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Funding programs

In the aftermath of the devastating 2019-2020 Eastern Victorian bushfires, the Bushfire Rebuilding Rebate Program was established to provide much needed financial support to assist those whose residence was destroyed or rendered uninhabitable.

This provides continuing support as individuals and families navigate their way through the challenges of re-establishing their residence in affected areas.

The Victorian and Commonwealth Governments have announced rebuilding support rebates for properties destroyed or significantly damaged by the Eastern Victorian bushfires that occurred from 21 November 2019.

Households in the East Gippsland Shire Council and Towong Shire Council can access the Rainwater and septic tank replacement program to have safe access water and safe disposal of wastewater by providing rebates to repair, replace or install a rainwater tank and/or septic system.

Applications closed 29 May 2026.

Unsure of your local council?

Check your local council at Know your council.

We are providing this support to help ensure affected households have access to usable water and safe disposal of wastewater.

This program aims to achieve longer-term resilience and sustainability for communities located in these bushfire-affected areas.

Who could apply?

To be eligible for the rebate program you must have:

  • been the owner of a dwelling that:
    • was/is in the municipalities of either East Gippsland Shire or Towong Shire
    • was destroyed or severely damaged because of the 2019-20 Eastern Victorian Fires which commenced on 21 November 2019
    • is on a site that has been registered with the relevant Bushfire Rebuild Support Service (RSS) in your municipality.
  • be rebuilding your dwelling either on the same property as the fire-affected dwelling was, or on another site within the same municipality
  • be the landowner or have the permission of the landowner to have applied on their behalf have evidence of ownership of the property at the time of the fires
  • have sought available insurance arrangements prior to applying for the program
  • intend to rebuild your home or building in the same municipality and require one of the following:
    • rainwater and/or septic tank installations
    • water tank for firefighting purposes to conform with a Bushfire Management Overlay
    • be able to provide the relevant mandatory supporting documentation for each rebate.

Additional criteria applied to each program.

If you have any extenuating circumstances that have caused unforeseen costs or have impacted your eligibility, please contact the Bushfire Rebuild Support Service (RSS) in your municipality or Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA) to discuss your application.

All programs offer rebates for any work completed since the bushfires began on 21 November 2019. Please read the program guidelines carefully to understand the full eligibility requirements and what you need to provide as part of your application, including receipts and proof of satisfactory installation.

What was funded?

The 2019-20 Eastern Victorian Bushfire Rebuilding Rebates Program offered eligible applicants up to $20,000 in rebate payments, upon fulfilling eligibility criteria, across its two programs.

Find out more about the program: Rainwater and septic tank replacement program

You will receive an application number when you submit an application online. Please use this number in all communications with the department relating to your application.

Supporting documents must be in an acceptable file type, such as Word, Excel, PDF or JPEG. The maximum file size for each file is 10MB.

If you have documents to submit that cannot be attached to your online application you can email them to recovery.rebates@deeca.vic.gov.au, quoting your application number. Attach all documents to one email, zipping the files if required.

Alternatively, download an application form and post it, together with the supporting documentation, to:

Recovery Rebate Programs
Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
PO Box 500
East Melbourne VIC 8002

Funding conditions

Tax implications

Applicants should consult the Australian Taxation Office or seek professional advice on any taxation implications that may arise from this rebate funding.

Payments

Once approved, rebate payments will be made as long as you have provided correct account details for the funding will be deposited into.

Reporting

Information about the uptake of the rebate program and the types of rebates claimed will be collected and used to evaluate the program’s success. Privacy will be protected in the analysis and any publication of reports on the program. Agreement to collection of this information is a condition of the scheme.

Audit

The Department and their agents reserve the right to conduct audit activities to ensure all information and activities funded under this Program are correct and accurate. This may include site inspections, contacting professional service suppliers, request for further documentation and insurance reports.

Contact us

If you have questions about the application process, contact us:

Rebate queries and offline applications

Email: recovery.rebates@deeca.vic.gov.au

Phone: 03 8622 7601

Post: Recovery Rebate Programs
Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
PO Box 500
East Melbourne VIC 8002

Technical support for Grants Online

Email: grantsinfo@deeca.vic.gov.au

For further information about other support available to fire-affected communities, please visit the Emergency Recovery Victoria website.

Privacy

Applicants should be aware that the administration of the program is required to comply with all relevant Commonwealth and State legislation and regulations, including but not limited to:

  • The Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth) 
  • The Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Vic)
  • Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004

Any personal information about you or a third party in your application will be collected by the Departments and their agents for the purposes of administering your rebate application and informing Members of Parliament of successful applications.

Personal information may also be disclosed to external experts, such as members of assessment panels, or other Government Departments for assessment, reporting, advice, comment or for discussions regarding alternative or collaborative rebate funding opportunities.

If you intend to include personal information about third parties in your application, please ensure that they are aware of the contents of this privacy statement.

Any personal information about you or a third party in your correspondence will be collected, held, managed, used, disclosed, or transferred in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 and other applicable laws.

The Victorian Government is committed to protecting the privacy of personal information. You can find the DEECA Privacy Policy online at www.deeca.vic.gov.au/privacy.

Requests for access to information about you held by DEECA should be sent to the Manager Privacy, P.O. Box 500 East Melbourne 8002 or contact by phone on 03 9637 8697.

If you submitted applications prior to 14 July 2023, requests for access to information about you held by Melbourne Water should be sent to Privacy Officer, Melbourne Water, PO Box 4342, Melbourne 3001 or contact by phone on 131 722.

Page last updated: 25/08/26