FOOD FOR THE FIRES DRIVE – GIPPSLAND 2020
After the devastating bushfires ripped through drought stricken East Gippsland between Christmas
Day and into the new year of 2020, many of the affected communities were left isolated, without
communication, power and water supplies. Roads were blocked with fallen trees. Bitumen roads burnt
as a result of intense heat from the scorching fires making travel extremely dangerous if not
impossible.
This situation had become very apparent to Australians once the State of Emergency had been
declared by Victoria’s Premier, Mr Daniel Andrews. The State of Emergency then allowed the
Australian military to get involved assisting other government departments with road clearing, house
and shed demolition plus fence rebuilding to give access to power and telecommunication companies
and a like to restore the essential services.
Through the extensive media coverage Australians dug deep with donations. Australian citizens and
companies donated money, food, clothing, water, household essentials generously like never before.
As an example one small charity in Traralgon, previously lucky to receive a shopping cart of food per
week of donations, received 32 pallets of goods over two days after a Victorian parliamentary Minister
recognised the charity via the media.
More and more food donations began flooding in so much so that businesses in Traralgon and
Bairnsdale rallied behind this charity to donate warehouse space to facilitate the incoming goods.
The massive influx of donations presented one major problem. With many of the roads in the affected
areas blocked for travel, under police and military control for safety reasons, how could the goods be
distributed to those that desperately needed food, sanitary products, pet food and of course drinking
water.
This plight came to the attention of the Victoria 4wd Police club and 4wd Victoria, allowing a couple
of extraordinary people to have the vision of forming a recovery group called “Food for the Fires”.
The Victoria Police 4wd club sought and received special permission to be able to travel on “closed
roads” to get to homes isolated by the fires. This process was not an easy feat with much red tape to
get through. By mid-January the relief programme was officially given the go ahead.