2009 Black Saturday Bushfire Memorial Print Page 
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. |
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 |
|---|
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
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.
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.
