Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce, says almost a million dollars has been allocated to wildlife and habitat restoration projects in the Electorate as part of the $2 billion National Bushfire Recovery Fund.  

“Grants will be provided to eight successful applicants for projects in New England, including $147,490 for Glenrac Incorporated who’ll build and install nesting boxes in Torrington and Curry’s Gap to allow for the recovery of Squirrel Gliders and the Glossy Black Cockatoo.  

“Armidale Regional Council will receive $150,000 for the Jeogla to Carrai Plateau Bushfire Recovery project which involves a large scale feral animal and pest weed control programme on private land,” Mr Joyce said.  

Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley, said that individual grants range from $5000 to $150,000, and will back dedicated volunteers, Indigenous organisations, Landcare, wildlife sanctuaries and community groups.

“This is about working with communities, about people getting out into the bush, getting on their hands and knees to remove weeds, climbing trees to install nesting boxes and erecting barriers to keep out feral predators,” Minister Ley said.

Mr Joyce said the Coalition Government is getting behind the people of New England as we help our local environment recover from the devastating bushfires.

“People who have been through the fires know there is still a lot of healing to take place and seeing native animals and plants recover is an important part of the process for all of us.”

The competitive grants process was run through the Business Grants Hub with applications submitted by incorporated and not for profit organisations, Indigenous organisations, local government authorities, community groups and volunteers.

(ENDS)