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Community Remembrance Rails Print Page 
The Community Remembrance Rails commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Black Saturday Busfires of 2009.
Community leaders have invited people to make the most of remembrance rails at Haven, south of Horsham, to acknowledge ‘someone or something’ special. They have invited people to either consider or look beyond Black Saturday fires for which the rails were built, for reasons to attach a personal lock to the structure.
Haven Community Enterprise chairwoman Sue Exell said Governor Linda Dessau’s unveiling of the community rails at the weekend was a major highlight of commemorative activities marking 10 years since fires ravaged the district. “It went really well,” she said. “The Governor and her husband Tony Howard both attached locks to the rails, followed by Horsham mayor Mark Radford and mayor of the time Bernard Gross. We then invited the public to do the same. It was just a special way of acknowledging the occasion and all that’s happened and it was lovely to see the locks sparkling with their yellow ribbons.”
Mrs Exell said the rails were for more than simply reflecting on the bushfire and its impact in the community. “They are for anyone who would like to remember someone or something special – and they’re not just for Haven people,” she said. “The impact of the fire is just one of many occasions or circumstances for which people might want to reflect. “It’s for anyone who feels a need. We already have about 50 locks.”
Mrs Exell said commemorative activities went well and reflected how the community had moved forward. “The governor spoke beautifully, as did Cr Radford. Both spoke from the heart, which was lovely,” she said. “It was an acknowledgement of a day that many people want to forget. It was life changing for many, especially people who lost homes. Just about everyone has a story about that day.”
The activities were part of statewide anniversary events surrounding the 2009 fires. Of the 11 homes burnt down during the Horsham fire, seven were at Haven. The toll also included Horsham Golf Club, several damaged houses and the loss of outbuildings, sheds, fences, livestock and pets.
The Weekly Advertiser, 2 February 2019.
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Community leaders have invited people to make the most of remembrance rails at Haven, south of Horsham, to acknowledge ‘someone or something’ special. They have invited people to either consider or look beyond Black Saturday fires for which the rails were built, for reasons to attach a personal lock to the structure.
Haven Community Enterprise chairwoman Sue Exell said Governor Linda Dessau’s unveiling of the community rails at the weekend was a major highlight of commemorative activities marking 10 years since fires ravaged the district. “It went really well,” she said. “The Governor and her husband Tony Howard both attached locks to the rails, followed by Horsham mayor Mark Radford and mayor of the time Bernard Gross. We then invited the public to do the same. It was just a special way of acknowledging the occasion and all that’s happened and it was lovely to see the locks sparkling with their yellow ribbons.”
Mrs Exell said the rails were for more than simply reflecting on the bushfire and its impact in the community. “They are for anyone who would like to remember someone or something special – and they’re not just for Haven people,” she said. “The impact of the fire is just one of many occasions or circumstances for which people might want to reflect. “It’s for anyone who feels a need. We already have about 50 locks.”
Mrs Exell said commemorative activities went well and reflected how the community had moved forward. “The governor spoke beautifully, as did Cr Radford. Both spoke from the heart, which was lovely,” she said. “It was an acknowledgement of a day that many people want to forget. It was life changing for many, especially people who lost homes. Just about everyone has a story about that day.”
The activities were part of statewide anniversary events surrounding the 2009 fires. Of the 11 homes burnt down during the Horsham fire, seven were at Haven. The toll also included Horsham Golf Club, several damaged houses and the loss of outbuildings, sheds, fences, livestock and pets.
The Weekly Advertiser, 2 February 2019.
Location
| Address: | 4378 Henty Highway, Haven Hall, Haven, 3401 |
|---|---|
| State: | VIC |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -36.756851 Long: 142.194301 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Structure |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Disaster |
| Sub-Theme: | Fire |
| Approx. Event Start Date: | 2009 |
| Approx. Event End Date: | 2019 |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Saturday 2nd February, 2019 |
|---|
Front Inscription
Plaque:
10 YEAR
ANNIVERSARY
OF THE
2009 VICTORIAN
BUSHFIRES
COMMUNITY REMEMBRANCE RAILS
Opened 2 February 2019
By Her Excellency the Honourable Linda Dessau AC
Governor of Victoria and Patron of the 10 year Anniversary
of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires.
Source: MAPlaque:
10 YEAR
ANNIVERSARY
OF THE
2009 VICTORIAN
BUSHFIRES
COMMUNITY REMEMBRANCE RAILS
Opened 2 February 2019
By Her Excellency the Honourable Linda Dessau AC
Governor of Victoria and Patron of the 10 year Anniversary
of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires.
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au
