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Ash Wednesday MemorialPrint Page Print this page

04-August-2014
04-August-2014

Photographs supplied by Graeme Saunders

The wood sculpture commemorates the volunteers who served during the Ash Wednesday bushfires in February 1983.

The Ash Wednesday bushfires, known in South Australia as Ash Wednesday II, were a series of bushfires that occurred in south-eastern Australia on 16 February 1983, which was Ash Wednesday. Within twelve hours, more than 180 fires fanned by hot winds of up to 110 km/h (68 mph) caused widespread destruction across the states of Victoria and South Australia. Years of severe deought and extreme weather combined to create one of Australia's worst fire days in a century. The fires were the deadliest bushfire in Australian history until the Black Saturday bushfires in 2009.

In Victoria, 47 people died. There were 28 deaths in South Australia. This included 14 CFA and three CFS volunteers firefighters who died across both states that day.

Location

Address:Mount Gambier Road, Centennial Park, Millicent, 5280
State:SA
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -37.597598
Long: 140.357765
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Sculpture
Monument Theme:Disaster
Sub-Theme:Fire
Actual Event Start Date:16-February-1983
Actual Event End Date:16-February-1983
Artist:Anthony "Ant" Martin

Dedication

Front Inscription

To Commemorates the Volunteers who gave willingly
of their time and service in a day of devastation.

               ASH WEDNESDAY
             16th February 1983

"The day when a fiery inferno enveloped hundres of houses and farms,
thousands of sheep and cattle, pine plantations, even family of friends"

Project by Millicent Community Builders

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