A $10,000 donation will be made by the Shire of Augusta Margaret River to the Lord Mayor’s Distress Relief Fund in the coming days to help the Perth residents most affected by the recent bushfires.

The Council voted unanimously to make the donation on behalf of the local community as a gesture of support for these similarly bushfire prone communities.

Shire President Ian Earl said our community members were the grateful recipients of donations after the 2011 Margaret River fires and this was a case of paying it forward.

“The communities that will benefit from these funds are in the thick of devastation,” he said. “The loss of homes and property is a distressing experience and one that we know all too well.

“It’s important that we are there to support our neighbours through these times knowing that they have been there for us and will be again in the future.

“It’s a donation that is going to Perth residents, but we can consider it an investment into our own community.”

The donation will be made from the Council’s discretionary donations budget allocation.