By Rhett Burnie
MORE than two and a half years after the Black Saturday bushfires destroyed a bridge to her property, a Sunday Creek mother of six is still struggling to access her home.
Darlene Gunter says she has no choice but to park her car at a neighbour’s house and trek her children through the mud for almost a kilometre during wet weather.
“I can’t get any closer, otherwise I’ll get bogged,” she said.
During dry weather Ms Gunter uses neighbouring Crown land to access her property, but even then she is forced to drive an extra five kilometres to reach her home.
“When it rains for periods I am unable to use the alternative driveway and must ask help from my very kind neighbours to park my car in their driveway so that I am able to gain access to my house,” Ms Gunter said.
Ms Gunter has twice applied for funding from the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund (VBAF) to pay for the bridge, which crossed Sunday Creek, but was rejected both times because her circumstances do not meet funding criteria.
The low income earner has fulltime care of five of her six children.
Quotes for the engineering and construction to rebuild the bridge, which crosses over Sunday Creek, range between $50,000 and $100,000.
“I applied under the ‘financial hardship and in need of permanent accommodation gift but they said I didn’t qualify,” Ms Gunter said.
The desperate single mother appealed the rejection but the decision was upheld and there are no further avenues of appeal available.
“So many other factors are involved, it’s mental health and getting back to work and keeping going.”
She said he had been constantly handballed between State Government departments during her search for help and had often been told contradicting information
“Getting up and doing the daily routine family chores is enough for those affected, including myself, let alone trying to take on departments that only contradict one another or just waste your time sending you to different departments that get you nowhere,” Ms Gunter said.
She said representatives from the Department of Planning and Community Development had told her they would work with her but a Community Engagement co-ordinator had told her she was given all that she was entitled to and that there was no more help.
Ms Gunter said the Community Engagement co-ordinator told her to approach charities for help to build the bridge, which she had done, but was later told by a Department of Human Services representative not to approach charities because of the amount of money she needed.
“I’m quiet, I’m the one that stands at the back of the room, but with these frustrations I just have to say something,” she said.
“I understand that I am lucky to still have my house and I know there are a lot of people worse off.
“The problem is the red tape with the government, the system is not working.
“I just want to be able to access my property and without the bridge I can’t do that,” she said.
“I am in mortgage stress and is costing me approximately $50 a week in fuel to travel around the back roads to access my property, this amount that is taxing on my already stressed budget,” she said.
Member for Seymour Cindy McLeish said she is aware of Ms Gunter’s situation and she had worked with her to explore her options.
“It’s obviously very complex,” she said.
Ms McLeish said the VBAF had strict criteria in place to make sure the money donated to the fund was spent correctly.
“They had to draw a line in the sand.”
A spokesman for the VBAF said he could not comment on Ms Gunter’s circumstances because of privacy reasons.
“VBAF receives many applications from people with unique or exceptional circumstances; each case is judged on its merits,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ms Gunter said she has found support from local groups after receiving a generous donation of materials needed for the bridge’s construction.
Mitchell Community Recovery Action Group (MCRAG) has also rushed to help Ms Gunter, organising a group of locals to help build the bridge.
The offer dramatically reduces the cost of the rebuild.
“I am so thankful,” she said.
She has also completed another VBAF application for funding, this time under the further housing gift.
The VBAF spokesman said he was not able to speculate Ms Gunter’s chances of being approved.
