Business support

Support is available through the Victorian Timber Innovation Grants Program to assist affected forestry businesses to transition from native timber to plantation fibre and transformative industry investment.

Round 2 of the program is currently closed.

Eligibility of Round 3 will be extended to harvest and haulage sub-contractors, chip truck drivers and other forestry businesses impacted by the Forestry Transition.

Victorian Timber Innovation Fund Round 1 recipients

Australian Sustainable Hardwoods – Heyfield

• Engineered Flooring Manufacturing Line and Retail Supply Chain – $1,619,000
• MASSLAM Finishing and Storage and Reconditioner Project – $1,201,500

Radial Timber – Yarram

• Small Log Line – $325,000
• Hardwood Reconnaissance Project – $17,000
• Plantation Processing Trials – $50,000

Longwarry Sawmill

• Recycled Timber Project – $202,142

Ryan & McNulty – Benalla

• Plantation-based manufacturing project - $100,000

Brunts Harvesting – Orbost

• Forestry Innovation Transition Feasibility Study – $40,000

Talbot Timbers

• Plantation Timber research and Feasibility Study – $82,758

Eddy Enterprises – Mansfield

• Heavy Equipment Clean Up Feasibility Study Project – $89,875

Samaria Contracting

• Excavation and Plantation Timber Processing Feasibility Study – $68,765

CDH Contracting – Alexandra

• Alternative Timbers Business Transition Project – $71,238

Clark Generation – Healesville

• Forestry Residue Utilisation Project Business Plan – $97,810

Sawmill Voluntary Transition Packages are now available.

These packages compensate sawmills for contracted timber that will not be delivered in 2023-24 and provide plant and equipment payments and reimbursement of statutory redundancy payments.

It will provide a payment for businesses as compensation for having to cease purchasing Victorian native timber early.

The Forestry Transition Fund provides grants up to $1 million for businesses and industry groups - including chambers of commerce and associations, peak bodies and businesses networks - to apply for grants to expand, diversify or start new businesses.

Applicants that directly employ displaced native timber workers will receive a $20,000 wage subsidy per worker in addition to their grant.

Funding is also available to local councils, water corporations and utility providers to make sure there is the right infrastructure in place to support businesses’ applications.

Forest Produce Licence holders can also access the Community Forestry Support Package which includes:

• Compensation payments for undersupply since November 2022
• Plant and equipment payment
• Reimbursement of statutory employee redundancy payments

Community forestry businesses and workers can also Worker Support Payments, including a one-off hardship payment, through the Victorian Forestry Worker Support Program.

Support is available through the Victorian Timber Innovation Grants Program to assist affected forestry businesses to transition from native timber to plantation fibre and transformative industry investment.

Round 2 of the program is currently closed.

Eligibility of round 3 will be extended to harvest and haulage sub-contractors, chip truck drivers and other forestry businesses impacted by the Forestry Transition.

The Forestry Transition Fund provides grants up to $1 million for businesses and industry groups - including chambers of commerce and associations, peak bodies and businesses networks - to apply for grants to expand, diversify or start new businesses.

Applicants that directly employ displaced native timber workers will receive a $20,000 wage subsidy per worker in addition to their grant.

Funding is also available to local councils, water corporations and utility providers to make sure there is the right infrastructure in place to support businesses’ applications.

The Forestry Business Support Package provides funding to eligible forestry businesses, such as chip truck drivers and seed collectors, to compensate for the decreased value of plant and equipment previously used to support the commercial harvest or haulage of native timber from State forests. It will also reimburse any employee statutory redundancy payments made due to the forestry transition.

This applies to native timber dependant businesses not covered by the Sawmill Voluntary Transition Package, Harvest and Haulage Support Package or Community Forestry Support Package.

The Forestry Transition Fund provides grants up to $1 million for businesses and industry groups - including chambers of commerce and associations, peak bodies and businesses networks - to apply for grants to expand, diversify or start new businesses.

Applicants that directly employ displaced native timber workers will receive a $20,000 wage subsidy per worker in addition to their grant.

Funding is also available to local councils, water corporations and utility providers to make sure there is the right infrastructure in place to support businesses’ applications.