If you were under the impression that surviving the bushfires means you're eligible for the NSW Government funded clean-up, you could be wrong.
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Nowra Hill resident Steve Gauci said he feels that "now the fires are out, the fine print comes out".
After the fires ripped through his Nowra Hill property and destroyed two stables, fencing, and a roundyard, he was relieved to hear the NSW Government offer to help with the cleanup.
He registered for the service, and in the meantime got to work clearing and sorting debris.
By the time Laing O'Rourke contractors attended his property he had neat piles of separated concrete, corrugated iron and loose wire near the road for easy access.
He said the contractor was impressed by the work he'd done - but refused to take the rubbish.
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"They said they couldn't take it because the structures were too far from the main building," he said.
"We were told originally that as long as the damage was from the fires and on the same property, it would be taken. Of course I'm not going to have a shed on my doorstep when I live on an acreage. But they would have been less than 70 metres from the house.
"I feel we're being let down. The spotlight has gone from us and this is what happens.
"Fires, floods, virus - I have my own business and to have this on top of it all is bewildering."
Mr Gauci said he was particularly frustrated by politicians "grandstanding" about the support available for bushfire victims.
"I just think they should be accountable," he said.
A Laing O'Rourke spokesperson said not all bushfire-damaged or destroyed structures were eligible for the NSW Government clean-up service.
"Unfortunately, given the scale of the clean-up task, we are unable to remove every structure that was impacted by the bushfires," they said.
"The NSW and Australian Governments' program is focused on cleaning up properties so people can rebuild their homes or small businesses.
"As such, the primary focus of the clean-up program is on removing destroyed or damaged homes and nearby buildings, associated safety hazards and debris that could impede that rebuilding process.
"In relation to the property in question, the impacted buildings are located some distance from the home, which was not damaged by fire, and are not covered by the free clean-up service."
MPs Gareth Ward and Shelley Hancock have been contacted for comment.
Mr Ward's office directed inquiries to deputy premier John Barilaro.
