Essendon Fields has offered support to community members affected by recent Victorian flooding, which included providing emergency accommodation at Hyatt Place Melbourne, Essendon Fields to local families displaced by the floods at the height of the emergency.

Hotel owners Essendon Fields and operators Hyatt Place mobilised quickly on Friday 14 October to offer rooms to those whose homes had flooded, with many of the families staying having lost everything. This included their cars, so two hotel shuttles were sent to collect people from the local Maribyrnong River relief centre on Friday.

Within the Essendon Fields precinct there’s also been an outpouring of generosity from the LaManna family, who provided 100 care packages for collection from their supermarket over the same weekend for families in the flood affected areas.

Essendon Fields CEO, Brendan Pihan, said he was overwhelmed to see the generosity of the community at a difficult time for locals.

“Essendon Fields and our airport have been a part of this community for over 100 years, and we can’t imagine how difficult it must be to see your family home and possessions devastated by these floodwaters.”

“We were pleased to be able to work quickly to offer immediate support to some of the families hardest hit, providing accommodation at our hotel together with our operators, Hyatt Place Melbourne. The team has done a tremendous job working directly with the local relief centre and providing these families with a safe place to stay,” said Mr Pihan.

Across the State, Essendon Fields Airport is playing a critical role in supporting Victoria’s flood response as the aviation base for military aircraft, their crews and supportive defence personnel. The Australian Defence Force and up to 400 ADF personnel have set up a temporary base at Hangar 81, alongside two Chinook Helitankers, to get hay to farmers, move generators to communities without power, provide essential items and if required, evacuate stranded residents and get them to safety. On October 19 the ADF team were visited by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, Minister for Emergency Services, Jaclyn Symes and Victoria’s Emergency Management Commissioner, Andrew Crisp, who thanked them for their service.

As the home of emergency services in Victoria, it is appropriate that Essendon Fields Airport plays an integral aviation co-ordination role during this crisis for Victoria. At a local level, Essendon Fields has also extended the area where community groups can apply for our Community Grants program, to include clubs and organisations in suburbs affected by the Maribyrnong River floods.

We wish all communities across Victoria impacted by floods all the very best at this very difficult time and for a speedy rebuild and recovery.

Please note that any families requiring emergency accommodation are asked to please contact the Maribyrnong Emergency Relief team on 1800 560 760. 

To find out more about the Fiends of the Fields Community Grants Program and eligibility, please click here. Grants submissions close 16 November.