The grant is from the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority through the Community Recovery Fund.

Indigo Shire’s Arts and Cultural Development officer Susan Reid said there were many ways the grant money could be spent and community meetings had been arranged for residents to express their views.

“The project can be the creation of a building or a monument, a plaque or other signage, a living memorial such as tree planting, landscaping, or a memorial garden,” she said.

“It can also be community or school art projects, public art or sculpture or the restoration or development of public spaces for reflection in a park or along a river or creek.

“The grant can be used for a permanent memorial or a community gathering of some kind. And it might be that each community wants something different. It will depend largely on what people want.”

Ms Reid said it was important that the community had some ownership of the project and encouraged people to attend one of the community meetings.

Ms Reid said the community meetings would be held at:

o       Stanley Hall on Thursday 1 October at 6pm

o       Beechworth Town Hall, Wednesday 7 October at 6pm

o       Bruarong Hall on Thursday 8 October at 6pm.

For more information, contact Ms Reid on 02 6028 1166.