BLACK SATURDAY AND A REFLECTION ON OUR RURAL
RESPONSE EFFORTS
You are probably aware by now that FWDV has become actively involved in these efforts
and are working with RRG to assist in all ways possible. The co-ordination of the volunteer
clubs is a phenomenal effort.
When a call went out to assist a government department with the deployment of some 800
caravans located throughout Victoria, the Pajero Club offered to act as Co-ordinators of this
program and liaise with other volunteer FWD clubs.
…….
Help is also being given at the Salvos in sorting and grouping donations which are arriving
daily from interstate in semi trailers. Obviously the sooner this sorting takes place, the
sooner the goods are on forwarded to their end destination.
Here’s a report on the efforts down at Callignee, near Traralgon. You’ll recognise the names
of many members.
Rural Response Group - Callignee 18 th & 19 th April 2009
Participants
Doug Hammerton (570) Trip Leader
John Burke (475)
Robert Aitken (978)
Colin Hopwood (1247)
Darren Straub (1319)
Alberto Pamintuan (875)
Mike & Norma Norris (1259)
Brian McCarthy (676)
Sean & Bec Daley with Jessica & Liam (1184)
Danny & Steven Hall (1167)
Rod Anthony (1238)
Gavan Thompson (1354)
Fritz Suendermann (599)
Rick Greaney (1346)
During the weekend, assisted by 4 members of the Subaru Club, two Rotarians, and four
other VFF volunteers, we assisted 8 property owners in the Churchill fire area at Callignee.
Ben Thexton who is the Victorian Farmers Federation’s coordinator for fencing recovery
work in the Callignee area allocated the properties to us.
On the Saturday, we met Ben at 9am at the Traralgon South Cricket Ground which was our
base for the weekend. We divided into five teams and were led to the properties by the
property owners. Along the way there was so much evidence of the devastation – many
burnt homes, some untouched since the bushfire. Doug & John’s teams worked on adjacent
small farms and removed boundary fences. Brian’s team removed a boundary fence on
another property (See Jessica Daley’s report below), then went to another property to assist
Newbies Trip Report.docx
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