MORNINGTON Peninsula firefighters had no hesitation last week in heading off to help manage the Gippsland fires.
Brigades from across the peninsula responded to a call out for strike teams after bushfires started in the East Gippsland, Baw Baw and Wellington Shire areas on Sunday 1 October. They were among more than 600 CFA and FFMVic firefighters, with more than 180 CFA trucks attending the fireground throughout the week.
By Tuesday, fires near Briagolong had grown to 17,500 hectares and one at Loch Sport on the Gippsland lakes grew to 3000 hectares, before they slowed when a change of conditions brought rain on Wednesday.
Former peninsula resident and ex Crib Point CFA member Sean Binney’s family lost eight cabins on a property they were in the process of buying in Woolenook, near Briagolong.
He said the previous owners had done little clearing around buildings and minimal clearing of undergrowth, which left the property badly affected.
He said the loss of the cabins had destroyed the family’s dream.
“We as a family are devastated after all the groundwork my wife and father in-law have put in setting up Facebook and web pages for the relaunch of what was to become a great tourist attraction for Briagolong,” he said.
“So, like I said, time will tell as to if it goes ahead with the costings to rebuild going into hundreds of thousands of dollars.”
First published in the Mornington News – 10 October 2023
