Discover Gondwana. Photo: Branden Bodman, New South Wales National Parks
The Australian Government is investing $110 million to provide strategic on-ground support for the most impacted native species, ecological communities and natural assets across seven bushfire affected regions. This includes:
- $67 million of action by state governments and Natural Resource Management organisations within regions, informed by seven regional co-design stakeholder workshops
- $43 million to further address priority actions identified in the co-design workshops, deliver strategic projects that address gaps in asset protection and to support recovery actions best delivered at a multiregional scale.
The seven bushfire regions identified as most vulnerable following the 2019–20 bushfires are shown below.
Map of vulnerable regions following the 2019–20 Black Summer bushfires
Text version of image
This map shows the extent and severity of the 2019-20 bushfires in southern and eastern Australia. The fires burnt from the forests and coast of East Gippsland in Victoria, through the forests of south coast NSW, into the rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands, and over the border into the rainforests of south-east Queensland. The fire extent spreads as far inland as the Greater Blue Mountains and Australia’s alpine region. The map also shows fire effects of Kangaroo Island off the coast of South Australia.
Legend for map of vulnerable regions following the 2019–20 Black Summer bushfires
Regional Fund – co-design workshop investments
Investment in these bushfire regions has been informed by a regional co-design process to ensure it complements existing Australian Government investments as well as recovery activities being supported through state governments, non-government organisations and privately funded activities.
Profiles for each region and priorities for regional investments can be found here:
- rainforests of south-east Queensland
- rainforests of the NSW north coast and tablelands
- the Greater Blue Mountains and World Heritage Area
- forests of the NSW south coast
- Australia’s alpine environments across ACT, NSW and Victoria
- forests and coastal ecosystems of East Gippsland
- Kangaroo Island.
Actions within and across regions to support the recovery of native plants, animals, ecosystems and natural assets include:
- reducing threats by controlling feral animals and weeds
- bringing back the bush through revegetation and regeneration
- Traditional Owner led actions including cultural burning
- protecting unburnt areas as refuges
- controlling erosion to support freshwater animal habitats
- specific actions for species at risk, such as translocation or seed collection, and
- managing fire to support the region’s biodiversity.
The Australian Government investment is bolstered by partnerships with states and territories, Natural Resource Management organisations, Indigenous communities, non-government organisations, scientists and community groups.
A list of the $67 million state governments and Natural Resource Management projects under the Regional Fund is on the Activities and Outcomes page.
Information on the $43 million Regional Fund investment is on the Multiregional and Strategic Investments page.