Winter is setting in, and for Victoria's bushfire victims, that has created a desperate need for heating and warm coverings.
Snow falls in many of the towns devastated by the Black Saturday bushfires, and with some survivors still living in tents and temporary accommodation, winter is dreaded.
Patrick Hannan, whose Mount Disappointment home was destroyed on February 7, on Thursday welcomed an announcement that $2,000 would be provided to all bushfire victims for heating needs.
The funding will come from the Bushfire Relief Fund, which has now received $351 million in donations.
"In the next few months we'll have snow up here on the mountains, that'll go from up the back of Wandong, up through Kinglake and beyond,'' Mr Hannan told reporters at the funding announcement in Wallan.
"For the people who have accommodation, they are going to have heating needs, and for those that don't and can't use insulation and materials like that they've got a very real need for warm bedding, for clothing and for coverings.''
Three months on from Black Saturday, most bushfire victims were also "feeling quite homesick'', Mr Hannan said.
"A lot of people do want to get back on their properties as soon as possible, but with the conditions that are coming up it's really quite untenable to be living in tent-type accommodation,'' he said.
The latest payment will go to all bushfire survivors who have already received money from the fund and was intended to be used for winter essentials, fund chairman John Landy said.
"From heaters, blankets and new winter clothing to covering the cost of gas and electricity bills, having insulation installed or buying up materials to make home improvements on temporary housing,'' Mr Landy said.
About 4000 people are expected to receive the money.
Another $1 million has been set aside to be used for local community winter events, such as concerts or film nights.
Each of the bushfire communities will receive between $5,000 and $25,000 to run the events.
The $9 million winter package is a small part of the $240 million spent from the fund so far.
Mr Landy said the $110 million still to be allocated would be spent on long-term projects.
"There's a lot of possibilities going on there, we've got the community situation which we're looking at very closely, there are other long-term problems in terms of health and there's the one with the orphans that we're working on now,'' he added.
Meanwhile, the bushfire-ravaged town of Maryville - which was virtually wiped off the map - will take another step towards a new future with the opening of a temporary village.
VIPs including Victorian governor David de Kretser, Premier John Brumby and other officials will on Sunday visit the town, where almost every home and building was destroyed, to open the village as well as launch a local radio station.