Disaster Assistance Loans
Disaster Assistance Loans are available to assist primary producers, small businesses and non-profit organisations with re-establishing normal operations.
Loan features
| Loan amount | Maximum of $250,000 |
| Loan term | Up to 10 years |
| Repayments | If needed, up to two years interest only may be available. |
| Security | A loan under the scheme must be secured by a mortgage of land and other assets satisfactory to QRIDA. |
| Fees | No establishment fees, no account maintenance fees and no fees for early payout. |
What assistance is available?
Concessional loans are provided to assist you to re-establish the normal operations of your primary production enterprise by covering costs such as:
- repairing or replacing damaged plant and equipment
- repairing or replacing farm buildings
- purchasing livestock to replace those lost in the disaster event
- meeting carry-on requirements including:
- re-planting, restoring or re-establishing areas affected by the disaster event
- sustenance
- essential property operations
- paying rent and rates
Defined disaster areas
The Minister for Fire and Emergency Services has activated disaster assistance for primary producers for the following events:
Southern Queensland Flooding, 6 – 20 May 2022
To be eligible for assistance your property must be located in one of the defined disaster areas:
- Balonne Shire Council
- Bundaberg Regional Council
- Gympie Regional Council
- Lockyer Valley Regional Council
- Moreton Bay Regional Council
- North Burnett Regional Council
- Scenic Rim Regional Council
- Somerset Regional Council
- South Burnett Regional Council
- Southern Downs Regional Council
- Toowoomba Regional Council
- Western Downs Regional Council
Applications close 31 December 2023.
Northern and Central Western Queensland Rainfall and Flooding event, 21 April – 12 May 2022
To be eligible for assistance your property must be located in one of the defined disaster areas:
- Barcaldine Regional Council
- Longreach Regional Council
- Winton Shire Council
Applications close 31 December 2023.
South East Queensland Rainfall and Flooding, 22 February - 5 April 2022
To be eligible for assistance your property must be located in one of the defined disaster areas:
- Brisbane City Council
- Bundaberg Regional Council
- Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council
- Fraser Coast Regional Council
- Gold Coast City Council
- Goondiwindi Regional Council
- Gympie Regional Council
- Ipswich City Council
- Lockyer Valley Regional Council
- Logan City Council
- Moreton Bay Regional Council
- Noosa Shire Council
- North Burnett Regional Council
- Redland City Council
- Scenic Rim Regional Council
- Somerset Regional Council
- South Burnett Regional Council
- Southern Downs Regional Council
- Sunshine Coast Regional Council
- Toowoomba Regional Council
- Western Downs Regional Council
Applications close 31 December 2023.
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Seth, 29 December 2021 – 10 January 2022
To be eligible for assistance your property must be located in one of the defined disaster areas:
- Bundaberg Regional Council
- Fraser Coast Regional Council
- Gympie Regional Council
- North Burnett Regional Council
- South Burnett Regional Council
Applications close 31 December 2023.
Central, Southern and Western Queensland Rainfall and Flooding, 10 November – 3 December 2021
To be eligible for assistance your property must be located in one of the defined disaster areas:
- Balonne Shire Council
- Banana Shire Council
- Bundaberg Regional Council
- Goondiwindi Regional Council
- Lockyer Valley Regional Council
- Scenic Rim Regional Council
- Somerset Regional Council
- South Burnett Regional Council
- Southern Downs Regional Council
- Toowoomba Regional Council
- Western Downs Regional Council
Applications close 31 December 2023.
Southern Queensland Severe Weather, 20 - 31 March 2021
To be eligible for assistance your property must be located in one of the defined disaster areas:
- Goondiwindi Regional Council
- Southern Downs Regional Council
Applications close 31 December 2022.
Tropical Cyclone Niran and Associated Low Pressure System, 25 February - 3 March 2021
To be eligible for assistance your property must be located in one of the defined disaster areas:
- Cairns Regional Council
- Cassowary Coast Regional Council
- Hinchinbrook Regional Council
- Mareeba Shire Council
- Tablelands Regional Council
Applications close 31 December 2022.
QRIDA administers financial assistance to disaster affected primary producers, businesses and non-profit organisations under the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
Loan features
| Loan amount | Maximum of $250,000 |
| Loan term | Up to 10 years |
| Repayments | If needed, up to two years interest only may be available. |
| Security | A loan under the scheme must be secured by a mortgage of land and other assets satisfactory to QRIDA. |
| Fees | No establishment fees, no account maintenance fees and no fees for early payout. |
What assistance is available?
Concessional loans are provided to assist you to re-establish the normal operations of your small business by covering costs such as:
- repairing or replacing damaged plant and equipment
- repairing or replacing buildings
- supplying stock for up to one month to replace lost stock and maintain liquidity of the business
- meeting carry-on requirements including:
- sustenance
- paying rent and rates.
Defined disaster areas
The Minister for Fire and Emergency Services has activated disaster assistance for:
Southern Queensland Flooding, 6 – 20 May 2022
To be eligible for assistance your business must be located in one of the defined disaster areas:
- Balonne Shire Council
- Gympie Regional Council
- Lockyer Valley Regional Council
- Moreton Bay Regional Council
- Somerset Regional Council
- Southern Downs Regional Council
- Toowoomba Regional Council
- Western Downs Regional Council
Applications close 31 December 2023.
South East Queensland Rainfall and Flooding, 22 February - 5 April 2022
To be eligible for assistance your business must be located in one of the defined disaster areas:
- Brisbane City Council
- Fraser Coast Regional Council
- Gladstone Regional Council
- Gold Coast City Council
- Goondiwindi Regional Council
- Gympie Regional Council
- Ipswich City Council
- Lockyer Valley Regional Council
- Logan City Council
- Moreton Bay Regional Council
- Noosa Shire Council
- North Burnett Regional Council
- Redland City Council
- Scenic Rim Regional Council
- Somerset Regional Council
- South Burnett Regional Council
- Southern Downs Regional Council
- Sunshine Coast Regional Council
- Toowoomba Regional Council
- Western Downs Regional Council
Applications close 31 December 2023.
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Seth, 29 December 2021 – 10 January 2022
To be eligible for assistance your business must be located in one of the defined disaster areas:
- Bundaberg Regional Council
- Fraser Coast Regional Council
- Gympie Regional Council
- North Burnett Regional Council
- South Burnett Regional Council
Applications close 31 December 2023.
Central, Southern and Western Queensland Rainfall and Flooding, 10 November – 3 December 2021
To be eligible for assistance your business must be located in the following defined disaster area:
- Goondiwindi Regional Council
Applications close 31 December 2023.
QRIDA administers financial assistance to disaster affected primary producers, businesses and non-profit organisations under the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
Loan features
| Loan amount | Maximum of $100,000 |
| Loan term | Up to 10 years |
| Repayments | If needed, up to two years interest only may be available. |
| Security | A loan under the scheme must be secured by a mortgage of land and other assets satisfactory to QRIDA. |
| Fees | No establishment fees, no account maintenance fees and no fees for early payout. |
What assistance is available?
Concessional loans are provided to assist you to re-establish the normal operations of your non-profit organisation by covering costs such as:
- repairing or replacing damaged plant and equipment
- repairing or replacing essential premises including grounds, amenities and infrastructure
- supplying stock for up to one month to replace lost stock and maintain liquidity of the organisation
Defined disaster areas
The Minister for Fire and Emergency Services has activated disaster assistance for:
Southern Queensland Flooding, 6 – 20 May 2022
To be eligible for assistance your organisation must be located in one of the defined disaster areas:
- Balonne Shire Council
- Gympie Regional Council
- Lockyer Valley Regional Council
- Moreton Bay Regional Council
- Somerset Regional Council
- Southern Downs Regional Council
- Toowoomba Regional Council
- Western Downs Regional Council
Applications close 31 December 2023.
South East Queensland Rainfall and Flooding, 22 February - 5 April 2022
To be eligible for assistance your organisation must be located in one of the defined disaster areas:
- Brisbane City Council
- Fraser Coast Regional Council
- Gladstone Regional Council
- Gold Coast City Council
- Goondiwindi Regional Council
- Gympie Regional Council
- Ipswich City Council
- Lockyer Valley Regional Council
- Logan City Council
- Moreton Bay Regional Council
- Noosa Shire Council
- North Burnett Regional Council
- Redland City Council
- Scenic Rim Regional Council
- Somerset Regional Council
- South Burnett Regional Council
- Southern Downs Regional Council
- Sunshine Coast Regional Council
- Toowoomba Regional Council
- Western Downs Regional Council
Applications close 31 December 2023.
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Seth, 29 December 2021 – 10 January 2022
To be eligible for assistance your organisation must be located in one of the defined disaster areas:
- Bundaberg Regional Council
- Fraser Coast Regional Council
- Gympie Regional Council
- North Burnett Regional Council
- South Burnett Regional Council
Applications close 31 December 2023.
QRIDA administers financial assistance to disaster affected primary producers, businesses and non-profit organisations under the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).
Frequently asked questions
A Disaster Assistance Loan of up to $250,000 is available to assist primary production businesses who have experienced direct damage as a result of the disaster event. This loan can be utilised to fund repair and reinstatement costs for your business, and to meet normal operating expenses that the business is unable to meet due to the impact of the disaster event (e.g. lease payments, property rates, creditors).
An Essential Working Capital (EWC) Loan of up to $100,000 is available to assist primary production businesses who have not experienced direct damageas a result of the disaster event but have experienced a negative impact on their normal business cashflow and are consequently unable to meet normal operating expenses (e.g. lease payments, property rates, wages, creditors). For example, a primary production businesses may be eligible for an EWC Loan if their farms were not physically impacted by the disaster event however the business suffered a significant loss of income throughout the disaster period. The business may not be able to meet normal operating expenses within its existing credit limits. These requirements over and above your existing credit limits can be met by the EWC loan.
Freecall 1800 623 946 for assistance with your loan application. Alternatively, your accountant, bank or financial or business advisor may also be able to assist with your application also.
QRIDA assesses applications based on the future viability of the business with the assistance provided. Security is the second consideration. Preferably security is available over landed assets, however, security over other business assets may be acceptable.
Yes, the cashflow budget template provided by QRIDA is not mandatory. If you have your own cashflow budget template then you are able to provide this to QRIDA as part of your loan application. However, please note that an itemised monthly cashflow is required for all applications, preferably in a financial year (July to June) format.
You are unable to claim the same direct damage expenses via both the Grant and Loan Schemes. However, if the total of your recovery expenditure has exceeded the amount of assistance available via these Schemes, then you can seek loan assistance for the expenses that were not covered by the schemes.
In order to give you the best chance of success, QRIDA needs to understand the historical performance of your business, your current position and your plan moving forward. Without this information, QRIDA would be unable to determine the level of assistance you need and your prospects of returning to a viable business with the assistance provided.
Yes, if your insurance claim is being delayed, you can apply for a loan to reinstate your business before your claim is finalised. If any expenses included in your loan are later recovered from insurance, QRIDA will require these amounts be repaid to your loan.
No, reduced profit is not an eligible purpose under the Extraordinary Bushfire Assistance Loan.
