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Grants of $25,000 and $10,000 for eligible small businesses impacted by the closure of the Great Western Highway at Victoria Pass from March 2026.
Key information
- Status: Open
- Grant amount: Up to $25,000
- Application opened: 22 June 2026
- Application closes: 22 January 2027, 4:00 pm
Program objective
The program aims to provide targeted financial support to eligible small businesses that have experienced a loss of turnover as a result of the Great Western Highway closure.
To help sustain operations and mitigate impacts, grants of up to $25,000 are available to eligible small businesses in Hartley, Hartley Vale, Little Hartley and Mount Victoria.
Grants of up to $10,000 are also available to eligible small businesses in all other regional towns and localities within NSW postcodes 2785, 2786 and 2790, as well as Oberon and Duckmaloi in postcode 2787.
This program is administered by Rural Assistance Authority.
This program is funded by NSW Treasury.
Eligibility
The grant is available to eligible small businesses located within the NSW postcodes 2785, 2786 and 2790, and select locations in postcode 2787.
Eligible small businesses may receive a grant of up to $10,000 or $25,000, depending on their primary business location. A full list of eligible locations is provided in Attachment A of the Great Western Highway Closure Small Business Support Grant Guidelines (PDF 589.72KB).
To be eligible for an initial payment of $5,000, the business must:
- be physically located in an eligible area
- be registered for GST and hold an active Australian Business Number (ABN)
- employ fewer than 20 full-time staff
- have an aggregated annual turnover of no more than $10 million for the financial year
- demonstrate an intention to continue operating within the same area.
To be eligible for the full grant available, applicants must:
- demonstrate a decline in revenue of 40% or more due to the closure of the Great Western Highway.
Program funding is limited and early applications are encouraged. Applications will close on Friday 22 January 2027 at 4pm (AEDT), or earlier if all available funds are exhausted.
Please refer to the Program Guidelines (PDF 589.72KB) for detailed eligibility criteria.
Assistance available
Eligible small businesses may receive a grant of up to $10,000 or $25,000, depending on their primary business location.
Approved applicants will receive an initial payment of $5,000.
The remaining funds will be paid after submission and verification of the required documentation demonstrating at least a 40% decline in revenue attributable to the closure of the Great Western Highway.
Most recent recipients
Grant recipients
This overview is based on the period between June 2026 and September 2026.
Recipients received funding from this grant
Total funds approved for recipients of this grant
What your application needs to include
All applications must be submitted through the RAA’s online portal.
If you don’t already have an RAA Account, you will need to create one before you can access the portal. You can find step‑by‑step instructions for setting up an account on the RAA Portal page.
When you submit your application, you will need to upload:
- your Business Activity Statement (BAS) for the period April to June 2025
- evidence of lodgement of your BAS with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO)
- evidence of the business’s physical address
- evidence of bank account details to use for approved grant payments.
Note: When submitting a claim for the full grant available, you will be required to upload your BAS for the period April to June 2026 as well as evidence of lodgement with the ATO.
You can download the full guidelines:
See the Rural Assistance Authority website.
Start the application
All applications must be submitted through the RAA’s online portal.
If you don’t already have an RAA Account, you will need to create one before you can access the portal. You can find step‑by‑step instructions for setting up an account on the RAA Portal page.
After the application is submitted
Successful applications will be decided by: The Executive Director Assets, Grants and Lending, Enabling Services Group, NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD).
You will be notified in writing if your application is approved. Your initial payment will then be made to the bank account provided in your application within 10 business days of the approval notification. You will also be advised of the process to submit a claim for the remaining funds.
Support and contact
Website: www.raa.nsw.gov.au
Phone number: 1800 678 593 (free call)
Email: rural.assist@raa.nsw.gov.au