While the Bega Valley continues to wrestle with the effects of the 2020 bushfires, council has been put under further stress following the severe weather event which has resulted in flood damage across the shire.
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Council said teams were currently assessing closures and damage following the flooding events this week.
Numerous roads have been impacted as well as other infrastructure such as bridges.
On Thursday morning in a joint statement, the federal and NSW governments said disaster recovery funding assistance (DRFA) had now been extended to Bega Valley Shire.
Senator for New South Wales Jim Molan said the Australian government was committed to ensuring the region's recovery was effective.
Oyster farmers will need special attention, some are facing wipe out for the second Easter in a row - they will lose 50 to 80 per cent of their income again.
- Member for Eden-Monaro Kristy McBain
NSW Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott said the announcement would help reassure those already affected that there is assistance available to cover the costs associated with the operational response and support households, small businesses, primary producers, not-for-profit organisations and councils as they continue to repair the damages."
But there is concern over the amount of help available and how easily it might be accessed.
The DRFA provides monetary help for individuals impacted by the floods, covering a $1000 one-off payment and grants for essential household items lost in the floods or towards structural repairs.
However, for businesses and primary producers, such as oyster growers and dairy farmers, who have been badly affected by the floods, only concessional loans, up to $130,000, are available.
Senator Molan accepted that not many businesses on the Far South Coast were going to be keen to take on debt given everything they had been through.
Member for Eden-Monaro Kristy was particularly concerned about the oyster farmers.
"Oyster farmers will need special attention, some are facing wipe out for the second Easter in a row - they will lose 50 to 80 per cent of their income again," Ms McBain said.
Read also: Silage bales fished out of oyster leases
"Given what we have been through over the last couple of years with drought, bushfires and COVID-19 I had hoped that these support systems would operate more smoothly.
"People are still confused and feeling left behind - during a time of trauma and uncertainty," Ms McBain added.
Councils can apply for individual grants for the restoration of essential public assets, Senator Molan explained.
Under these arrangements, state governments determine what assistance measures will be activated, and the areas in which they will be made available. State governments are responsible for administering the DRFA measures.
Mayor of Bega Valley Shire Russell Fitzpatrick said there was a lot of work ahead of council to assess the damage.
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Speaking before the DRFA announcement Cr Fitzpatrick said council had to work out the cost of repair work and see what disaster assistance might be available. He said that some of the repairs, such as the bridge on Nethercote Road over the Yowaka River, were needed urgently.
Late Thursday council was understood to be working though the DRFA to understand what might be available to assist shire in the flood recovery and infrastructure repairs.
