Conrad Wood (Woody) graduated from the Victorian School of Forestry in 1957, and after postings with the Forests Commission Victoria (FCV) at Swifts Creek and Sirex surveys, he gravitated into the Forest Protection Division in Head Office in the early 1960s. He championed the setting up of proper contractual arrangements for aviation and was involved in implementing the first ongoing, organised contracts for firebombing in eastern Victoria in the 1960s. An early recipient of a prestigious Churchill Fellowship, Woody travelled extensively throughout 1969 in North America and Europe studying aviation in forestry and firefighting. Afterwards he was very active amongst the Churchill alumni. Woody had a passion for innovation and new technology and was instrumental in introducing new aircraft types and new approaches for forest firefighting and forest management. Amongst many other things, he played a major role in organising the trial of a RAAF C130 equipped with MAFFS for firebombing in south-eastern Australia in 1982-84, even piloting the lead plane. His inimitable style was crucial in successfully bringing together the cultures of the myriad organisations involved. Con advocated for the introduction of helicopters. He developed aerial fertilising and seeding techniques for forest management. He even managed to get involved in cloud seeding experiments for forest fire suppression and for improving water yield. Along with aviation, Conrad was passionate about literature, football, politics, food, drink, motorbikes, gardening and Glen Iris, to name a few. He was a committed campaigner on social justice issues and for many years read for vision-impaired people on public radio. He died in 2014. This painting of Woody by notable Australian artist Joyce McGrath OAM (also a Churchill Fellow) was done in the 1980s. Joyce asked Conrad to sit for this portrait which she planned to enter the Doug Moran National Portrait Prize. The portrait hung in Churchill House in Canberra, but when a new building was erected, it was returned to the artist/owner. The painting is now owned by Clare Harwood and is on permanent loan to the Forests Commission Retired Personnel Association (FCRPA) and is displayed at DEECA's Altona Museum.Painting of Conrad Wood by Australian artist Joyce McGrath OAMbushfire, bushfire aviation

After the 1939 bushfires, the Forests Commission Victoria invested heavily in a radically new communications network. After suffering some inevitable delays due to the war, radio VL3AA switched into full operation in October 1945 proudly beaming out 200 watts across the State. But by today’s standards, the technology was primitive and the reception poor unless the user was on a high point somewhere. The radio signal was "line-of-sight" and bounced between fire towers and relay transmitters across the mountains back to the District offices. The advent of solid-state electronics in the 1960s replaced the more delicate valve sets which enabled greater use of vehicle mounted radios. The Commission continued to research, develop and build new radios at its many workshops around Victoria. The network was supported by a large team of skilled radio technicians. The more secure and versatile State Mobile Radio (SMR) digital trunk system came into operation in about 1995. Upgraded Tait Radios were purchased in 2014 after recommendations of the 2009 Bushfires Royal Commission. But it was the convergence of separate technologies such as 5G mobile phones, high-capacity and light-weight lithium batteries, Wi-Fi, the ever-expanding internet, cloud data storage, digital cameras, GPS, personal organisers and hundreds of supporting Apps into powerful smartphones and tablets which revolutionised bushfire communications from the mid-2000s. Introduced to the FCV in the mid 1960sRadio Transceiver Forest Phone FP-1 with handsetbushfire, radios, forests commission victoria (fcv)

After the 1939 bushfires, the Forests Commission Victoria invested heavily in a radically new communications network. After suffering some inevitable delays due to the war, radio VL3AA switched into full operation in October 1945 proudly beaming out 200 watts across the State. But by today’s standards, the technology was primitive and the reception poor unless the user was on a high point somewhere. The radio signal was "line-of-sight" and bounced between fire towers and relay transmitters across the mountains back to the District offices. The advent of solid-state electronics in the 1960s replaced the more delicate valve sets which enabled greater use of vehicle mounted radios. The Commission continued to research, develop and build new radios at its many workshops around Victoria. The network was supported by a large team of skilled radio technicians. The more secure and versatile State Mobile Radio (SMR) digital trunk system came into operation in about 1995. Upgraded Tait Radios were purchased in 2014 after recommendations of the 2009 Bushfires Royal Commission. But it was the convergence of separate technologies such as 5G mobile phones, high-capacity and light-weight lithium batteries, Wi-Fi, the ever-expanding internet, cloud data storage, digital cameras, GPS, personal organisers and hundreds of supporting Apps into powerful smartphones and tablets which revolutionised bushfire communications from the mid-2000s. Introduced to the FCV in the mid 1960sRadio Transceiver Forest Phone FP-1 with handsetbushfire, radios, forests commission victoria (fcv)

Fire at the Cathedral Hotel! Bird’s eye view These firemen on the roof of the Cathedral Hotel are very bold in their approach to firefighting! One heroically aims a firehose at the roof while another holds onto the flagpole with one hand as he walks around the narrow edge, three storeys up! Onlookers from adjacent buildings make the most of their front row view, and The Age reported that on street level, hundreds of people gathered to watch, enthralled by “a thrilling spectacle when three firemen walked along the stone coping on the top floor of the building and, despite the clouds of smoke and sheets of flame which shot through the roof they ripped off the hot slate tiles and provided an outlet for the flames”. The Cathedral Hotel was built in 1883 and demolished in 1966 to make way for the City Square. Featured in "Newsworthy: Melbourne in photographs 1933-1936" exhibition at East Melbourne Library, October to December 2023. Exhibition caption by project volunteer, Louise McKenzie. Photographer notations on slide: "Fire at Cathedral Hotel Swanston St City March 1936 B104" Description: View looking down on roof of the Cathedral Hotel showing 16 firefighters battling a fire. There is smoke coming through the roof. Onlookers watch from adjoining buildings, not perturbed by the proximity of the fire. The firemen look bold and impressive in their brass helmets. Research by project volunteer, Louise McKenzie: The Age reported on 4 March 1936 that the fire broke out in rubbish between the roof space and wooden ceiling of the Cathedral Hotel at 4.30 pm. “The Eastern Hill fire brigade was notified by telephone, and an almost simultaneous call was also received at fire brigade headquarters from a street alarm.” These red fire alarm call boxes were typically installed on street corners, and when the knob was turned, a pulsed electric signal corresponding to the box’s number was received at fire headquarters. A large detachment of firemen with full fire-fighting equipment, including two large extension ladders, were quickly on the scene, pouring vast quantities of water into the hotel, causing several hundred pounds of damage to hotel and guest property, but quickly bringing the fire under control. Lengths of hose had to be carried through the front entrance and up several flights of stairs. On street level hundreds of people gathered to watch, but were controlled by police in order to keep them at a safe distance and ensure that tram and motor traffic was not seriously disorganised. The crowd were enthralled by “a thrilling spectacle when three firemen walked along the stone coping on the top floor of the building and, despite the clouds of smoke and sheets of flame which shot through the roof, they ripped off the hot slate tiles and provided an outlet for the flames”. The firemen are noteworthy for their highly polished brass helmets, known as Merryweather helmets, based on those of French sapeurs-pompiers and introduced to the British Metropolitan Fire Brigade in London in 1868. Metal helmets are conductive, a safety issue as the use of electricity became widespread, so a composite cork and rubber helmet was introduced in London from 1936. In Queensland, traditional brass helmets remained in service until 1970. The firemen are very bold in their actions – one heroically aiming a fire hose at the roof of the building, another holding onto the flagpole with one hand as he walks around the narrow top edge of the roof, three storeys up! The onlookers from adjoining buildings are interested in the spectacle, rather than dismayed by the fire. Lettering around the building exterior reads "Cathedral Hotel - Erected 1883". Prominent signage for “Richardson’s whisky, brandy, gin & rum" sits along the edge of the roof. The Cathedral Hotel was located on the corner of Swanston Street and Flinders Lane. It was built in 1883, and its name derived from St Paul’s Cathedral on the south side of Flinders Lane. It was demolished in 1966 as Melbourne City Council wished to create a City Square. Robyn Annear notes that at the time, the development was referred to as “Whelan’s Square” due to the large number of buildings which needed to be demolished to create the Square. Ironically the Hotel had been the victim of a previous fire in 1917, when its then licensee, also named Whelan, was charged with two failed arson attempts. References: No title (1936, March 4). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 13. Retrieved February 5, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205256255 FIRE AT A CITY HOTEL. (1936, March 4). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 12. Retrieved February 5, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205256231 FIRE IN ROOF OF CITY HOTEL (1936, March 4). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 8. Retrieved February 5, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11018696 Hotel Roof Fire Draws Crowd (1936, March 4). Examiner (Launceston, Tas. : 1900 - 1954), p. 8 (DAILY). Retrieved February 5, 2024, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52000751 'Flinders Lane Melbourne 1966', Peter Andrew Barrett, Facebook, 12 June 2020, https://www.facebook.com/120943481324886/photos/a.512123662206864/3025002490918956/?type=3 Fire Alarm Call Box, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_alarm_call_box Research notes, 'A city lost and found', Robyn Annear, https://robynannear.com/docs/whelan-the-wrecker-notes.pdfPhotographer notations on slide: "Fire at Cathedral Hotel Swanston St City March 1936 B104".fires, hotels, 1930-1939