Country Women’s Association (CWA) of Victoria – Drought Relief Program

This program aims to assist farming families affected by drought and dry conditions to meet urgent household expenses. It is a key component of the increased drought assistance being provided to Victorian farmers.

The program is available to eligible recipients in the following regions:
- East Gippsland and Wellington: Eligible farm businesses, where the farm is located in Wellington and East Gippsland shires.
- Far North West Victoria – the Millewa: Eligible dryland farm businesses, where the farm is located in the far north west corner of Victoria, generally known as the Millewa and surrounding areas. This incorporates the following towns and locality areas: Carwarp, Colignan, Cullulleraine, Hattah, Iraak, Koorlong, Lindsay Point, Meringur, Merrinee, Nangiloc, Neds Corner, Wargan, and Werrimull.
- Goulburn Murray Irrigation District: Eligible irrigation farm businesses where the farm is located in the Goulburn Murray Irrigation District (GMID), including those that have transitioned from irrigation production systems since 1 July 2018. The GMID encompasses six local government areas of Campaspe Shire, Gannawarra Shire, Greater Shepparton City, Loddon Shire, Moira Shire and Swan Hill Rural City.

Grants of up to $3,000 (GST inclusive) are available. Only one payment is available per eligible farming family.

A total funding pool of $3 million is available.

Eligible applicants must:
- Be a property owner, share farmer or lease holder.
- Be employed, or were recently employed (this includes employment part-time or casual basis), by a farming business.
- Be a farming dependent contractor.
- Have a farming property/location of employment or contracting business is located (or servicing farms) in an eligible area:
a) If located in the area defined as the Millewa or surrounds: Be primarily a dry land producer or employed by a dryland farming business or servicing/contracting to dryland farming businesses (i.e. the majority of your income is, under normal seasonal conditions, based on dryland production).
b) If located in the GMID, encompassing the six local government areas of Campaspe Shire, Gannawarra Shire, Greater Shepparton City, Loddon Shire, Moira Shire and Swan Hill Rural City: Be an irrigation farmer or have transitioned from an irrigation production system after 1 July 2018, or employed by an irrigation farming business or servicing/contracting to an irrigation farming businesses.
- Have the majority of the family’s labour is devoted to the faming business.
- Under normal business conditions, the majority of the household’s income is derived from farming enterprises (either as a business owner, employee or farming dependent contractor). Normal business conditions refer to a year with no adverse climatic conditions (drought, flood, fire) in which average yields/productivity is achieved.

Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete eligibility requirements.

Eligible household expenses include (but are not limited to):
- Residential rates
- Groceries and food
- School expenses
- Household bills (electricity, gas, water)
- Rent
- Telephone expenses
- Urgent dental and medical treatment

Eligible household expenses must be incurred between 1 July 2019 and 30 June 2020.

Activities and expenses not eligible for payment include (but are not limited to):
- General farm business expenses (e.g. equipment, irrigation, insurance, fodder)
- Capital works
- Farm rates notice – without the applicant's principal residence
- Expenses that do not incur an invoice or receipt
- Household expense purchases prior to 1 July 2019