This page is for community members impacted by the floods of January 2023.
On this page:
If you were impacted by the Kimberley Floods you can call the Department of Communities Disaster Relief Hotline on 1800 032 965 to speak with someone about support services between 9am and 4pm Monday to Friday.
The Broome Regional Aboriginal Medical Service; Derby Aboriginal Health Service Council; Kimberley Aboriginal Medical Services; and Marninwarntikura Women’s Resource Centre are jointly provided wellbeing support as part of the Fitzroy Valley flood recovery. If you’re impacted by the floods, not feeling good and want to feel stronger about yourself, there is support available.
Call 0484 743 646, email er.sewb@kamsc.org.au orvisit the Marninwarntikura Women’s Resource Centre.
For local recovery enquiries contact the Shire of Derby/West Kimberley on (08) 9191 0999 or sdwk@sdwk.wa.gov.au
If you, or someone you know, are feeling worried or no good, call 13YARN to talk with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter.
If you, or someone you know, needs free health advice call Healthdirect any time to speak with a health professional.
The Community Social Recovery Program provides funding and staffing to boost the delivery of services and programs that support social and emotional wellbeing support, including legal assistance and grants for community recovery initiatives.
The Community Social Recovery Program is jointly funded through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
You can call the Department of Communities Disaster Relief Hotline on 1800 032 965 to speak with someone about financial supports.
The Department of Communities and the Department of Housing and Works are working closely with flood-impacted communities to provide temporary accommodation support, and repair or rebuild flood-damaged public housing.
You can call the Department of Communities Disaster Relief Hotline on 1800 032 965 to speak with someone about accommodation, wellbeing supports, personal support and wellbeing services.
Or visit the Department of Communities Hub at the Kirrayili Adult Education Centre (Room 10) in Fitzroy Crossing(between 8am and 4pm, Monday to Friday).
A flexible grants program is available to support projects that clean-up, restore, recover from or monitor the long-term impacts to environment, heritage and cultural assets that were impacted by the floods. Eligible applicants include non-profit organisations, community groups and prescribed bodies corporate.
The Homeowners Recovery and Resilience Grants Program offered grants of up to $50,000 to assist eligible homeowners whose properties were damaged or destroyed by flooding associated with Ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie.
The program provided two types of grants to support recovery and long-term resilience. The Recovery Grant assisted homeowners undertake clean-up and repair works, while the Resilience Grant supported measures to strengthen properties against future flood events.
This grant program is jointly funded through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
The Aboriginal and Local Business Participation in Recovery Program supported the involvement of Aboriginal businesses, workers and local communities in recovery and reconstruction activities following the Kimberley floods.
Through a range of business support, grant funding and employment initiatives, the Program helped build local capability, create employment opportunities and increase Aboriginal participation in the delivery of recovery and reconstruction works. Delivery agencies continue to work with businesses, workers and communities to finalise remaining Program activities.
The Aboriginal and Local Business Participation in Recovery Program is jointly funded through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangement and is delivered by the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.
The Infrastructure Betterment Program is a recovery assistance funding package designed for eligible local governments and State agencies to build back better, more resilient eligible road-related essential public assets impacted by Ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie and associated flooding.
Recently the National Emergency Management Agency approved for the Program to be expanded to include existing, completed and approved Category B Immediate Reconstruction Works linked to a Non-Directly Allocated Betterment Works Project application for Category D betterment works, subject to the eligibility requirements and capped funding as described in the Program Guideline.
Round 2 of the AGRN1044 Infrastructure Betterment Program is open for Expressions of Interest from 2 June 2026.
This program is jointly funded through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
The Environment, Heritage and Cultural Recovery Grants Program provided flexible funding to support projects that , restored, recovered and monitored environmental, heritage and cultural assets impacted by the Kimberley floods.
Funding was available to eligible community organisations, not-for-profit groups and prescribed bodies corporate to support recovery activities across affected communities.
This assistance is jointly funded through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
The Community Recovery Grants Program provided funding to support activities and projects that helped communities recover, reconnect and build resilience following the Kimberley Floods.
Through a range of grant streams, the Program supported community-led initiatives, events, clean-up activities and essential repairs that contributed community recovery and resilience.
This grant program is part of the Community Social Recovery Program that is jointly funded through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
The Prescribed Body Corporate (PBC) Recovery Support Program provided funding to support eligible PBCs to deliver community engagement, advocacy and cultural navigation services that enabled communities participate in and benefit from recovery activities.
The program is jointly funded through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
Support initiatives were delivered to assist Kimberley-based Aboriginal businesses and jobseekers affected by the floods, providing access to business development, training and employment opportunities that supported recovery and longer-term economic participation.
The National, Conservation and Marine Parks Clean-up Program funded the removal of flood-related debris and the reinstatement of damaged infrastructure to support the recovery and reopening of flood-affected parks across the Kimberley. The Program was delivered by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.
The National, Conservation and Marine Parks Clean-up Program is jointly funded through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
The Kimberley Floods Clean-up Program provided financial assistance to communities, local governments, residents and businesses affected by the floods to support clean-up activities and the restoration of impacted public and private assets across the Kimberley.
The Clean-up Program is jointly funded through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
If you are a small business proprietor whose assets or premises have been directly impacted by Ex TC Ellie, you may be eligible to receive a four per cent interest rate subsidy on new loans taken out for the purposes of repairing damaged assets or business carry on costs.
This assistance is funded through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements Category B.
You can stay up to date by joining the DFES Kimberley Floods Facebook Group to read about the latest news and share information.
The Shire of Derby/West Kimberley publishes a Flood News Flash newsletter to provide regular updates on local recovery activities. Subscribe by contacting media@sdwk.wa.gov.au.
On 13 August 2021 the State Government announced an independent review into the Wooroloo Bushfire. Submissions were open from 20 August 2021 to 8 October 2021 and have now closed. The review was released in March 2022.
The Shire of Derby/West Kimberley publishes a Flood News Flash newsletter to provide regular updates on local recovery activities. Read past editions, or subscribe by contacting media@sdwk.wa.gov.au.
