Help for Bushfire Evacuees in the Berry Area

Last updated: Thursday 9th January 2020, 12.24pm.

Up to date details on accommodation and help the Berry community can provide to people and animals evacuating from the NSW bushfires in January 2020.

Berry’s community is pulling together to offer whatever help we can to those affected by the bushfires. If you need somewhere to stay or help of any kind, here is a current list of help available if you are in the Berry area or passing through.

If there is anything to be added or updated on this page, please SMS Anthony Colfelt on 0447 674 919.

Nearest official Evacuation Centres to Berry

Official Evacuation Centres are open in the region providing temporary refuge and taking registrations to find longer term accommodation. Please register your evacuation with them by calling the Disaster Welfare Assistance Line on 1800 018 444.

• NSW State Disaster Assistance (evacuation centres are listed here)
• You can also check the Shoalhaven City Council’s Facebook page which may have updates regarding new Evacuation Centres, or whether existing ones are full.

Crisis accommodation for people and animals

Separate to the official Evacuation Centres, Michelle Linton in Berry is coordinating with local accommodation providers and residents in the area to maintain a centralised list of available beds and spaces for people and animals in need at no cost. Currently, nearly 200 beds have been offered.

If you need somewhere to stay in the Berry area, register here.

If you can offer beds or space in the Berry area, register here.

Important information for hosts and evacuees:

• Michelle and her team of volunteers are matching evacuees needing accommodation with hosts that best fit their needs. The elderly, people with children under 5, and those people who do not have camping facilities with them will be prioritised.
• If they can make a match, the evacuees will be sent the host’s phone number by SMS. Evacuees should then contact the host to discuss the placement and any ‘house rules’. The host will then provide their address if both parties are happy to proceed.
• House rules are up to each host, but may include:
  • Length of time accommodation can be provided for
  • If dogs need to be tied up/in a cage
  • Food arrangements – whilst accommodation is free, food is not anticipated to be.
• Hosts:
  • Please contact Michelle if the placement goes ahead on 0409 599 133 or emailing michelleannlinton@gmail.com so her team can update the list of available accommodation and evacuees.
  • Please contact Michelle as above if your guests subsequently leave and you have availability again.
  • If your accommodation has been taken up by people outside this organising group, please advise Michelle so her team doesn’t waste people’s time contacting you. It is perfectly understood that this will occur and we are but one point of contact for beds.
  • In the event, the township of Berry is advised to evacuate there is no expectation that hosts will manage their guests’ evacuation. Should this happen, hosts should request they repack their car and head to the next centre, and then focus on packing your own cases.
  • Naturally, evacuees will be worried and upset. Our hosts want to make them feel secure for the time they are with us and to provide them with the space to think clearly about their next steps.

Berry Showground Oval – camping

Temporary camping is available at no cost on the oval at Berry Showground. Large animals are still being accepted at this point – call Julia on 0427 605 200.

Silos Estate – camping, parking and information

Silos Estate is a winery just south of Berry who is generously providing room for caravans, campers, tents, respite parking and small animals, plus a Cellar Door Information Centre to assist evacuees with enquiries. Call ahead to 02 4448 6082.

Berry Community Church – refuge

Will house people any time of day or night. Contact 0403 193 945.

Evacuating animals and horses

• South East Local Land Services are here to help. If you are bushfire affected, please call the Agriculture and Agricultural Services Hotline on 1800 814 647 to request assistance with emergency fodder and stock water, animal assessments and veterinary services
  • Evacuation Centres for large animals can be found here –
  • Evacuation Centres for people and small animals can be found here –
  • Animal preparedness resources from NSW SES –
  • Landowners who have been impacted by bushfire should report damage to 1800 814 647
  • Finally, Disaster Recovery Grants of up to $15,000 are available for eligible primary producers, small businesses and non-profit organisations in the Shoalhaven and neighbouring LGAs. You can find out more here –
• This Facebook group – Help with evacuating horses in the Shoalhaven area – is helping those evacuating horses in the area. Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2768054459922675/
• Also, see information above on this page for locally coordinated and hosted crisis accommodation in the Berry area, and local help and resources below.

Local help and resources

Jenny Hammond in Berry is coordinating the sharing of resources, tools and time, e.g. generators, bore water, horse floats, food distribution, tools, entertainment for kids, time and help. Any offers of help Jenny has will be listed here:

• Nathan Roberts is available on Sunday 5 Jan, has a truck, trailer and excavator and can help anyone needing assistance with fire damage or clean up. 0423 267 859
• Ben Emery is available on Sunday 5 Jan with a ute to help with feeding, herding, loading animals. He’s a school teacher and can help to entertain kids. 0427 442 117
• Marc Hammond has a trailer and is available from Sunday 5 Jan. 0423 022 198
• Maureen Ivan Notsch has a small enclosed yard to mind a dog. 02 4464 2981

Local business directory

For a comprehensive directory of businesses and services in the Berry area, visit local.berry.org.au