caused by the floods and haven't been able to repair all the damage on their properties," he stated.
He added that some rural landowners are only just beginning to experience follow-on problems from last summer's floods and they "need to know how to get help".
Belot said: "This support could involve fencing and property cleanup or access to information about grants and other flood assistance that is available to them."
Earlier this year, Bendigo's city council reached out to rural land owners to assess damage from the floods, noting that many landholders may not be aware of the different types of government assistance that may be available to them.