Cam pointing out the ravages on various trees from the 1939, 1967 and 1969 fires. This tree bares evidence from the 1939 bushfire which raged through the area. Heriitage Excursion - Kileavey Walk and TalkBorn Digitalactivities, eltham district historical society, heritage excursion, kileavey, parks victoria, laughing waters road, eltham, wurundjeri, black friday 1939

THE WEEK REVIEWED (Article; Bush Fires: A pictorial survey of Victoria's most tragic week, January 8-15, 1939. Published in aid of the Bush Fire Relief Fund by the Sun News-Pictorial in co-operation with its newsagents, pp2-3) THE fiercest bush fires Australia has known since its discovery are quiescent at the moment, and Victoria, in the comparative coolness of the change which came with rain on Sunday night, has begun·to count its losses. In the fiery eight days, from Sunday to Sunday, at least sixty-six men, women and children have lost their lives in forest fires, or have succumbed to burns and shock; many others have died from heat; and several serious cases of burns are being treated in hospitals. Two babies in Narrandera district have died, and ten others are in hospital, because of milk soured by the record temperatures of those eight days. Forest damage totals at least a million pounds, and incalculable damage has been done to the seedlings which were to have been the forests of the future. Water conservation will be seriously affected by the silting-up of reservoirs and streams from which protective timber has been taken by the all-engulfing flames. More than a thousand houses have been destroyed, and these, with 40 mills, and schools, post-offices, churches, and other buildings, represent a loss of at least half a million. At least 1500 are homeless. For their aid, money raised in appeals has now passed the £50,000 mark, and the biggest relief organisation ever set up in peace time has swung into operation. The First Hint Victoria's first hint of what was to come appeared on Sunday, January 8, when most parts of the State awoke to find a blistering day awaiting. At 12.20 p.m., when the thermometer reached its highest for the day, 109.6 degrees, the first fire victims were at that moment going to their death on a bush track five feet wide off the main road to Narbethong. They were the forestry officers Charles Isaac Demby and John Hartley Barling, who went to warn Demby of his danger when he parted from his companions, and was himself surrounded by the treacherous fire. It was not until 8 o'clock next morning that the tragic news was flashed throughout the State. Searchers found the two charred bodies close together, one seeking protection in the nook of two logs. Barling's watch had stopped at 1.20. In the meantime, tragedy was spreading its cloak. By Monday, big fires were raging at Toolangi, Erica, Yallourn, Monbulk, Frankston, Dromana, Drouin South, Glenburn, and Blackwood, with smaller outbreaks at many other centres. In the ensuing week, while women and children were evacuated as fast as the flames would permit, Erica-scene of the 1926 fire disaster-thrice escaped doom by a change of wind. Indeed, those who have been in the fire country these past days say that the numbers of times a change of wind has saved towns from destruction is amazing. In the towns they speak of miracles. Monday's Miracles The escapes from Monett's Mill at Erica and from the Hardwood Company's Mill at Murrindindi, near where Demby and Barling went to their death, were Monday's miracles. Twenty came out alive from each mill. At the first a 60ft. dugout provided an oven-like refuge; at the second, 12 women and children survived in the smoke-filled gloom of a three-roomed cottage while their eight men, their clothes sometimes afire, poured water on the wooden walls. Three houses out of ten remained when the fire had passed. Record Temperatures Sunday had been the hottest Melbourne day for 33 years; Monday dropped to a 76.1 degree maximum; but Tuesday dawned hotter than ever, the mercury reaching 112.5. By now rumor was racing ahead of fact; whole towns were being reported lost; the alarm was raised for scores of missing persons. But fact soon overtook rumor, and within a few days the staggering toll began to mount to a figure beyond the wildest imaginings of the panic-stricken. Six died from heat on this torrid Tuesday, and the fires spread in a wide swathe from south-west to north-east across the State. Fish died in shallow streams. A curtain of smoke hid the sky from all Victoria, and hung far out to sea. It alarmed passengers on ships. On the Ormonde, on the voyage to Sydney from Burnie, women ran on deck, believing fire had broken out in the hold. Days later the smoke reached New Zealand. In Melbourne thousands of fire-volunteers were leaving in cars: vans, motor-buses-anything reliable on wheels-to aid the country in its grim fight. In the fires at Rubicon and. Narbethong, seventeen were facing death this day. But not till Wednesday, when Melbourne breathed again in a cool change, while the country still sweltered in temperatures up to 117 degrees, did the news come through the tree blocked roads. A woman and her little daughter, trapped on the road, were among those who died. Their bodies, and those of menfolk with them, were found strewn out at intervals along the road, where the furnace of the surrounding fire had dropped them in their tracks as they ran. Twelve died at a Rubicon mill, five on the road at Narbethong. At Alexandra, not far distant, a baby was born while the fires raged, and stretcher-bearers brought in the injured. On Thursday the State Government voted £5000 for the relief of fire victims. The Governor (Lord Huntingfield) and the Lord Mayor (Cr. Coles) visited some of the stricken areas, and dipped into their pockets personally. Later, the City Council, too, voted £5000. Friday, The 13th Friday, the Thirteenth, justified its evil name. A blistering northerly came early in the morning, presaging destruction, and forcing the mercury to a new record of 114 degrees. Racing fires killed at least ten in those terrible 12 hours. Four children were engulfed in the furnace at Colac. Panic drove them, uncontrollable, into the smoke-filled road when the fire raced down behind their home. They choked to death. In other parts fires were joining to make fronts of scores of miles. Kinglake was being menaced on two fronts, £60,000 worth of timber was going up in smoke in Ballarat district. Warburton was surrounded. Residents at Lorne, favoured resort, were being driven to the sea-front by a fire which destroyed at least 20 homes. Healewille. with flames visible from the town at one stage, was in a trough between two fires which burned four guest-houses, seven homes and left its surrounding beauty-spots wastes of bowed-over, blackened tree-fern fronds; with its famous Sanctuary, however, intact. Most of Omeo was destroyed this black day: Noojee. while 200 residents crouched in the river, was being reduced to a waste of buckled iron and smoking timber; Erica was once again saved by a change of wind. Beneath a pall of smoke, the Rubicon victims were buried at Alexandra. Friday night and the early hours of Saturday saw the streets of beleagured towns strewn with exhausted fire-fighters. Their flails beside them, ready for the next call, they lay where exhaustion overtook them-on footpaths, beside lamp-posts, in gutters, in cars, under trucks. Saturday's dawn brought clear skies and lower temperatures in many parts, and from the burnt-out areas came a great rush of tragic reports. The death-roll rushed past the fifty mark with incredible speed. Some had been trapped on roads, others at mills; some, after burying their treasures, had clung too long to the places they had made their homes for many years. Four men lost their lives because one went back for his dog. By Sunday, when the first of the saving rain came, nearly another score of names had been added to the list.Newspaper magazine, 48 pages (incl. covers). Fully digitised and searchable PDFPublished in aid of the Bush Fire Relief Fund by the Sun News-Pictorial in co-operation with its newsagents.bushfires, 1939 bushfires, black friday, warrandyte

An early black and white photograph of a sample acre of tall trees near Marysville in Victoria.An early black and white photograph of a sample acre of tall trees near Marysville in Victoria. After the devastating 1939 ‘Black Friday’ bushfires, Victoria’s tallest known trees were to be found in the Cumberland scenic reserve, 20 km north-east of Marysville. This stand of trees was set aside in the 1920s to preserve a ‘sample acre’ of tall trees. It originally contained 27 trees, the tallest of which was said to be 92 m, whilst the average height was 81 m. A severe wind storm in 1959 blew down 13 trees and left the ‘tall tree’ at a reduced 84 m (Munro 1992). An examination of the crown of this tree by arborist Tom Greenwood (Tom Greenwood pers. comm. 2001) suggested that it was unlikely that it ever reached the original figure of 92 m; the current height is 81.5 m, a figure used as the starting point for this search for Victoria’s tallest trees. This postcard was published by the Valentine Publishing Co. Pty. Ltd. as a souvenir of Marysville.VALENTINE'S/ POST CARD/ A GENUINE PHOTOGRAPHsample acre, tall trees, marysville, victoria, cumberland valley, postcard, valentine publishing co, souvenir, 1939 bushfires, cumberland scenic reserve

An early black and white photograph of a sample acre of tall trees near Marysville in Victoria.An early black and white photograph of a sample acre of tall trees near Marysville in Victoria. After the devastating 1939 ‘Black Friday’ bushfires, Victoria’s tallest known trees were to be found in the Cumberland scenic reserve, 20 km north-east of Marysville. This stand of trees was set aside in the 1920s to preserve a ‘sample acre’ of tall trees. It originally contained 27 trees, the tallest of which was said to be 92 m, whilst the average height was 81 m. A severe wind storm in 1959 blew down 13 trees and left the ‘tall tree’ at a reduced 84 m (Munro 1992). An examination of the crown of this tree by arborist Tom Greenwood (Tom Greenwood pers. comm. 2001) suggested that it was unlikely that it ever reached the original figure of 92 m; the current height is 81.5 m, a figure used as the starting point for this search for Victoria’s tallest trees. This photograph was published by the Valentine Publishing Co. Pty. Ltd. as a souvenir of Marysville.sample acre, tall trees, marysville, victoria, cumberland valley, valentine publishing co, photograph, souvenir, 1939 bushfires, cumberland scenic reserve

An early black and white photograph of a sample acre of tall trees near Marysville in Victoria.An early black and white photograph of a sample acre of tall trees near Marysville in Victoria. After the devastating 1939 ‘Black Friday’ bushfires, Victoria’s tallest known trees were to be found in the Cumberland scenic reserve, 20 km north-east of Marysville. This stand of trees was set aside in the 1920s to preserve a ‘sample acre’ of tall trees. It originally contained 27 trees, the tallest of which was said to be 92 m, whilst the average height was 81 m. A severe wind storm in 1959 blew down 13 trees and left the ‘tall tree’ at a reduced 84 m (Munro 1992). An examination of the crown of this tree by arborist Tom Greenwood (Tom Greenwood pers. comm. 2001) suggested that it was unlikely that it ever reached the original figure of 92 m; the current height is 81.5 m, a figure used as the starting point for this search for Victoria’s tallest trees. This photograph was published by the Valentine Publishing Co. Pty. Ltd. as a souvenir of Marysville.sample acre, tall trees, marysville, victoria, cumberland valley, valentine publishing co, photograph, souvenir, 1939 bushfires, cumberland scenic reserve

An early black and white photograph of a sample acre of tall trees near Marysville in Victoria.An early black and white photograph of a sample acre of tall trees near Marysville in Victoria. After the devastating 1939 ‘Black Friday’ bushfires, Victoria’s tallest known trees were to be found in the Cumberland scenic reserve, 20 km north-east of Marysville. This stand of trees was set aside in the 1920s to preserve a ‘sample acre’ of tall trees. It originally contained 27 trees, the tallest of which was said to be 92 m, whilst the average height was 81 m. A severe wind storm in 1959 blew down 13 trees and left the ‘tall tree’ at a reduced 84 m (Munro 1992). An examination of the crown of this tree by arborist Tom Greenwood (Tom Greenwood pers. comm. 2001) suggested that it was unlikely that it ever reached the original figure of 92 m; the current height is 81.5 m, a figure used as the starting point for this search for Victoria’s tallest trees. This postcard was published by the Valentine Publishing Co. Pty. Ltd. as a souvenir of Marysville.VALENTINE'S POST CARD A GENUINE PHOTOGRAPHsample acre, tall trees, marysville, victoria, cumberland valley, postcard, valentine publishing co, souvenir, 1939 bushfires, cumberland scenic reserve

An early black and white photograph of a sample acre of tall trees near Marysville in Victoria.An early black and white photograph of a sample acre of tall trees near Marysville in Victoria. After the devastating 1939 ‘Black Friday’ bushfires, Victoria’s tallest known trees were to be found in the Cumberland scenic reserve, 20 km north-east of Marysville. This stand of trees was set aside in the 1920s to preserve a ‘sample acre’ of tall trees. It originally contained 27 trees, the tallest of which was said to be 92 m, whilst the average height was 81 m. A severe wind storm in 1959 blew down 13 trees and left the ‘tall tree’ at a reduced 84 m (Munro 1992). An examination of the crown of this tree by arborist Tom Greenwood (Tom Greenwood pers. comm. 2001) suggested that it was unlikely that it ever reached the original figure of 92 m; the current height is 81.5 m, a figure used as the starting point for this search for Victoria’s tallest trees.Big Trees Cumberland (illegible)sample acre, tall trees, marysville, victoria, cumberland valley, 1939 bushfires, cumberland scenic reserve, photograph

An early black and white photograph of a sample acre of tall trees near Marysville in Victoria.An early black and white photograph of a sample acre of tall trees near Marysville in Victoria. After the devastating 1939 ‘Black Friday’ bushfires, Victoria’s tallest known trees were to be found in the Cumberland scenic reserve, 20 km north-east of Marysville. This stand of trees was set aside in the 1920s to preserve a ‘sample acre’ of tall trees. It originally contained 27 trees, the tallest of which was said to be 92 m, whilst the average height was 81 m. A severe wind storm in 1959 blew down 13 trees and left the ‘tall tree’ at a reduced 84 m (Munro 1992). An examination of the crown of this tree by arborist Tom Greenwood (Tom Greenwood pers. comm. 2001) suggested that it was unlikely that it ever reached the original figure of 92 m; the current height is 81.5 m, a figure used as the starting point for this search for Victoria’s tallest trees. This postcard was published by the Valentine Publishing Co. Pty. Ltd. as a souvenir of Marysville.Tall Timber at Cumberland/ Valley. Oct. 47. 39sample acre, tall trees, marysville, victoria, cumberland valley, postcard, valentine publishing co, souvenir, 1939 bushfires, cumberland scenic reserve

An early black and white photograph of a sample acre of tall trees near Marysville in Victoria.An early black and white photograph of a sample acre of tall trees near Marysville in Victoria. After the devastating 1939 ‘Black Friday’ bushfires, Victoria’s tallest known trees were to be found in the Cumberland scenic reserve, 20 km north-east of Marysville. This stand of trees was set aside in the 1920s to preserve a ‘sample acre’ of tall trees. It originally contained 27 trees, the tallest of which was said to be 92 m, whilst the average height was 81 m. A severe wind storm in 1959 blew down 13 trees and left the ‘tall tree’ at a reduced 84 m (Munro 1992). An examination of the crown of this tree by arborist Tom Greenwood (Tom Greenwood pers. comm. 2001) suggested that it was unlikely that it ever reached the original figure of 92 m; the current height is 81.5 m, a figure used as the starting point for this search for Victoria’s tallest trees. This postcard was published by the Valentine Publishing Co. Pty. Ltd. as a souvenir of Marysville.Cumberland 1952sample acre, tall trees, marysville, victoria, cumberland valley, postcard, valentine publishing co, souvenir, 1939 bushfires, cumberland scenic reserve

An early black and white photograph of a sample acre of tall trees near Marysville in Victoria.An early black and white photograph of a sample acre of tall trees near Marysville in Victoria. After the devastating 1939 ‘Black Friday’ bushfires, Victoria’s tallest known trees were to be found in the Cumberland scenic reserve, 20 km north-east of Marysville. This stand of trees was set aside in the 1920s to preserve a ‘sample acre’ of tall trees. It originally contained 27 trees, the tallest of which was said to be 92 m, whilst the average height was 81 m. A severe wind storm in 1959 blew down 13 trees and left the ‘tall tree’ at a reduced 84 m (Munro 1992). An examination of the crown of this tree by arborist Tom Greenwood (Tom Greenwood pers. comm. 2001) suggested that it was unlikely that it ever reached the original figure of 92 m; the current height is 81.5 m, a figure used as the starting point for this search for Victoria’s tallest trees.H-illegible SPsample acre, tall trees, marysville, victoria, cumberland valley, 1939 bushfires, cumberland scenic reserve, photograph

An early black and white photograph of a sample acre of tall trees near Marysville in Victoria.An early black and white photograph of a sample acre of tall trees near Marysville in Victoria. After the devastating 1939 ‘Black Friday’ bushfires, Victoria’s tallest known trees were to be found in the Cumberland scenic reserve, 20 km north-east of Marysville. This stand of trees was set aside in the 1920s to preserve a ‘sample acre’ of tall trees. It originally contained 27 trees, the tallest of which was said to be 92 m, whilst the average height was 81 m. A severe wind storm in 1959 blew down 13 trees and left the ‘tall tree’ at a reduced 84 m (Munro 1992). An examination of the crown of this tree by arborist Tom Greenwood (Tom Greenwood pers. comm. 2001) suggested that it was unlikely that it ever reached the original figure of 92 m; the current height is 81.5 m, a figure used as the starting point for this search for Victoria’s tallest trees.8 A group from/ Kooringa./ 1948sample acre, tall trees, marysville, victoria, cumberland valley, 1939 bushfires, cumberland scenic reserve, photograph

This publication of 119 pages features text, colour images, maps and detailed information related to the 2003 bushfires in Victoria.non-fictionA description of efforts to fight the bushfires in Gippsland in 2003, including maps and illustrations This volume was published as a tribute to the work of staff and volunteers who put themselves at risk to protect local communities. It shows the impact on those communities in Victoria and the support they gave to those involved in fighting largest bushfires in Victoria for 60 years. The Alpine bushfires started on 8 January 2003, a day of Total Fire Ban. Lightning ignited 87 fires in the North-East and East Gippsland regions. Eight of these fires were unable to be contained; they joined together to form the largest fire in Victoria since the Black Friday fires in 1939. The majority of the area burnt in Victoria was public land, 1.19 million hectares of parks and forests, including 60 per cent of the Alpine National Park and 81 per cent of the Mt Buffalo National Park. Firefighting efforts were made difficult in hard to access, remote forest terrain. Approximately 90,000 hectares of private land was burnt.forest fires -- victoria, bushfires, fires prevention and control

Also a second postcard with a different view of the ruins of Omeo shops Day St Omeo January 1939 05384.1 8.5 x 14 cmBlack and white postcard showing remains of Golden Age Hotel after Black Saturday Bush fires Omeo VictoriaFriday 13 January 1939 showing ruins of the firesbushfires, natural disasters, townships

The spraying units were manufactured in Australia by REGA Products. Ltd. in 1926. They established themselves as leaders in the production of agricultural and horticultural spraying machines, including smaller knapsacks. Knapsacks were quickly adapted to a range of applications and were widely used by the C.F.A (Country Fire Authority). They were also widely used for defence during World War II. REGA was later purchased by the Garrard family and still operate as part of Garrads Pty Ltd. This sprayer was one of the units used by the C.F. A. in Wodonga. The Country FIre Authority was established in 1945 following a Royal Commission into the 1939 Black Friday fires which recommended a single firefighting authority for country Victoria, bringing together the Bush Fire Brigades, Country Fire Brigades and Forest Commission. The first fire brigade, the Wodonga Urban Fire Brigade was formed in 1891 and registered in May 1893. Since that time its volunteers have provided ongoing support to the Wodonga and District communities through events such as urban fires, bushfires and other emergency situations. This item is representative of the Wodonga Country Fire Authority and its many volunteers.A knapsack sprayer designed to be used for spraying insects. The unit includes brass fittings, leather straps and a spray arm and nozzle attached. It was also adapted to be widely used by firefighters.On front: REGA / C.F.A. Around lid: REGA SPRAYERSrega sprayers, cfa region 24, cfa volunteers, cfa wodonga, wodonga urban fire brigade, fire fighting equipment

A description of efforts to fight the bushfires in Gippsland in 2003, including maps and illustrations. This volume was published as a tribute to the work of staff and volunteers who put themselves at risk to protect local communities. It shows the impact on those communities in Victoria and the support they gave to those involved in fighting largest bushfires in Victoria for 60 years. The Alpine bushfires started on 8th January 2003, a day of Total Fire Ban. Lightning ignited 87 fires in the North-East and East Gippsland regions. Eight of these fires were unable to be contained; they joined together to form the largest fire in Victoria since the Black Friday fires in 1939. The majority of the area burnt in Victoria was public land, 1.19 million hectares of parks and forests, including 60 per cent of the Alpine National Park and 81 per cent of the Mt Buffalo National Park. Firefighting efforts were made difficult in hard-to-access, remote forest terrain. Approximately 90,000 hectares of private land was burnt.This book is significant because it documents the 2003 Victorian Bushfires and serves as a tribute to the CFA staff and volunteers who fought them.This publication of 119 pages features text, colour images, maps and detailed information related to the 2003 bushfires in Victoria.At bottom of front cover:- CFA Victoria Logo Victorian Government Logovictorian fires 2003, cfa (vic)