Safe Removal of Hazardous Trees Payment
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
The Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund has made available a payment of up to $4,000 per residential property to assist with the assessment and safe removal of trees that have been made hazardous as a direct result of bushfire sustained in the 2009 Victorian bushfires.
The closing date for this payment has changed and you now have until 30 June 2010 to lodge. In addition, you can now lodge your application once the work has been completed but before you have paid the invoice by forwarding the invoice with the report identifying the hazardous trees. More detail on how to claim is below.
Am I eligible? (revised 22 February 2010)
You are eligible if you were the owner of a residential property at the time of the bushfires and, as a result of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires, you have trees that are a hazard to human safety that need to be removed on this residential property.
Landlords are eligible to apply for this payment in order to make their property safe for tenants.
Residential property owners may apply for this payment once the work has been completed. You must provide an arborists report and may provide either valid invoice/s or receipt/s for the work already completed.
Burnt native trees can be removed without a permit to make a site safe under planning provisions made in response to the 2009 bushfires. Areas covered by special planning overlays may require other approvals. Applicants should check with their local council as to restrictions or requirements associated with the removal of trees and vegetation.
What assistance is available? (revised 22 February 2010)
A payment of up to $4000 per residential property will be made available to assist with the assessment and removal of hazardous trees from your property.
Payment will only be made based on an assessment from a qualified service (these include arborists, professional tree removers or council) confirming the trees are hazardous to human safety as a direct result of the damage sustained in the 2009 bushfires.
Payment will be by way of reimbursement, direct to the applicant, upon the provision of receipts or invoices for work already completed.
What is an arborist and how do I find one?
An arborist is a trained technician for trees. Aborists are often employed by, or own tree care services. An arborists training enables them to assess the health and stability of a tree and to safely prune, fell and remove trees. While you must provide an arborist report identifying the hazardous trees, you may use any legitimate tree contracting service to undertake the tree removal.
To find an arborist your shires website may provide a list of local arborists. Otherwise you can check the Yellow Pages or the Tree Contractors Association Australia website.
How do I claim?
To claim the Safe Removal of Hazardous Trees payment, you will need to complete the Safe Removal of Hazardous Trees Payment Application Form (PDF, 141KB) and include all supporting documentation.
What information do I need to provide?
- A correctly completed application form including signed statutory declaration, proof of ownership and bank details
- An assessment from an arborist advising that the tree/s are hazardous as a direct result of the 2009 bushfires
- Valid receipts for the cost of removal of the hazardous trees (quotes are not acceptable)
- Proof that you own the residential property
In order to establish proof of ownership the applicant will need to provide a rates notice, unless the applicant has previously been approved for a damaged or destroyed homes grant.
If you have already applied for Bushfire Appeal Fund grants and have provided any of the information listed above in previous applications (eg. proof of identity, bank details, rates notice), please note this on your application as you will not have to provide it again.
Who can witness a statutory declaration?
People authorised to witness statutory declarations include lawyers, police, pharmacists, school principals, ministers of religion, bank managers, doctors, vets and Housing Services Officers.
How long do I have to claim? (revised 22 February 2010)
Applications for this Gift have now closed.
What if I need assistance with completing this form?
You can contact the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund on 1800 180 213.