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We understand that disasters have a devastating impact on many lives. You don’t have to go through it alone.
There is support, counselling and advice available for you and your family.
Emergency Recovery Victoria support services
Victorians affected by storms, bushfires or floods, can call our Hotline on 1800 560 760.
We can help connect you to the services you need during your recovery.
Financial support
Dispute resolution for the financial services industry.
Services include:
- credit
- finance and loans
- insurance
- banking deposits and payments
- investments and financial advice
- superannuation.
Call 1800 931 678 Monday to Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Banks and other financial institutions provide support to customers impacted by disasters by offering a range of adjustments to services, hardship support and in some instances, grants.
Ask your bank what support they have available.
Available for low-income earners or people who have experienced family or domestic violence, or health care card or pension card holders. Clients need to show they can repay the loan.
Available loans:
- up to $2,000 for essentials like appliances, furniture, car repairs, education fees
- up to $3000 for housing related expenses like bond or rent
- up to $3000 for recovery from natural disaster.
Offers the following advice services:
- banking and budgeting
- loan information
- investment and planning information
- super and retirement
- insurance
- tools, tips and calculators
The National Debt Helpline provides:
- financial counselling
- advice on managing debt.
Tools include:
- a budget planner
- sample hardship letters
- step-by-step guides.
Call 1800 007 007
Free and independent financial information, options, decision-making support and referral services.
For primary producers and small rural businesses experiencing, or at risk of, financial hardship.
Visit Agriculture Victoria's Rural Financial Counselling Service for more information and how to access local providers.
Housing support
Some community organisations provide bond loans through the Housing Establishment Fund (HEF).
This fund is a program that provides financial help to eligible people with a housing-related hardship.
The HEF is jointly funded by the Victorian and Australian governments under the National Affordable Housing Agreement.
RentAssist provide interest-free loans for private rental bonds. To find out about eligibility, how to apply and how to repay the loan.
Call 1300 475 170
Specific resources have been provided to support renters in distress due to the impact of floods.
They can provide renters with:
- tenancy advocacy
- legal advice
- financial counselling.
Agencies providing the Tenancy Stress Victoria service are:
WEst Justice Western Melbourne – call 03 9749 7720
Arc Justice Central and Northern Victoria – call 1800 450 909.
Mental health support
Crisis support and suicide prevention
If you or a loved one needs extra support, speak with your local doctor, a mental health professional, counsellor or psychologist. It can also be helpful to talk to someone who is independent but still understanding.
Phone Triple Zero 000 if you or someone you know is in immediate danger.
13YARN is the first national crisis support line for mob who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping.
They offer a confidential one-on-one yarning opportunity with a Lifeline-trained Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter who can provide crisis support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Call: 13 92 76
Provides online, email and phone service to people seeking the advice and assistance of a qualified and suitable Australian Psychological Society (APS) psychologist in private practice.
Call 1800 333 497
Beyond Blue has an information line that offers expert information on:
- depression
- how to recognise the signs of depression
- how to get help
- how to help someone else and how to stay well.
Call 1300 224 636 or chat to a counsellor online.
Confidential drug and alcohol counselling and referral.
Call 1800 88 236
National Youth Mental Health foundation's Headspace offers youth counselling and mental health services to 12 to 25 year olds.
Kids Helpline is a free and confidential 24/7 online and phone counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25.
Call 1800 55 1800
Lifeline is a 24/7 telephone service that offers confidential support and advice to help you deal with stress and personal challenges.
They offer a dedicated support line for people recovering from a bushfire or extreme weather event.
Call 13 HELP (13 43 57)
Their general helpline is 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14
This is a telephone and online support, information and referral service helping men deal with their relationship problems.
Call 1300 789 978
The National Centre for Farmer Health's Support Hub offers a comprehensive collection of mental health resources available specifically for farmers and agricultural communities. Designed to address the unique challenges of farming, it provides tools and resources to help farmers prepare for and navigate difficult times – whether seasonal pressures or unexpected events like natural disasters.
This is a 24/7 hour telephone service that allows people to discuss any health-related issues with a registered nurse for the cost of a local call.
Call 1300 606 024
Support for parents and carers of children from birth to 18 years old.
Call 13 22 89 from 8:00 am to midnight (7 days a week including public holidays).
Free and confidential service that provides support for small business owners and employees through trained wellbeing coaches, financial counsellors and business advisers.
Partners in Wellbeing also assists with access and navigation to:
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Hubs.
Call 1300 375 330 from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm weekdays. Weekends 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Rainbow Door is a free specialist Lesbian, Gay , Bisexual, Transgender and Gender Diverse, Intersex, Queer, Asexual, BrotherBoys, SisterGirls (LGBTIQA+) helpline providing information, support, and referral to all LGBTIQA+ Victorians, their friends and family.
Call: 1800 729 367
Flying Doctor Wellbeing is a free mental health and wellbeing service for people in rural and remote Victorian communities.
This service enables people to access sessions with a mental health clinician without needing to leave their local community, with appointments available face-to-face and via telehealth and telephone.
This response centre provides confidential support and information for women and children living with family violence or for anyone who knows a person living with family violence.
Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Call 1800 015 188
Here are some websites offering practical advice and resources to support you:
Family violence support
Family violence can happen to anyone.
Dial Triple Zero 000 if you are in immediate danger.
For people experiencing or at risk of experiencing sexual assault, domestic or family violence.
Call 1800 737 732 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
For children and young people whose safety is at risk – after hours Child Protection Emergency Service.
Call 13 12 78 from 5:00 pm to 9:00 am Monday to Friday (24 hours on weekends and public holidays).
The Men’s Referral Service is the national counselling, information and referral service for men who use violence and abuse to change their behaviour. They can have a conversation with you, help you with some short-term tactics and put you in touch with some supports that can help you along the journey.
Call 1300 766 491 available 24/7.
The Orange Door provides help for adults, children and young people who are experiencing family violence.
For women and children who are victims of family violence.
Call 1800 015 188 crisis phone line 24/7.
For victims of sexual assault.
Call 1800 806 292 after hours from 5:00 pm to 9:00 am (including weekend and public holidays).
Consumer and business support
Legal advice and financial counselling for vulnerable people in Australia. Priority given to people facing hardship for various reasons.
Call 1800 466 477
Free legal information and referrals to Victorians affected by a disaster. Clients can contact their closest community legal centre to get advice from a local lawyer.
Call 1800 113 43 Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Can provide legal assistance in dealing with insurers following a weather-related emergency. There are detailed fact sheets available online and sample letters clients can send to their insurers.
Call 1300 663 464
The Partners in Wellbeing Helpline | Business Victoria offers eligible sole traders, small business owners and their employees free and confidential support. You can speak with trained wellbeing coaches, financial counsellors and business advisers who understand your business and the unique pressures you face. The service is available from 9 am to 8 pm on weekdays and from 9 am to 5 pm on Saturdays.
Partners in Wellbeing also assists with access and navigation to:
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Hubs.
This service visits metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria as an 'office on wheels'.
The Small Business Bus (Business Victoria) is equipped with expert advisers to provide general business assistance as well as financial and wellbeing support from trained experts.
Visit Business Victoria for more information and to book a session on the bus.
Disability support
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) can support National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants once people are out of danger. You may be eligible to access the scheme if you are under 65 and live with a permanent disability that affects your ability to take part in everyday activities.
Call the NDIA Contact Centre on 1800 800 110 for information and advice.
Support for families
It's okay to feel stressed and confused after a disaster. If you feel this way, you should talk to your parents or guardians about it.
Headspace is a national youth mental health program and they have a lot of information on how to cope with the stress of natural disasters. They provide advice on dealing with stress:
- talk with a trusted adult about getting the right sort of help if it all feels a bit much.
- do things that make you feel physically and emotionally safe, and be with those who are helpful to your wellbeing.
- engage in activities that promote a sense of calm and feeling grounded (use of alcohol and other drugs can be counterproductive with this). Look for ways to include some routine and re-engage with pre-exposure activities as much as possible (for example, playing games or sports, hobbies, etcetera).
- find ways to connect with others, especially those who help you feel OK.
- explore ways to get involved with repair and recovery of your community, and family and friends. This can help foster a sense of hope, which is important to recovery.
- be mindful of exposure to traumatic information through stories, traditional news and social media. It can be helpful to take a break from the 24-hour news cycle.
There are people in the community who you can talk to directly. Kids Helpline is a free and confidential 24/7 online and phone counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25.
Call 1800 55 1800
Children can feel overwhelmed and devastated when directly affected by emergencies or from the scenes that emerge afterwards. Sometimes, they don’t have ways of understanding what they see and can be particularly vulnerable to feelings of anxiety, stress and sadness.
At the same time, children can also have a natural ability to be resilient and adapt to challenging events.
Here are some signs to look out for:
- a child becoming more clingy towards a parent or carer
- changes to sleeping or eating patterns, or both
- the emergence of new physical complaints – such as stomach ache or headache
- changes in mood – such as being more easily irritable, or shutting down
- changes in a child's behaviour or learning at school
- appearing on edge and frightened – for example, being more easily startled, developing new fears, having nightmares or regression in behaviour.
If you (or one of your child’s carers) notice these or other changes then it is important to ask the child what they are worried about. Talk to them in a way that is open and appropriate to their age. Listen to their questions and fears and show them that you understand.
If you are concerned and need assistance you can get help from:
- your doctor
- a local community health centre
- a psychologist
- Parentline 13 22 89
- Beyond Blue 1300 224 636
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