Minderoo Foundation established Fire Fund with an A$70 million commitment to support volunteer, recovery and resilience streams of work. Fire Fund has allocated:

Minderoo Foundation Fire Fund is calling on people and organisations around the world to donate and accelerate our capacity to deliver to communities. Fire Fund is seeking to raise matching funds for our Volunteer and Recovery streams and A$450 million for resilience building.

Funds are being distributed:

Based on community consultation, we will consider where help is most needed and what projects or infrastructure are urgently required. We are committed to providing and expediting practical support at the grassroots level so immediate needs are met in a timely manner. We are committed to working alongside government to complement its role.

We are collaborating with and assisting the many local, regional, national and international organisations that are providing relief to determine where the funds are distributed. We are working in collaboration with many of these organisations already.

Our team is on the ground and regularly speaking to and working with affected communities.

We have met with people who lost their homes, livestock, infrastructure and businesses and listened to their stories. Our approach is to listen to what people have suffered and respond based on their needs. We are delivering what people need now and in the medium and the longer term to rebuild lives and re-establish their communities for a stronger, more resilient Australia.

There are many organisations doing fantastic work in providing emergency relief. Our immediate focus is on helping communities recover and rebuild. Minderoo Foundation has delivered for communities before in our response to the Black Saturday fires, the 2011 Queensland floods and the 2016 Yarloop fire in regional Western Australia. We move swiftly and practically to get projects moving in a timely manner that will allow communities to not just survive but thrive again.

Unfortunately, Minderoo Foundation Chairman Andrew Forrest and his family have had their images used in scams. To avoid scams, we suggest that you conduct due diligence on the organisations to which you wish to donate.

The Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission (ACNC) lists registered charities on its website. Minderoo Foundation is registered with the ACNC here.

If you believe you donated to a scam you should:

The ACCC has a dedicated phone number for the public to report bushfire related scams. People can call 1300 795 995 to report these scams.

The below is general in nature, does not take account of your individual circumstances and does not constitute tax advice. You should consult your own professional tax adviser regarding the tax consequences of making a donation in light of your individual circumstances.

Australia
If you make a donation through this site you will be issued with a receipt from The Minderoo Foundation Pty Ltd as trustee for The Minderoo Foundation Trust which is a Deductible Gift Recipient under Australian tax law. Donations above A$2 may be eligible as a tax deduction under Australian tax laws.

International
If you are donating from outside Australia, you may not be able to claim a tax deduction in your jurisdiction using the receipt we issue you. We are actively working on a way to have receipts issued which may allow donors to claim a tax deduction in certain jurisdictions outside Australia and we will update this site when further information is available.

Minderoo Foundation is meeting all expenses associated with raising and processing donations.

Donations can be made through this site for amounts up to A$10,000. If you would like to donate an amount larger than A$10,000, please contact us and we will be in touch to arrange direct payment.

Yes. However, if you are donating from outside Australia, you may not be able to claim a tax deduction in your jurisdiction using the receipt we issue you. We are actively working on a way to have receipts issued which may allow donors to claim a tax deduction in certain jurisdictions outside Australia and we will update this site when further information is available.

The Minderoo Foundation Pty Ltd as trustee for The Minderoo Foundation Trust (ABN 24 819 440 618) (Minderoo Foundation) is specifically listed in the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (Cth) as a Deductable Gift Recipient (DGR) organisation and is endorsed as an income tax exempt charity and entitled to GST concessions.

Please see our Privacy Policy for details on how we treat your personal information.

Our experience helping communities after other disasters such as the Black Saturday fires and 2011 Queensland floods tells us that the rebuilding process takes years, not months. We will continue to collect donations for as long as generous people continue to give.

As part of the donation process you can subscribe to receive email updates from resilience@minderoo.org. We are also sharing updates through our social media pages on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.

Minderoo Foundation is mobilising volunteers through Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) to support disaster clean up and recovery. DRA is a veteran-led disaster relief organisation that unites skills and experience of military veterans with first responders and everyday people to rapidly provide relief to communities.

Minderoo Foundation will cover travel and accommodation expenses for volunteers.

Yes. We will only accept applications from volunteers aged 18 years and older.

Disaster Relief Australia is deploying teams across Australia continuously. Visit — to complete the expression of interest form. As part of this process you will be exposed to the upcoming deployments.

The recovery pods are stand-alone units with built in electricity, water, cooking and ablution facilities. Fire and Flood Resilience will be responsible for organising the delivery and installation of the recovery pods.

The pods have been designed with the needs of rural and remote bushfire victims in mind where homes and sheds have been destroyed and no alternative temporary accommodation is available.

The recovery pods are provided rent free under a lease agreement. Recipients are required to pay for ongoing costs such as utilities (where available), diesel and water.

There are two models of recovery pod, one which includes two beds and one with four beds. They can accommodate individuals, couples or small families.

At the end of the lease – or earlier if the recipient has secured alternate accommodation – Fire and Flood Resilience will work with the recipient to arrange the retrieval of the pod. Removal will come at no cost to the recipient.

The pods are manufactured in South Australia by Australian Portable Camps.

Minderoo Foundation is collaborating with the NSW Government to provide recovery pods, allowing those in need to stay on their own property while they rebuild.

As of August 2020, we have delivered 182 pods in 216 days to families across New South Wales and South Australia. Our commitment of A$3.7 million was supplemented by A$8.7 million from our partners which will ultimately allow 256 pods to be delivered in 259 days.

Fire and Flood Resilience and the NSW government are working closely with local councils and the Department of Housing to ensure the recovery pods go to those most in need and where the pod is suitable for their situation.

The recovery pods may be provided to people for up to two years, which ties into planning amendments allowing temporary accommodation structures on private land for up to two years. The recovery pods are targeted at those with temporary accommodation needs and are not intended for long term use. Each recovery pod will be made available under a lease agreement between the recipient, Fire and Flood Resilience and the NSW government.

People most in need have been identified through the NSW government’s Disaster Relief Grants program.
Fire and Flood Resilience and the NSW government are working closely with key stakeholders, including local councils and the Department of Housing, to determine how best to allocate the recovery pods.

A range of planning changes have been implemented to assist communities recover from bushfires which allow for the placement of the recovery pods on private property. More detail on these changes can be found at https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/bushfirerecovery.