HOPE and optimism have returned to communities ravaged by Black Saturday's bushfires as house slabs are poured, retail hubs reopened and precinct plans completed.

It's only now, almost a year after the February 7 inferno razed 430,000ha, destroyed 2000 homes and killed 173 people, that many of those affected say they are ready to rebuild and reconnect.

Astrid Harris, 18, returned to Alexandra High School this week to have another go at Year 11 after struggling to study in the aftermath of the fires.

Marysville residents Mark and Jan Peart said they could finally see the "wood for the trees" as the frame went up on their new home.

Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority chairwoman Christine Nixon said communities and individuals were at different stages of recovery, but generally there was more optimism as the rebuild continued.

More than $1 billion has been paid out on 10,280 insurance claims.

Another 22,000 payments have been made from the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund, worth $240 million.

Most of the remaining money in the $389 million fund has been allocated to run long-term support programs for bereaved children, scholarships, school holiday programs and psychological support programs.

Another $670 million has been allocated by the Victorian and Federal governments to reconstruction and recovery, including $80 million in Federal Government disaster and income recovery payments, $79 million for Federal Government bushfire recovery projects, $20 million in personal hardship grants and a $51 million business support package.

But despite the influx of money, just 1427 building permits have been issued since Black Saturday, including 382 for dwellings, 635 for sheds and 410 for commercial and other structures.

Marysville Economic Leadership Group member Chris Muir said a survey of former businesses operators in the town showed many were reluctant to invest their insurance money and go back into debt.

"Issues raised varied from their inability to gain financial assistance, the prospect of going into debt and the uncertainty over the lack of potential customers," Mr Muir said.

VBRRA figures show the Rural Finance Corporation has approved just 12 of the 41 loan applications lodged by small business operators, worth a total of $1.2 million.

In contrast, the RFC has approved 24 of the 38 loan applications lodged by farmers, worth $3 million.

While business recovery has been slow, the uptake of $5000 clean-up and restoration grants of up to $20,000 has been high.

As of last week, $15.9 million had been paid out to 979 applicants for the restoration grants of up to $20,000.