The blaze in western Victoria's Grampians National Park was contained earlier in January after scorching 76,000 hectares of land over three weeks and halting tourism in the region over its busiest period.
Parts of the national park have reopened but in Halls Gap, the gateway to the Grampians, there's an eerie quiet under the haze of remnant smoke.
"It's still ghost town-ish," Halls Gap Zoo manager Mark Treweek told AAP.Â
Fires, which burned for three weeks, shut down tourism in the region during its busiest period. (James Ross/AAP PHOTOS)
"There are people that are coming to support every business they can, which is amazing... but yeah, she's very, very quiet."
The fires destroyed four homes and 40 outbuildings in the towns and villages around the park's fringes.
State and federal MPs have been in regular contact with local businesses, but disaster relief payments have been limited basic relief categories.
"They're trying to do what they can ... but at this point, there's nothing for us," Mr Treweek said.
In the meantime, businesses were relying on punters to survive and have urged visitors who can't make it to buy gift vouchers or make forward bookings to keep the town turning over.
Federal opposition leader Peter Dutton criticised the Victorian government for how quickly it delivered relief, suggesting other state governments work faster in doing assessments and getting them to the Commonwealth to unlock disaster funding
The bushfires burned 76,000 hectares of land and destroyed four houses and a lot of infrastructure. (HANDOUT/COUNTRY FIRE AUTHORITY - WYE RIVER)
"There is a lot of frustration, understandably here on the ground from the people we've spoken to, that that decision hasn't yet been made by the state government," Mr Dutton said at Halls Gap on Wednesday.
Payments under the first two categories of disaster recovery funding arrangements have already been unlocked, but the more complex categories of relief must be signed-off by the prime minister following a state government application.
A spokeswoman for federal Emergency Services Minister Jenny McAllister said it had been an incredibly challenging time for many Victorian communities, especially those in and around the Grampians.
"We're working with the Victorian government to provide impacted communities the support they need," she said.
Disaster assistance has been activated for councils in Ararat, Macedon Ranges, Northern Grampians and Southern Grampians, and emergency relief payments are available for eligible community members whose homes were in evacuation zones.
"Joint funding for small business support can be provided following a request from the Victorian government," the spokeswoman said.
The Victorian government has been contacted for comment.
The impacts of bushfires have also hit businesses far beyond evacuation zones.
About 200km away in Cape Otway, Bimbi Camp owner Frank Fotinas has watched one in five of his bookings evaporate after a camper's unextinguished fire grew out of control earlier in January.
The fire at an illegal campsite has sparked a criminal investigation.
Ongoing bushfire warnings are putting off visitors, park operators Frank and Kat Fotinas say. (HANDOUT/FRANK FOTINAS)
Mr Fotinas evacuated his 100-site camping and glamping business as a precaution, but said lingering bushfire warnings in the area continued to scare away visitors.
"There's still a bushfire warning there, when there's no bushfire there," Mr Fotinas told AAP.
"I understand they've got to be cautious, but that does not help."
Mr Fotinas said the media also fuelled precautionary cancellations, and noted the urgency of reporting emergency warnings never matched the coverage of a return to safety.
"No one's going to talk about Cape Otway now, but why aren't we on the front page saying, 'Yep, everything's fine, everything's great'," he said.
"You know, doom and gloom sells."
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