Twenty-eight councils and community groups across Victoria will receive close to $1 million from the second round of AusNet’s Energy Resilience Community Fund.
Executive General Manager Distribution, Andrew Linnie, said the Energy Resilience Community Fund, which provides Energy Resilience and Education and Literacy Grants, supports projects that will help build long-term community energy resilience and provide support to communities during severe weather events.
“We know how important energy is to our communities’ and customers’ lives. When severe weather or other emergencies happen, this becomes even more important,” said Mr Linnie.
“We are actively investing in our network to improve reliability and resilience. Through these grants, we’re pleased to contribute further to help build community energy resilience and assist people to stay connected and safe during prolonged outages and emergencies,” he said.
Grants for the next round open on Monday, 26 May 2025. For further information go to ausnet.com.au/ercf.
AusNet established the $12 million Energy Resilience Community Fund following the storms in February last year, to support projects across AusNet’s electricity distribution network in eastern and north-eastern Victoria, and Melbourne’s north and east.
Round two recipients by Council area are noted below:
Alpine
• The Big Muster Distilling Company in Dinner Plain received $19,200 for a changeover switch and battery to support their existing solar PV. This funding will enable the community to access a commercial kitchen to prepare and cook food, while also providing shelter and a place for people to charge devices during emergency events and outages.
Bass Coast
• The Phillip Island Information Centre received $28,400 to install a 22kWh storage battery. This will enable the site to provide to act as an emergency hub, providing relief services to the community during emergency events.
• The Corinella and District Community Centre received $17,800 to produce a power outage booklet for the community, to increase awareness of how to prepare for an emergency, and provide advice on how to become more energy resilient.
Cardinia
• Recovery Ready Community received $21,900 to work with community groups to develop district specific emergency relief and disaster recovery plans, workshops and training exercises to strengthen community response and resilience.
• Community theatre group Gemco Players received $50,000 for a solar and battery backup system to provide a centre for the community to shower, cook and charge devices during outages and emergencies.
Casey
• The Warneet-Blind Bight Fire Brigade received $5,500 for a generator, which will provide them with backup power to remain operational during outages, while also offering a safe place for residents to connect and charge devices.
East Gippsland
• Benambra Neighbourhood House received $40,000 for a fully equipped, self-powered mobile kitchen and food trailers to service remote and vulnerable community members during extended power outages and emergencies.
• Gippsland and East Gippsland Aboriginal Corporation received $50,000 for a generator to create an emergency response centre. This will help maintain critical services such as cooking facilities and medical equipment, as well as heating, cooling and lighting. The centre will also serve as a base of operations for emergency response teams, enabling them to coordinate and deliver aid more effectively.
Latrobe
• Morwell Neighbourhood House received $17,700 for Home Emergency Kits, a collaborative project with the CFA and SES to empower young people in Latrobe City to prepare for emergencies and build energy resilience. Through 60-minute interactive workshops, young people will learn about local disaster risks such as bushfires and floods, and the importance of creating a home emergency kit.
• Community organisation, Paid Forward received $45,300 to purchase a portable battery system with solar capabilities to power a transportable shower facility that can be deployed across the community, addressing a significant gap in crisis support. A battery will also safeguard the refrigeration of food during emergencies and outages.
Mansfield
• Mansfield Shire Council received $50,000 to purchase a 63KVA portable generator. The Council has created a network of energy resilient sites for the community at Bonnie Doon Recreation Reserve Hall and Mansfield Shire Depot, with generator specific power inlets installed in both buildings ready to be used during extended outages.
Mitchell
• Taungurung Land and Waters Council received $49,900 to install 40kWh of battery storage and an EV charger at their offices in Alexandra. This site has community facilities, kitchens, bathrooms, showers and outdoor areas that can be used during emergency events.
Murrindindi
• The Taggerty Community Progress Group received $49,800 for a Solar Hybrid Microgrid at the Community Hub which will act as an emergency hub for community members. The microgrid will give community members access to refrigerators for medication and food storage, electricity for individual medical appliances and mobile device charging.
• Yea Community House received $49,300 to purchase a self-contained commercial food trailer, to enable preparation, cooking and the transport of meals during emergency events.
South Gippsland
• Gippsland Climate Change Network received $28,000 for a solar and battery system to create a community resilience hub at the Welshpool Memorial Hall. Continuous power will enable the community to charge phones, store perishable food, use cooking facilities, and maintain communication during power outages and severe weather events.
• Mycelia Renewables received $18,700 to facilitate six energy literacy and short courses focussed on vulnerable community members. The program will deliver to four community centres and two professional courses across Bass Coast and South Gippsland and will be complemented by a public education campaign to engage the community more broadly in understanding the energy transition, energy efficiency and resilience.
• Prom Coast News received $8,800 for an Emergency Awareness campaign to be delivered as a multi-media emergency awareness phased program across print and digital platforms. The campaign will focus on understanding the types of natural disasters and emergencies that may occur across the Coastal Promontory Ward and how to prepare and respond.
• South Gippsland Radio 3MFM received $24,000 to install an automatic transfer switch and a 7kVA diesel generator with a 450L fuel tank to power transmission equipment and recharge UPS batteries during an outage. This system is designed to minimise fuel consumption and the logistical challenges of refuelling at remote and difficult to access locations.
• Waratah Beach Surf Life Saving Club at Sandy Point received $48,700 for a solar system and storage batteries to enable the club to provide community services during outages and emergencies. A reliable power supply is essential to maintain the club’s role as a base for rescue operations, a communication centre and community facility.
Strathbogie
• SES Euroa received $42,200 for a generator to create a community-based resilience hub and provide essential services during outages and extreme weather events. The community hub will be a gathering point where community members can access electricity to recharge devices, heat food and access basic food items. The hub will support vulnerable residents, particularly the elderly, young families, and those with limited mobility who lack resources to effectively manage outages.
• Strathbogie Shire received $50,000 to purchase a 30 kVA diesel generator mounted on a dual axle trailer to power up individual community facilities such as local halls and other places of refuge. The halls act as community focal points during times of emergency and can be used by residents as a refuge and to power up devices during extended power outages. The community facilities are located at Violet Town, Euroa, Longwood, Gooram and Creighton’s Creek
Towong
• Towong Soldiers Memorial Hall received $32,000 to purchase a backup diesel generator to power the hall during outages and emergencies. The Memorial Hall is located in an area vulnerable to prolonged outages and severe weather events and is the only community building in the region providing a central point for community gatherings. The Hall will provide access to essential emergency information, shelter, showers facilities, charging devices, medical equipment, and cooking and food storage facilities during emergency events.
Wangaratta
• Open Door Neighbourhood House received $30,700 to purchase and install a 7.6Kw solar and 13Kw battery system for the back-up of critical circuits which will provide light and power at the site during emergency events and outages.
Wellington
• Wellington Shire Council received $17,000 for targeted training across multiple locations for the community to learn the skills needed to maintain energy resilience equipment such as generators and solar and battery systems.
Yarra Ranges
• Buffalo Stand-alone Power Solutions and Monbulk and District Community Opportunities Workgroup received $49,400 to purchase a power trailer to service the community in both emergency power supply and for community events. The Power Trailer is a vehicle towed hybrid diesel and battery/inverter powered.
• Kallista Medical Centre received $14,200 to install an 8KVa gas-powered generator. Uninterrupted power will keep temperature stable for vaccines and allow the continuation of essential medical services. The centre is the sole medical practice in Kallista providing health care to over 2,400 people in the region.
• Selby Community House received $20,000 to install a 7.92kW solar system with 13.5kWh battery storage, enabling them to operate as an emergency hub during outages and extreme weather events. The House also connects with vulnerable residents and acts as a central hub for recovery efforts during emergencies.
• Villages of Mount Dandenong received $50,000 to install solar panels and backup battery systems. This will provide uninterrupted power to two small businesses in Olinda during outages and emergencies. The general store post office, and the local pub serve as emergency hubs during power outages and emergencies, enabling the community to access important information, buy supplies and charge devices.