Powering through to fix storm damage
Dale and Michelle Mott waiting for their power to be restored at Cuckoo on Monday.
September 11, 2024
The clean-up continues for property owners across the region as TasNetworks attempts to restore power to dozens of people who remain in the dark after last week’s super storm.
Emergency grants have been activated as authorities scramble to deal with the aftermath of the unprecedented storms, while property owners and volunteers have banded together to help clean up some of the devastation.
As we go to print there are more than 100 people still without power, with days still to come before they are back on the grid.
Customers affected include:
• 89 at Myrtle Bank, Nunamara, Patersonia and Targa – estimated restoration Thursday afternoon;
• 34 at Nunamara, Targa, Tayene – restoration to be confirmed after Friday evening;
• 10 at Wyena – expected restoration Friday evening;
• And 8 at Derby – expected restoration Friday afternoon.
There were also another 15 customers in Lebrina and Retreat who hoped to have power back this afternoon (Wednesday, September 11) while 13 in Lilydale and North Lilydale and another 13 in Pipers River were expected to have their issues resolved last night.
They will all be eligible for the Temporary Living Support Grant, with payments of $2000 per household available to those whose principal place of residence has been without power for greater than seven days or is uninhabitable due to damage.
It follows last week’s announcement of $350 payments to households that went without power for 72 or more hours.
Rural and regional businesses impacted by the current weather event can apply for up to $5,000 in emergency financial assistance through the Rural Relief Fund (RRF).
Dorset Community House Manager Naomi Buster said it had been a big week supplying emergency relief across the region.
“We were very busy Wednesday to Friday last week with a team out on the road in the Dorset Rover providing packages of food and water to households and supporting people to apply for financial grant payments,” Ms Buster said.
“We will be doing so again Monday to Thursday this week with room to extend if needed.”
Dorset Council Acting Director of Corporate Services Lauren Tolputt said there had been more than 35 customers make use of the Council’s free disposal of green waste, with approximately 300m3 of green waste accepted so far. That offer remains open at Scottsdale, Gladstone and Branxholm Waste Transfer Stations until September 18.
“We expect more customers to use the offer this week now that the weather is clearer,” Ms Tolputt said.
The Tasmanian Government has also waived the landfill levy payable by landfill operators for disposal of extreme weather waste including spoiled food, with the waiver in place until November 30.
Council crews attended to 29 emergency call outs since the beginning of the unprecedented weather event.
“All works crews were diverted from normal operations to conduct storm clean up last week, and it’s looking like that will continue for the remainder of this week,” Ms Tolputt said.
Work continues clearing debris from fallen trees in Bridport Caravan Park and the Blue Derby Network, while Rotary Club of Scottsdale President Guy Jetson said Rotary volunteers and Tamar Bicycle Users Group (TBUG) members cleared in excess of 100 trees from the Rail Trail ahead of this week’s Rail Trail Run and Ride event (see page 10 for more details).
“Countless volunteer hours and machinery have been used to clear the trail, the level of damage is unprecedented,” Mr Jetson said.
“Rotary crews are continuing to work on the trail to ensure a safe event for participants this weekend where the sun is promising to shine.”
A Bureau of Meteorology spokesman said there would be a “fairly typical”
early spring weather pattern about the North-East through this week with
cold fronts to cross on Wednesday and Friday.
“Most of the rainfall will be about the west of Tasmania, but rainfall will increase briefly across the North-East as these fronts approach and cross,” the spokesman said.
Dorset Suicide Prevention Network has also reminded people to be kind to themselves and others during the stressful weather event, and contacts for various services available have been printed on Page 2.