www.monumentaustralia.org.au

Bushfire MemorialPrint Page Print this page

10-April-2019
10-April-2019

Photographs supplied by John Huth

The sculptured fountain commemorates those impacted by the Black Saturday bushfires of 2009.  The four metre tall metal scupture of a ghost gum, and includes two drinking fountains. The installation has brass gum leaves, harmonic bells and contributions of text and poetry from local writers, which have been laser cut into the metal.

The 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria were the most devastating in Australian history; 173 people tragically lost their lives, 414 were injured, more than a million wild and domesticated animals were lost and 450,000 hectares of land were burned.

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. 

Location

Address:Stanbridge & Duke Streets, Daylesford Community Park, Daylesford, 3460
State:VIC
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -37.345957
Long: 144.143517
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
View Google Map

Details

Monument Type:Sculpture
Monument Theme:Disaster
Sub-Theme:Fire
Actual Event Start Date:07-February-2009
Actual Event End Date:07-February-2009
Designer:Dr Anton Hassell
Link:http://www.rdv.vic.gov.au

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Wednesday 5th December, 2012
Front Inscription

Raging fire, burning hot 
We pray to God, that it will stop, 
Destroying much that we hold dear 
2009 bush fires happened here 
JG 

The sun’s eye with tears of  sadness, at the destructive burning below. 
everything conspired, to review by fire, 
The sum of all men’s efforts. 
PS 

The heavy pall of Black Saturday weighs over us.
Dad’s out there, fighting it.
I call him, 
“will we be okay?”
He says, “yes”
LJ

The brutal beauty of the wild flames, like a weaving meanders through trees.
Leaving behind a trail of black landscapes.
Observe.
Exquisite beauty.
PS

Hot embers smoulder,
With searching eyes,
Red like rubies,
Silence of the night,
Snapping twigs on black.
Mark your space now,
stand in remembrance.
EP

  

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