Extraordinary disaster recovery packages worth more than $50 million are now available to communities and businesses in a host of councils including Douglas Shire and Mareeba to help support North Queensland’s full recovery from last month’s devastating floods south of Cairns.

Funded by the Federal and State Governments under the joint Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, this latest tranche of extraordinary disaster assistance includes:

• $30 million Sport and Recreational Community Facilities Recovery Program to rebuild and carry out repairs on flood impacted sport and rec centres.
• $20 million Community and Recreational Assets Recovery Program - a grants-based program to repair and rebuild affected community infrastructure.

Previously announced $25,000 Extraordinary Disaster Assistance Recovery Grants will also increase to $75,000 for primary producers and $50,000 for small businesses and not-for-profits.

Both governments are also extending disaster assistance to a host of councils including Mareeba following February’s flood event across northern Queensland.

This DRFA support will fund councils’ response, clean-up and recovery, including emergency repairs and long-term reconstruction of the road network.

The support takes the total number of councils receiving DRFA assistance in response to the North and Far North Tropical Low weather event to 38, which includes Douglas Shire Council, Mareeba, Cassowary Coast, Cairns, Cook and Wujal Wujal.

State Emergency Management Minister Jenny McAllister said the announcement will help get communities back on their feet.

“North and Far North Queensland farmers are so important to the region and local economy,” she said.

“We are tripling the grant money available to primary producers to help get recovery started.”

Industry group Queensland Cane Agriculture and Renewables thanked Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for answering the desperate pleas of North Queenslanders and granting farmers access to the DRFA grants.