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2009 Black Saturday Bushfire Memorial Print Page Print this page

08-March-2015
08-March-2015

Photographs supplied by Graeme Saunders

The memorial commemorates the impact of the 2009 bushfire on the community and contains a memorial plaque dedicated to the 12 people from the area who perished in the fires.

The 2009 Victorian Bushfires brought devastation and destruction on a scale never before experienced in modern Australia. The “Black Saturday” firestorm claimed a harrowing 173 lives, destroyed over 1,800 homes and burned more than 400,000 hectares of regional Victoria’s landscape.

Location

Address:Whittlesea-Yea Road, Bus stop near Humevale Road, Humevale, 3757
State:VIC
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -37.487074
Long: 145.224242
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
View Google Map

Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:Disaster
Sub-Theme:Fire
Actual Event Start Date:07-February-2009
Actual Event End Date:07-February-2009
Designer:Hatchling Studios Pty Ltd (concept), Urban Initiatives Pty Ltd (detailed design)
Monument Manufacturer:Evergreen Civil Pty Ltd (construction & landscaping)
Link: http://www.rdv.vic.gov.au

Dedication

Approx. Monument Dedication Date:2014
Front Inscription

This plaque honours our memories of people from this local area taken by bushfires, February 2009

Lesley Maree Leahy  39                     Barry Johnston  59
Kiona Isabel Gibson   4            
Jye Vincent Gibson     3                       Brian Naylor  78
Ava Beverley Gibson  22 months      Moiree Naylor  78
                                                           Allan O`Gorman  55
Lloyd Martin  83                                 Carolyn O`Gorman 50
Mary Martin  Considerably younger  Stuart O`Gorman  18

Left Side Inscription

On February 7, 2009 devastating bushfires raged across Victoria.  173 people died.

This memorial is dedicated to the memory of twelve local people who lived and died in the area of Coombs, Humevale and Yea Roads.

The impact of the bushfires changed the environment and our community forever.  Over 2000 homes were destroyed or damaged, and extensive damage occurred to infrastructure and community facilities.  430,000 hectares of bush and productive farmland were burnt.

The regeneration of the natural environment is visible and inspiring to those who continue on their life journey.

The generosity and goodwill demonstrated by the broader community in the days, weeks, months and years after the fires was overwhelming and greatly appreciated by those impacted.

A larger memorial and more detailed information about the local impacts of Black Saturday can be found at Toorourrong Reservior Park on Jack's Creek Road, 7km towards Whittlesea on the right.

 

Right Side Inscription

Just as metals are bonded through intense heat,
So too are we bonded with our families now passed away.
Strengthened in our hearts,
Their existence laminates every part of our being.
How wonderful it is to still have you here within us.

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