• New recovery packages worth a combined $269 million will strengthen North Queensland against future disaster events.
• Packages target infrastructure, community and mental health, small business, primary producers and tourism, and the environment.
• Assistance jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments.

New disaster recovery packages worth more than $269 million have been announced to support North Queensland’s recovery from last month’s floods.

Funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under the joint Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), the assistance measures include:

• $205 million to build a more resilient Bruce Highway and other key state-owned connection roads and assets like Ollera Creek Bridge, allowing them to be built back to a more resilient standard.
• $26.23 million Small Business and Tourism Recovery Support Package including financial assistance for operators who lost income after being cut off.
• $18.9 million Community Health and Wellbeing Package, providing impacted, vulnerable and at-risk residents with personal and emotional support.
• $9.7 million Mental Health Package for individual and family therapeutic care to mitigate mental health impacts caused by the floods.
• $7.1 million Primary Production Industry Support Package to help farmers with recovery activities and disaster preparedness planning.
• $2.1 million Environmental Recovery Package to support the restoration of north Queensland’s unique coastline and land ecosystems.