By now you’d have to live under a very dry rock to miss the flooding that has overtaken NSW, and what you should do if the water comes knocking at your door.

But do you know what funding is available to you should you find your head, house or paddock below water?

If you’ve lost or damaged your home or major assets

The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP) is a one-off payment to help people seriously affected by flooding from 14 September 2022 onwards. 

The lump sum payment is at a rate of $1000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child, with claims to be made through Service Australia. 

So far in the Western Plains only Walgett is eligible for the payment, although given recent flood evacuations in Condobolin and surrounding areas, it is expected that this will be expanded. 

Eligible individuals have until 28 April 2023 to lodge a claim. 



If you’ve lost your income

The Disaster Recovery Allowance (DRA) will provide income support to employees, primary producers and sole traders who can prove the recent flooding has directly led to a loss of income. 

DRA will provide fortnightly payments for up to 13 weeks and is available to people who are 16 years and older, and aren’t already receiving another income support payment (eg. JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, Age Pension)

Residents of the Bogan, Bourke, Brewarrina, Cobar, Coonamble, Gilgandra, Lachlan, Narromine, Walgett, Warren and Warrumbungle Shires are all eligible to apply through Services Australia. 

If you’re a primary producer

As of Friday 18 November, farmers in all western plains council areas can apply for Primary Producer Recovery Grants of up to $75,000 to help with recovery and reinstatement activities. 

Eligible producers can access $25,000 in assistance up-front, with a further $50,000 in financial assistance available thereafter upon submission of valid tax invoices.

Eligible LGAs include the Bogan, Bourke, Brewarrina, Cobar, Coonamble, Gilgandra, Lachlan, Narromine, Walgett, Warren and Warrumbungle Shires. 

Evidence such as pictures, quotes or tax invoices will be needed to support the claim. 

If money can’t fix it

Both federal and state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) provide a range of varying assistance from flooding that occurred from 14 September, including:

• Personal hardship and distress assistance
• Counter disaster operations
• Restoration of essential public assets
• Concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, primary producers and non-profit organisations who have suffered direct damage
• Freight subsidies for primary producers
• Grants for non-profit organisations

These arrangements can be accessed through Resilience NSW and Service NSW> 

Is it enough?

A state farming body has thanked the government for the response after calling for more, but warns of the inevitable costs that will continue. 

NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said the federal government needed to mobilise defence personnel to support urgent road repairs so farmers could harvest what remained of their crops, and rapidly approve visas to boost the number of workers in rural areas so communities could get back on their feet quickly. 

The funding, however, has been welcomed as a positive move. 

“The rains have stopped for now but the flood water will continue to affect farms and communities for some time,” Mr Martin said.

“There are still 1000 homes and businesses without power right now across the Central West, and many of the state’s rural roads are in a desperate state of disrepair,” he said. 

According to Mr Martin, the current flood situation could see individual repair bills in excess of $100,000, as well as damage to roads including the Newell Highway that could stop harvest trucks in their tracks and further in the long-term. 

Federal Minister for Agriculture Murray Watts said that state and federal governments are in talks about getting roads repaired as urgently as possible. 

If you need urgent flood assistance or supplies, contact the SES on 132 500.