Emergency Alerts
An emergency alert is a national telephone-based system that the State Disaster Coordination Centre uses to send messages to landlines and mobile phones to warn people of dangerous weather and possible severe impacts. The decision to send an emergency alert is based on certainty, severity, timeframe, frequency, and action.
You do not need to register to receive an emergency alert.
Emergency alert messages are sent from: +61 444 444 444
These messages are not a scam and are official text messages from the Queensland State Disaster Coordination Centre as part of the national geo-targeting emergency alert system.
If you receive an emergency alert and want more information, follow the instructions in the message.
To view current emergency alerts, click here.
Disaster Assistance and Funding Opportunities
Please note these funding opportunities include both grants for bushfire prevention and recovery, along with more immediate disaster response grants. When it comes to disaster response, the exact details of assistance packages available are constantly evolving and changing so these were available at the time of publication.
Commonwealth – State
Primary producers can now apply for concessional interest rate loans to help replace or repair assets that have been significantly damaged by a recognised disaster. This includes the loss of significant income, to recover and return to viable operations.
Impacted primary producers can also apply for freight subsidies to assist with the transport of livestock, fodder, or water for livestock, along with building, fencing equipment, or machinery to the primary producer’s home property.
The assistance is jointly funded through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) for nine Local Government Areas:
Bundaberg Regional Council
Central Highlands Regional Council
Gladstone Regional Council
Maranoa Regional Council
North Burnett Regional Council
South Burnett Regional Council
Southern Downs Regional Council
Toowoomba Regional Council
Western Downs Regional Council
Help is also available for 13 Queensland councils to undertake Counter Disaster Operations like firefighting and recovery operations, aimed at protecting the public and ensuring public health and safety.
For more information about Primary Producer and Essential Working Capital Loans, contact the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority on 1800 623 946 or visit www.qrida.qld.gov.au.
For more information about freight subsidies, contact the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries on 13 25 23 or visit www.daf.qld.gov.au.
Additional information on disaster assistance can be found on the Australian Government’s Disaster Assist website at www.disasterassist.gov.au and the Queensland Reconstruction Authority’s website at www.qra.qld.gov.au.
National Assistance
Disaster Recovery Allowance: Payments and help for people directly affected by bushfires, floods, or other natural disasters. Support for people affected by the bushfires in Queensland has been announced.
Salvation Army – Disaster & Emergency Support: The Salvation Army offers a range of services and assistance measures to help people who have been impacted by bushfires, including financial assistance, emotional wellbeing and support services, and information, referrals, and advice.
Local Council Support: Many local councils are offering their own range of support, such as waiving development application fees and rates deferment. Reach out to your local council to find out the support options they are offering.
Strengthening Rural Communities – Prepare & Recover: Supports remote, rural, and regional communities across Australia to implement initiatives that prevent and prepare for future climate-related impacts or recover from existing disasters through the medium to long-term process. Grants up to $25,000 are available for a broad range of initiatives to strengthen the capacity and capability of local people, organisations, networks, and systems that help communities to be informed, skilled, connected, and resourced for the future.
Disaster Recovery Quick Response Grants: Assists any Indigenous corporation whose property has been directly affected by a declared natural disaster, such as a flood, bushfire, or cyclone. Indigenous corporations may be eligible for assistance if their property is within a State or Territory declared natural disaster area and they require immediate assistance to make their property safe to access. Funding can be used for immediate clean-up, work to make the property safe, and purchase of plant and equipment to assist with recovery efforts.
Quick Response Grants: Provides support for researchers to travel to areas affected by natural disasters to ensure that the impacts and perishable data are captured in a timely manner. This can help to identify significant research questions and provide a context for developing more extensive research proposals. Funding support is limited to $2,500 (excluding GST) per team for any individual event.
Blaze Aid: A volunteer-based organisation that works with families and individuals in rural Australia after natural disasters such as fires and floods. Our volunteers help to rebuild fences and other structures that have been damaged or destroyed.
Queensland
- Legal Aid Queensland Natural Disaster Legal Help: Our lawyers can help people with legal problems stemming from bushfires, including insurance claims, financial hardship, and family law issues. Call the Legal Aid Queensland Natural Disaster Legal Help Line on 1300 527 700 to speak to a lawyer. We encourage those with insurance policies to:
- Lodge their claims as soon as possible.
- Write down what you’ve experienced so you can provide that information to insurance assessors.
- Once it’s safe, write a list of destroyed or damaged property, and take photographs or video to support your claim.
- Apply for any state and Commonwealth grants you may qualify for.
- You can visit the Legal Aid Queensland website for more information.
Emergency Hardship Assistance Grant: This grant is available as a contribution to support people directly impacted by a disaster to meet their immediate essential needs. You can apply for $180 per person, up to $900 for a family of 5 or more, to help purchase food, clothing, and medical supplies or secure temporary accommodation.
- https://www.qld.gov.au/community/disasters-emergencies/disasters/money-finance/types-grants/emergency-hardship-assist
Essential Services Hardship Assistance Grant (ESHA): The ESHA grant helps people who have lost one or more essential services (i.e., electricity, gas, water, or sewerage) at their home for more than 5 consecutive days due to a disaster. You can apply for $150 per person, up to $750 for a family of 5 or more.
- https://www.qld.gov.au/community/disasters-emergencies/disasters/money-finance/types-grants/essential-serv-hardship-assist
Essential Household Contents Grant (EHCG): The EHCG helps people who are uninsured, or unable to claim insurance, and who meet an income test, by providing a contribution towards repairing or replacing essential household contents that have been damaged or lost in a disaster.
Structural Assistance Grant (SAG): The SAG helps people who are uninsured, or unable to claim insurance, and who meet an income test, by providing a contribution towards repairs to their home to make it safe, secure, and habitable following damage by a disaster. Uninsured, low-income, owner-occupiers may receive up to a maximum of $50,000.
Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Grant (ESSRS): The ESSRS grant helps people who are uninsured, or unable to claim insurance, and who meet an income test, by providing a contribution towards inspecting, repairing, and reconnecting essential services (i.e., electricity, gas, water, or sewerage) that were damaged by a disaster.
Transport & Motoring Assistance: If you live in a Queensland disaster-activated area, you may be eligible to apply for transport and motoring assistance for vehicle registration and licensing and other transport and motoring products.
RACQ Foundation Community Grant Program: Gives community groups, charities, and sporting clubs the opportunity to rebuild after cyclones, severe storms, bushfires, and drought. Applications are expected to be for amounts of up to $50,000, with grants of up to $100,000 considered in exceptional circumstances.
Emergency & Disaster Funding: The James Frizelle Charitable Foundation provides relief for all types of natural disasters, including support for volunteer brigades. Consideration is also given to natural disasters occurring beyond the usual geographical boundaries.
Mental Illness
Mental illness is a general term that refers to a group of illnesses affecting the mind, in the same way that physical illness affects the body. A mental illness is a clinically diagnosable illness that affects a person’s thinking, emotional state, or social abilities. It may disrupt their ability to work, carry out daily activities, or have satisfying personal relationships.
About 1 in 5 Australians will experience a mental illness in any given year, and almost half will experience a mental health problem at some point in their lives.
What causes mental Illness?
There are a number of factors that can contribute to a mental illness, such as:
A chemical imbalance in the brain
Stressful life events
Drug use.
Need help now?
Call Triple Zero (000) or go to a hospital if you are in immediate danger.
If you or someone you care about is distressed, in crisis, suicidal, or needs someone to talk to, help is available. The following services provide confidential, non-judgemental support.
Health professionals
Talk to your doctor about your concerns and ask for an assessment or referral. Some general practitioners (GPs) have additional training and expertise in mental health.
Phone the mental health access line 1300 MH CALL (1300 642 255), a confidential mental health telephone triage service for Queenslanders.
Adis 24/7 Alcohol and Drug Support is a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week confidential counselling, information, and referral service. Ph: 1800 177 833 (freecall).
Phone 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) for 24-hour assessment, referral, advice, and hospital and community health centre contact details.
Medicare rebates are available for a range of mental health treatments, including up to 10 individual consultations and up to 10 group therapy sessions with a mental health professional. You’ll need a referral from a general practitioner, psychiatrist, or paediatrician.
A number of new temporary MBS telehealth services have also been created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Online treatment
MoodGYM is an innovative, interactive web program designed to prevent depression.
The eMHprac directory is a web version of the popular eMHPrac Guide to Digital Mental Health Resource booklet.
Counselling and support services
Lifeline: Counselling services for anyone at anytime. Phone 13 11 14.
Kids Helpline: Telephone and online counselling for young people aged 5-25. Phone 1800 551 800.
SANE helpline: Information, advice, and referral for mental illness. Phone 1800 187 263.
beyondblue: Information and referral for depression and anxiety. Phone 1300 224 636.
13YARN: A 24-hour national crisis support line for mob who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping. Phone 13 92 76.
Parentline: Support, counselling, and education for parents. Phone 1300 301 300.
PANDA: Perinatal anxiety and depression Australia (PANDA) supports women, men, and families affected by anxiety and depression during pregnancy and in the first year of parenthood. Phone 1300 726 306 (Mon to Fri, 9am – 7:30pm AEST).
Fortify Health Group (formerly Harmony Place): Mental health services for culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and communities. Phone (07) 3416 6660.
Open Arms – Veterans and Families Counselling: Counselling and group programs for Australian veterans, peacekeepers, and their families. Phone 1800 011 046.
MensLine: Telephone and online support, information, and referral service to help men with relationship and other problems. Phone 1300 789 978.
Support groups
Support Groups Queensland: Can help you find a support group in your area. Phone (07) 3344 6919 or email info@supportgroups.org.au.
Grow: Is Australia’s leading mutual help program for people with a mental illness.