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Bunyip Bushfire Memorial Print Page Print this page

05-May-2014
05-May-2014

Photographs supplied by Sandra Brown

The memorial commemorates those who lost their lives or were affected by the Black Saturday bushfires of 2009.The memorial features two plaques, memorial wall and seating and a tree in a large circular area.

It also pays tribute to the emergency services, volunteers, government agencies and charities that helped local residents during the Bunyip Ridge fires of the same time. Twenty firestar rose bushes, bred and donated by Rob Wakelam whose farm was threatened in the Black Saturday bushfires, were planted at the memorial. The firestar rose bushes, the official rose of the CFA, are expected to bloom in 2014 in time for the anniversary of the Black Saturday bushfires. The roses are an important feature of the new memorial at the park in Bunyip.

The ceremony was held on the 6th July 2013 to present the memorial to the local community. Council officially opened the memorial in February 2014, to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the Black Saturday bushfires. The memorial was funded by the State and Federal Government’s Community Recovery Fund, with additional funding by Council.

The Bunyip ridge fires destroyed 31 homes, including that of Cardinia Shire resident Fred Wailes, and burned through 26,200 hectares by the time they were contained early in March 2009.

In February 2009, the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments jointly established the $10 million Community Recovery Fund to assist in community development and recovery after the Victorian bushfires. Funding of $2.5 million was allocated for memorials and commemorative events and has supported the creation of 59 memorials across 18 councils through extensive consultation with those communities impacted by the fires. The memorials include walls, sculptures, places of reflection, storyboards, lookout towers, roadside stops, shelters, signage, murals, plaques and seating, commemorative gardens and rotundas. The aim of the collection is to provide a complete and historic photographic record of the memorials created after the 2009 Victorian bushfires.

Location

Address:Railway Avenue & Hope Street, Koolangarra Park , Bunyip, 3815
State:VIC
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -38.09822
Long: 145.71565
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:Disaster
Sub-Theme:Fire
Actual Event Start Date:07-February-2009
Actual Event End Date:07-February-2009
Monument Manufacturer:Citywide Contractors
Link: http://www.rdv.vic.gov.au

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Friday 7th February, 2014
Front Inscription

Plaque :

CARDINIA SHIRE COUNCIL
BUNYIP BUSHFIRE MEMORIAL
Was dedicated on 7 February 2014 by
Mayor Cr Graeme Moore
CFA Regional Director Peter Schmidt AFSM
Local resident Mr Fred Wailes

Plaque : 
Bunyip Bushfire Memorial - Koolangarra Park 
`STRENGTH IN COMMUNITY`
In memory of all those who lost their lives, and in recognition of all others who endured loss or were affected by the Black Saturday bushfires across Victoria on or around 7 February 2009

Bunyip Ridge Fire
Thank you to those who came to our
       assistance :
Emergency Services
Volunteers from near and far
Government agencies
Charitable organisations

Source: MA, RDV
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au