NSW Rural Assistance Authority – Apple Recovery Grants

This program aims to provide assistance to bushfire-impacted apple growers to help progress their recovery efforts. It is fully funded by the Commonwealth Government and administered by the NSW Government under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangement.

The objective is to provide financial assistance to apple growers directly impacted by the Black Summer 2019-20 bushfires to assist in the recovery of production.

Grants of up to $120,000 (GST does not apply) are available per hectare for eligible business. Applicants are required to provide a co-contribution to the value of the grant they apply for.

A total funding pool of $31 million is available.

Eligible applicants must:
- Be an apple grower.
- Be a primary production business (as defined by the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997).
- Hold an Australian Business Number (ABN) and have held that ABN at the time of the eligible disaster.
- Be located in an area within NSW, activated under Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangement (DRFA) for the Black Summer bushfires.
- Have had apple orchards that suffered direct damage by bushfires since August 2019.
- Have been in active production immediately prior to the fires.

Please refer to the Guidelines for the complete eligibility requirements.

Eligible activities must be directly linked with re-establishing damaged or destroyed apple orchards, including:
- Replacement of trees (this can include any variety of apple).
- Repair or replacement of damaged irrigation infrastructure.
- Repair or replacement of damaged poles, trellises and netting.
- Clean-up of damaged infrastructure and other site preparation.

Please refer to the Guidelines for the list of ineligible activities.