Horsepower Highway and Katanning Pool Association set to receive funding boost through rural-focused program

Two Great Southern community organisations have been awarded grant funding as part of a program to support bushfire recovery and preparedness projects.

Local environmental group North Stirlings Pallinup Natural Resources has been awarded $10,000 by the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal to add two installations representing the local fire brigade and landcare groups on the Horsepower Highway between Broomehill and Stirling Range National Park.

The Katanning and Districts Pool Association has also received a grant of more than $11,000 to add a kitchen to their hall in as part of a push to provide a safe space for young people and community supported clients to connect and socialise.

Both organisations received their grants as part of the foundation’s funding of initiatives to allow communities to both recover from and become more resilient following the 2019-20 black summer bushfires across the country.

FRRR place portfolio lead Jill Karena said the funded projects would allow the community to connect, engage, celebrate and recover.

“Underlying most of the (funding) requests is a desire to be stronger in the future — to be more resilient,” she said.

Close to $895,000 of grants were given out to 59 projects last week as part of the foundation’s bushfire recovery program.