A.C.T. Bushfire Memorial Print Page 
The ACT Bushfire Memorial was commissioned by the ACT Government to acknowledge the impact of the 2003 bushfires, to mark the process of recovery, and to thank the many organisations and individuals who played crucial roles in the fire fighting and recovery efforts.
On Saturday 18 January 2003, the bushfires which had been burning in the hills to the west and south-west of Canberra for more than a week reached the perimeter of the city. Four people lost their lives, nearly five hundred homes were destroyed, countless pets and other animals were killed, and there was widespread damage to rural properties, parks, forests, gardens and urban infrastructure.
Location
| Address: | ACT Memorial Bushfire Access Road, , Stromlo Forest Park , Stromlo, 2611 |
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| State: | ACT |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -35.324441 Long: 149.026352 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
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| Monument Theme: | Disaster |
| Sub-Theme: | Fire |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 18-January-2003 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 21-January-2003 |
| Designer: | Tess Horowitz, Tony Steel & Martin Jolly (Canberra, ACT) |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Wednesday 18th January, 2006 |
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ACT
BUSHFIRE
MEMORIAL
Plaque:
Dedicated to
PETER BROOKE
DOUG FRASER
DOLLY McGRATH
ALISON TENOR
Who died on 18 January 2003
And to the injured, the volunteers, emergency services personnel, charities, Bushfire Recovery Task Force and all other who helped survivors recover.
Bushfire Affected Families
ACT Bushfire Memorial
This memorial was dedicated on 18 January 2006 by Mr Jon Stanhope MLA. ACT Chief Minister
On Saturday 2003, the bushfires which had been burning in the hills to the west and south-west of Canberra for more than a week reached the perimeter of the city. Four people lost their lives, nearly five hundred homes were destroyed, countless pets and other animals were killed, and there was widespread damage to rural properties, parks, forests, gardens and urban infrastructure.
This memorial was commissioned by the ACT Government to acknowledge the impact of the 2003 bushfires, mark the process of recovery, and thank the many organisations and individuals who played crucial roles in the fire fighting and recovery efforts. This memorial is designed by Canberra artists, Tess Horowitz, Tony Steel and Martin Jolly and incorporates elements requested by the ACT community. It is a journey from the day of the fire, through the process of recovery, to the honouring of memory.
The entrance walls are made from the community's salvaged and inscribed bricks which contain messages of grief and gratitude. Beyond the walls, a site framed by a grove of casuarina contains red glass and metal forms that refer to the force of the firestorm and the lightning strikes that sparked the main fires.
An avenue leads to an amphitheatre enclosing a pond and bubbling spring. The glass columns bordering the pond contains details from photos provided by the community which speak of memory and human resilience.
