Heinz
Captain
(Victoria and particulary in surrounding areas where I live is extremely prone to bushfires and now we are in for another danger period with the drought entering yet another year, almost 10 now. Today is anniversary of Black Friday which ravaged a good part of the state back in 1939.)
Black Friday - the most tragic day - Weekly Times Now
IT'S been 70 years since the Black Friday bushfires killed 71 Victorians and devastated rural communities across the state. This is how The Weekly Times saw the tragedy in January, 1939.
THE fires reached the peak of their destructiveness on Friday when high winds and soaring temperatures sent the flames roaring through forests at express speed, eating up everything in their path.
It was the most tragic day in the history of Victoria, for 42 people were burnt to death.
Of the 150 houses at Wood's Point, 143 are in ashes.
Noojee was wiped out, and several were burned to death in two timber mills.
See more pictures of the Black Friday bushfires.
Have you heard stories about the fires? Tell us using the form below.
In the Wood's Point district two women and 20 men lost their lives at timber mills, which were completely destroyed.
Fourteen men were last seen at a timber mill at Mattock, crouching behind a sawdust heap, while flames encircled them. Their bodies were later found by a search party.
One of the two men saved was G. Sellars. He sheltered behind a boiler until the worst of the blaze had passed, and then made a dash through the flames covered with wet bags.
All other mills between McVeigh's and Matlock have been destroyed. They include Porta's, Henderson's, W. Fitzpatrick's, and Richards.
300 refugees from Woods Point
The whole of the ranges between Warburton and Wood's Point have been devastated and dozens of houses have been destroyed.
Three hundred refugees from Wood's Point, most of them destitute, have been accommodated at Seymour Military Camp, to which they were transported by special trains and motor convoys.
During the height of the fires on Friday, scenes reminiscent of behind the lines at the war were seen, Red Cross supplies and necessities for the victims behind rushed to the danger spots, and thousands of fire-fighters transported from the nearest depots.
Abandoning their belongings in a race for life, when fire struck Matlock, 500 men, women and children crowded into a Goulburn River water tunnel at Woods Point. The hospital was the first building struck by the flames.
Noojee's disastrous fire leapt on the town with terrifying suddenness, giving the fighters no chance to save buildings, of which only two still stand.
Past Noojee, it destroyed the small settlements of Icy Creek and Fumina. Icy Creek and Vesper were cut off, and lost many houses.
Fire swept Omeo, wiped out a hotel, the hospital, 20 houses and 11 shops.
Yarra Glen lost 32 hours and guest houses in widespread fires on Saturday.
The fire, which had been raging on the fringe of the Alps all the week, did its most serious damage on Friday, when it wiped out St Bernard's Hospice and the highest house in the state, Hotham Heights Chalet.
Lorne lost 20 houses and three mills. Heavy destruction in the Penshurst district included scores of haystacks, many miles of fencing and the loss of thousands of head of cattle, sheep and poultry. One man lost 6000 sheep.
Black Friday - the most tragic day - Weekly Times Now
IT'S been 70 years since the Black Friday bushfires killed 71 Victorians and devastated rural communities across the state. This is how The Weekly Times saw the tragedy in January, 1939.
THE fires reached the peak of their destructiveness on Friday when high winds and soaring temperatures sent the flames roaring through forests at express speed, eating up everything in their path.
It was the most tragic day in the history of Victoria, for 42 people were burnt to death.
Of the 150 houses at Wood's Point, 143 are in ashes.
Noojee was wiped out, and several were burned to death in two timber mills.
See more pictures of the Black Friday bushfires.
Have you heard stories about the fires? Tell us using the form below.
In the Wood's Point district two women and 20 men lost their lives at timber mills, which were completely destroyed.
Fourteen men were last seen at a timber mill at Mattock, crouching behind a sawdust heap, while flames encircled them. Their bodies were later found by a search party.
One of the two men saved was G. Sellars. He sheltered behind a boiler until the worst of the blaze had passed, and then made a dash through the flames covered with wet bags.
All other mills between McVeigh's and Matlock have been destroyed. They include Porta's, Henderson's, W. Fitzpatrick's, and Richards.
300 refugees from Woods Point
The whole of the ranges between Warburton and Wood's Point have been devastated and dozens of houses have been destroyed.
Three hundred refugees from Wood's Point, most of them destitute, have been accommodated at Seymour Military Camp, to which they were transported by special trains and motor convoys.
During the height of the fires on Friday, scenes reminiscent of behind the lines at the war were seen, Red Cross supplies and necessities for the victims behind rushed to the danger spots, and thousands of fire-fighters transported from the nearest depots.
Abandoning their belongings in a race for life, when fire struck Matlock, 500 men, women and children crowded into a Goulburn River water tunnel at Woods Point. The hospital was the first building struck by the flames.
Noojee's disastrous fire leapt on the town with terrifying suddenness, giving the fighters no chance to save buildings, of which only two still stand.
Past Noojee, it destroyed the small settlements of Icy Creek and Fumina. Icy Creek and Vesper were cut off, and lost many houses.
Fire swept Omeo, wiped out a hotel, the hospital, 20 houses and 11 shops.
Yarra Glen lost 32 hours and guest houses in widespread fires on Saturday.
The fire, which had been raging on the fringe of the Alps all the week, did its most serious damage on Friday, when it wiped out St Bernard's Hospice and the highest house in the state, Hotham Heights Chalet.
Lorne lost 20 houses and three mills. Heavy destruction in the Penshurst district included scores of haystacks, many miles of fencing and the loss of thousands of head of cattle, sheep and poultry. One man lost 6000 sheep.
