Frequently asked questions
The following FAQs specifically relate to the Rural Landholder Grant for the NSW East Coast Severe Weather from 18 May 2025 (AGRN 1212).
What is the Rural Landholder Grant?
The Rural Landholder Grant is designed to ease personal and financial distress by supporting eligible landholders and aquaculture producers who have suffered direct damage to their assets due to the disaster but do not qualify for a Special Disaster Relief Grant.
How do I apply for the grant?
You should first thoroughly read the Program Guidelines and check what you will need to apply. Applications must be submitted online via our website.
Who can access the Rural Landholder Grant?
Rural landholders and aquaculture producers impacted by the NSW East Coast severe weather event that began on 18 May 2025 (declared under AGRN 1212) may apply for a Rural Landholder Grant.
To be eligible for the Rural Landholder Grant, you must meet the eligibility requirements set out in the Program Guidelines and summarised below:
- you are a rural landholder with property of at least 10 hectares, or you hold a Class A Aquaculture Permit authorising an aquaculture lease area of at least 1 hectare
- you have a primary production enterprise with an Australian Business Number (ABN) that was active at the time of the event
- the primary production enterprise is located in an eligible LGA declared under AGRN 1212 and suffered direct damage as a result of the disaster event (refer to the Program Guidelines for a list of eligible LGAs)
- you earn at least $20,000 in gross annual income from primary production
- you do not earn more than $250,000 in combined gross off-farm income as individuals, directors, or shareholders
- you were engaged in carrying on the primary production enterprise when affected by this event
- you intend to re-establish or continue operations within the same LGA
- you do not have gross off-farm assets exceeding $5 million
- your primary production enterprise is not a public company
- you are not eligible for the Special Disaster Relief Grant.
Detailed eligibility criteria are provided in the Program Guidelines.
How much can I claim, and do I need to repay the Rural Landholder Grant?
The maximum grant amount is $10,000 Ex GST, and the Rural Landholder Grant does not need to be repaid.
If my LGA has been declared for Tropical Cyclone severe weather but not the NSW East Coast severe weather event, can I apply for a Rural Landholder Grant?
No. The Rural Landholder Grant is only available to rural landholders and aquaculture producers who are in an eligible LGA declared under AGRN 1212 for NSW East Coast Severe Weather from 18 May 2025.
I run my primary production enterprise on the same property as another primary producer. Can we both apply?
Where two or more independent and separately owned and registered primary producers operate from the same property, each primary producer may receive a grant to the maximum available. Refer to the Program Guidelines for further information.
How long do I have to apply?
Application close dates may vary depending on your LGA. Please refer to the program page for application and claim close dates.
Can I apply for the Rural Landholder Grant before I have incurred expenses?
Yes, application forms can be completed before costs are incurred.
What information do I need to provide with my application?
You will need to complete the online application form and provide the following:
- the applying primary production enterprise’s latest (2023/24 or 2024/25) tax returns, balance sheets and financial statements (including profit and loss statements, stock trading account and depreciation schedules)
- latest (2023/24 or 2024/25) individual tax returns of all members of the primary production enterprise
Note: Tax Assessment Notices are not acceptable.
Note: Remove or redact tax file numbers before submission. - the most recent year of tax returns and financial statements for all related business entities that individual members of the primary production enterprise are involved in, if applicable
- current LGA (council) rates notice(s) and, if available, Local Land Service (LLS) rates for the property(s) where the damage occurred and the work is to be completed
- if applicable, a copy of the Class A Aquaculture Permit under the Fisheries Management Act 1984
- landowner consent if you do not own the land
Note: If the property(s) is leased, a lease covering the property(s) outlining the tenant’s responsibilities is required. - current relevant insurance policy relating to your primary production enterprise, if applicable
Note: Cover notes are excluded. - photographic evidence of the direct damage on your property (at least one and no more than 5 photographs evidencing direct damage)
- confirmation of the primary production enterprise’s bank details, such as the front page of a bank statement showing the account name, BSB, and account number.
Please refer to the Program Guidelines for further details.
Why do I need to provide more evidence with my application?
Following the last major disaster event, the RAA reviewed its policies and processes, and the NSW Audit Office conducted a performance audit of emergency relief grant delivery. As a result, applicants are now required to provide additional evidence to demonstrate direct damage to their property. This includes photographs with metadata and a copy of your current insurance policy.
These evidence requirements ensure that NSW Government assistance is delivered fairly, transparently, and only to those genuinely impacted. They also help protect against fraudulent claims and bring NSW requirements into alignment with Queensland, ensuring a consistent approach across both states.
What do I do if I don’t have my current tax returns?
You can provide permission for the RAA to contact your accountant directly to obtain them.
Where can I get a copy of my council rates notice?
You can request a copy of your rates notice directly from your local council.
I have more than three properties, however, the application form only allows me to enter the details of three.
You should enter the details of the properties where the majority of the damage was incurred. If you require further information, please contact the RAA directly on 1800 678 593.
If I or a related entity receives income from outside Australia, will it be included in the RAA’s eligibility assessment?
Yes. All foreign income, regardless of its source, type, or origin, will be included in the assessment and classified as non-primary production income.
Is GST included in any payment received?
No, GST is not included. The GST component of any invoice received can be claimed on completion of your Business Activity Statement (BAS). The RAA will not issue a Recipient Created Tax Invoice (RCTI) on payment of the grant, and you should retain the Payment Advice that is forwarded as a record for taxation purposes. Please consult with your accountant or financial advisor for further advice.
Do I need to provide financial statements if I am an existing RAA customer?
If you have previously submitted tax returns to the RAA for the financial year 2023/2024 or more recently, you will not need to provide further statements.
How do I prove damage from the disaster?
Direct damage refers to physical damage caused by the disaster event. To qualify for the grant, you must provide evidence of direct damage to your property.
When applying, you will be asked to provide up to five photographs with time, date and location stamps. To assist the RAA in assessing direct damages, you can also provide quotations or tax invoices and proof of payment for eligible expenses.
Additionally, the RAA has access to high-resolution imagery and third-party damage assessments for affected areas.
What is the difference between direct and indirect damage?
Direct damage is physical damage that occurred as a result of the disaster event. For example, immediate damage caused by flood water flowing through your property, or damage to a fence because of a bushfire on your property.
Indirect damage is the losses sustained as a consequence of the disaster. For example, a downturn in customer foot traffic from road closures, loss of income or spoilage due to power outages.
Do I need to provide proof of payment of the $10,000 when applying?
No. At the point of application, you only need to provide evidence that your primary production enterprise has suffered direct damage as a result of the natural disaster. You can evidence the direct damage by uploading up to five photographs with time, date and location stamps.
If approved, you can claim payments of up to a maximum of $10,000 by submitting invoices and proof of payment for eligible expenses. If you previously provided these documents to verify eligibility in your initial application, you will need to resubmit them as a claim after approval.
What can I apply for?
The Rural Landholder Grant is designed to assist impacted rural landholders and aquaculture producers to pay for immediate clean-up and repairs to infrastructure and replacing livestock (including oyster spat).
Eligible activities are outlined in the Program Guidelines. Please thoroughly read the Program Guidelines prior to applying.
Funding cannot be used for activities already covered by insurance or other government funding programs.
Who do my invoices need to be addressed to?
Invoices must be made out to the legal name of the applicant, whether an individual or a business entity, as listed in the ABN (Australian Business Number) register.
Can I use the Rural Landholder Grant to buy replacement plant and machinery that was damaged?
No, new equipment, including farm plant, machinery, vehicles and transportable items are not eligible expenses under the Rural Landholder Grant.
Are there any restrictions on purchasing, hiring or leasing equipment?
Yes. Equipment or materials must be essential for the immediate resumption of your primary production enterprise. This includes items that are urgently required as a direct result of the disaster event. Expenses that do not directly support the enterprise’s immediate recovery may not be eligible.
Can I claim the loss of income?
No, the grant cannot be used to reimburse the loss of income.
Can I claim for the hours I spend on clean up and repairing the business?
You can claim for third parties, including independent contractors, who help with clean up and repair. When it comes to paying staff, the time of owners or shareholders in the business cannot be claimed. You can, however, claim the hours of employees who have no ownership role in the business, where you can show that those hours are above standard day-to-day wages and can be explained on the basis of cleaning up and repairs in relation to the natural disaster event.
I have never had to plant pasture before, as I have always had natural growth; however, due to the severe weather event, I now don’t have any feed in the paddock, and the pasture recovery process will be slow, likely taking months to re-grow. Can I claim for pasture recovery?
Yes, you can claim for pasture recovery. To assess claims for pasture recovery the RAA needs evidence of how much of the paddock has been damaged and an understanding of what the land was being used for prior to the disaster, and the future intentions. Please provide any supporting information or documents, which could include previous invoices for expenses, invoices for input costs and/or photos.
I want to salvage my crop and/or restore my fields – what can I claim?
You can claim for salvaging crops and restoring fields. To assess these claims, we need evidence of how much of the crop/fields have been damaged and an understanding of what the land was being used for prior to the disaster and the future intentions. Please provide any supporting information or documents, which could include previous invoices for expenses, invoices for input costs and/or photos.
Can I use my own machinery to clear my paddocks?
Yes, you can use your own machinery. However, per the Program Guidelines, you can only claim for the diesel/fuel cost associated with using the specific machinery for clearing paddocks. You will be required to complete a detailed logbook, which should include hours worked, details of improvements, machinery used, and other relevant information. Additionally, you will need to provide a paid diesel/fuel invoice showing the litres purchased.
Only part of my crop has been impacted by the disaster event – am I able to claim costs associated with the replacement of this crop?
Yes, replacement of damaged crops is eligible. However, evidence is required to demonstrate the extent of the damages being claimed. Please provide any supporting information or documents, which could include previous invoices for expenses, invoices for input costs and/or photos. Please note, if only a portion of the crop has been damaged, the RAA will need to assess the full scope of damages to ascertain those replacement costs that are eligible.
Can I use this grant to cover damages where I have made a claim under insurance?
Damages covered by insurance are not eligible to be claimed under this program. You are only able to claim portions of costs not covered by insurance.
Can I apply for the grant before I know the outcome of my insurance claim?
Yes, you are welcome to apply before you know the outcome of your insurance claim, and we will work with you to determine what damage may be covered by your insurance policy. Please note that assessing applications before finalising insurance claims may take longer than if you were to apply after the insurance outcome is known.
How long will it take to be approved?
Our commitment to you is to assess your application efficiently and effectively to help bring your primary production enterprise back to normal operations as quickly as possible.
If I use a third party to assist with an application or claim, who is responsible for a timely submission?
Even when using a third party, such as an accountant or financial advisor, the applicant is responsible for ensuring the application or claim, including all required documentation, is submitted by the deadline. The RAA does not accept late submissions.
How does the RAA protect itself against fraud?
The RAA has a strong commitment to fraud prevention, detection, and response. Making a fraudulent application, including providing false or misleading information, is a criminal offence, which carries a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment, or a fine of $22,000, or both.
The RAA will also attempt to recover any assistance received as a result of fraud.
More information can be found on our Fraud and Corruption Prevention page on our website.
Where can I get advice and assistance?
- Rural Financial Counselling Service
If you are experiencing any issues completing the application form, free confidential assistance is available from your local Rural Financial Counselling Service:
Southern and Central Region: 1800 319 458
Northern Region: 1800 344 090 - Translations
If you need assistance with interpreting or translating, please contact Multicultural NSW on 1300 651 500 or email languageservices@multicultural.nsw.gov.au. - Rural Assistance Authority (RAA)
If you have any further questions regarding programs being delivered via the Rural Assistance Authority, please contact the team on 1800 678 593 or at rural.assist@raa.nsw.gov.au.