It was a phone call on Friday morning that ended a hard working week with "fantastic news" for Cabonne.
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Lobbying from the state government urging its federal counterpart to match $50 million for flood-ravaged towns in the Central West finally made it over the line on November 9.
Bringing a now-combined state and federal funding package to $100 million, Cabonne Shire mayor Kevin Beatty is relieved to be out of a hanging-in-the-balance phase.
"The minister calling to confirm the funding will be matched was just the fantastic news we'd all been hoping and waiting for," he said.
Member for Calare, Andrew Gee announced the "scandalously late" news outside of his Anson Street office on Friday morning.
With details still unclear as to how the money will be spent and exactly where it will be allocated, indications from Mr Gee broke it down into three parts.
Homes are said to benefit from $40 million, $32 million for transport and infrastructure, and community assets at more than $20 million.
"We had flooding widespread across the Central West, not just in Cabonne," mayor Beatty said.
"It affected our surrounding shires, like Forbes, Parkes and Lachlan as well, so when you break it all down with the amount of damage that occurred to homes and community infrastructure across the board, the state funding alone just wouldn't have cut it.
"It did sound like a lot, but $50 million doesn't go as far as people may think and it's really not a lot when you take all of those extensive damages across the region into consideration."
It's understood the NSW Reconstruction Authority will work alongside community leaders for the next two months to help determine where the additional funding will be directed.
The dual-government package is also anticipated to support house-raising and retrofits - introducing rebuilding with different designs and materials to withstand major flooding in the future.
"This is giving our flood-hit communities a clearer direction with where they're headed in our region's ongoing recovery, which has been an enormously hard task for those impacted," Mr Beatty said.
"So, this extra $50 million will get us across the line now with a lot of community projects, and it's going to help and be of huge relief to a lot of people who need it."
Tuesday, November 14, will mark 12 months to the day since the devastating deluge ripped through the west.
Cabonne Council will hold a Reflection Service at 9.30am in Eugowra to mark the first anniversary of the flood event.
It's going to help and be of huge relief to a lot of people who need it.
- Mayor Kevin Beatty on $100 million flood-recovery package.
Gathering at Apex Park at the corner of Grevillea Avenue and Broad Street, the focus of the service will acknowledge the former year's heartbreak - including the ongoing sufferring experienced by many today.
This includes mourning the tragic loss of two lives in Eugowra, Ljubisa "Les" Vugec, 85, and Dianne Smith, 60.
Local council will also give a nod of gratitude to recognise the support received to date, while allowing locals to "focus on the future and be reminded of all that is still to come for this resilient community".
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