BLACK SATURDAY AND A REFLECTION ON OUR RURAL
RESPONSE EFFORTS
To each and everyone who connected up a van, there have been no precedents to a
programme like this. Well done indeed. The people of Victoria offer you their heartfelt
thanks in stepping forward and assisting. I thank you for all your help, assistance and
commitment.
CLOSING
I have one haunting story to share, but there are many others I could share also. This is
about delivering a van (can’t remember exactly where) but the area was just blackened
trees. It was quiet without any sound of birds or animals. We pulled up. There was a
container and a man came out. He told how lucky they were when the fires came through.
They had sought refuge in the neighbour’s concrete water tank and survived. The enormous
roar of the fire went over the top of them. On emerging, there was nothing of their
properties left. He was a postman and all he had were some donated clothes, some food
and now he had a caravan to live in to reclaim his life. To cook and sleep in. Someone had
lent/donated it. Something decent to live in to get back on his feet. What makes this story
so emotive was that, given his destitute circumstances, he offered fuel money for bringing
him the van. He had absolutely nothing, but was so appreciative. It just made your eyes
water and you choked up.
That’s something that you remember and I’m sure Doug and many others who went and
helped out have their stories too.
A couple of final acknowledgements
● Throughout the fires Jim & Dianne Kennedy, members of the Pajero Club, who own
the Black Spur Inn at Narbethong, provided meals and accommodation to many CFA
crews and administration staff. They worked tirelessly for weeks on end.
● Members went out to Redesdale and ran weekend of 4WDing in the forests out that
way for many men who were finding it difficult to come to terms with what had
happened. Club members helped the farmers break down the pain they had
suffered and they were able to share their experiences with other farmers. Women
often had support groups but many men continued on in isolation on their
properties unable to share the grief & burden. Our weekend with them help change
their outlook on life.
● Our efforts to help fire ravaged communities continued into 2011 when Ralph
Longley ran Monty Python V and part of that event was to have “world’s longest
4WD convoy” to travel from Narbethong to Kinglake (we’ll claim the record) where
we played a cricket match against the locals. The scars of a year earlier were still
very haunting and evident.
I’m sure there are many more stories that go with this snapshot of the Club’s effort. It
really demonstrated what community service was all about. And in reflection, to everyone
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