In 1983 Peter Moore was Captain of Gisborne Fire Brigade.
Today, Peter works as a Brigades Administrative Support Officer (BASO) for the CFA.

My recollections of the lead-up to February 1983 were the relentless news images of dry dams, farmers destroying stock and dusty open paddocks.

The most eerie image was the dust storm that enveloped Melbourne, it brought with it a sense of foreboding and anxiety.   

I am not aware of a particularly busy fire danger period prior to January; the first major fire in the area occurred late in January at Greendale and burnt through the Wombat State forest to the Gisborne-Bacchus Marsh Road. We had vehicles deployed along the road waiting for the fire to come out of the forest. I remarked to the then Regional Officer John Nicholson that it was “our worst fears realized” which time proved to be an understatement.

The next major fire was to the north side of Mt Macedon after sparks from a grinder set fire to the bush that ultimately ran along the Macedon Ranges to the grasslands between Riddell and Bolinda.

The day started with an early morning ERS call reporting fires on or near Camels Hump. These turned out to be flare-ups from the Woodend fire approximately 14 days earlier.  To try and get a better view of the ranges I took Gisborne Car (the Volkswagen) to New Gisborne. While there a call came in for a fire at Dunns Road Bullengarook.

SEC power lines rubbing against a tree sending sparks into the paddock caused the Dunns Road fire. The fire didn’t burn a huge area but was particularly difficult to extinguish, running very quickly over the ground and in among a small stand of trees. Due to heavy traffic on Channel 5 we were told to operate on channel 6 through Bacchus Marsh. This change proved to be significant later in the evening.

It was while we were mopping up that smoke was sighted due north. The sighting was reported to Region Headquarters who advised that Trentham was responding to a grass fire in East Trentham.

The smoke column continued to build and within a relatively short period of time the first of the spot fires appeared in the bush off Carroll’s Lane. By this time DGO Laurie Kean had arrived on scene in his private car and he and Gisborne Tanker (I think) proceeded to go to the outbreak.

I went down Bacchus Marsh Road to get a better view of the spot fire. From the fire bahaviour it was obvious that any attempt to control the fire would be futile and for their own safety I suggested (very strongly) they return.

The fire came up to the Bacchus Marsh Road and threatened a number of houses on the eastern side, the radiant heat and flame length effectively trapped us on the Bacchus Marsh side of Mt Bullengarook. The fire crossed the Bacchus Marsh Road and entered the grasslands, while these were quickly rounded up. It was unclear just how far the fires had burnt to the south of Mt Bullengarook.

We received advice of a potential wind change in the area shortly after a Strike Team under the leadership of Captain Darryl Wells of Werribee arrived. After consultation with him and DGO Laurie Kean (Gisborne) we decided that when conditions improved we would endeavour to break through and move into Bullengarook and leave the strike team under Darryl Wells to continue the work we started.

The move around the side of Mt Bullengarook was rather hazardous with large trees and roadside debris sending a large amount of flame and embers across the road. The radiant heat was such that you could smell the fumes coming off the cars paintwork. We were still on channel 6 and unaware of any other fire activity.

Once in Bullengarook proper it was dark and difficult to get an overall appreciation of the size and nature of the task, by this time the glow from the fires covered a 300 degree arc around us, basically the vehicles were in self protection mode sheltering on the Gisborne Bacchus Marsh Road.

We started receiving reports that 2 out of 3 houses were being lost in Macedon. From my point of view I thought this was fireground exaggeration and that in the end it would be one or two houses.

The Darryl Wells led strike team made contact with us again about the same time we were told that there were spot fires in Gisborne. Again we made arrangements for Darryl’s team to take over our tasks in Bullengarook and took what was left of the tankers into Gisborne. The spot fires were in the grasslands in what is now Frith Road. They proved to be easily controlled with tankers and a grader.

We were tasked to see what the situation was at the intersection of Calder Highway and Lawson Road (now Blackforest Drive and Alison Road). When we arrived the flames were across the four lanes, we were just in time to see Gisborne Tanker emerge from behind the flames in Lawson Road. They were out of water and were returning to Gisborne. We made our report and also returned.

As we came into Gisborne. Gisborne Tanker was at a strange angle across the road outside the Swimming Pool, the first concern was that it had been involved in an accident. Thankfully that wasn’t the case, while doing a 3 point turn the driver went to select reverse the gear stick jumped out of it’s mounting. Tightening three screws solved the problem.

I returned home to visit the family, when I arrived the entire street was organized, the cars were packed and all facing out, the children were gathered in two houses and everything was very calm. I told the residents that basically the fire had burnt itself out and that the danger has passed. My wife tells me that 30 minutes later the top of bald hill burst into flames, my credibility was now shot to ribbons

The next memory was sitting down at breakfast opposite some Macedon residents I knew, it was a short time before I realized that they had lost everything and that all our best efforts did not save them.

Later that morning I drove through Macedon, I can’t remember the street however I remember the grey dust, silence and total destruction.

Other Stories

Kerry Murphy- Captain of Mt Macedon Fire Brigade in 1983

Tom Ritchie- Senior Fire Ffighter (Gisborne)

Mary Ritchie- wife of a Fire Fighter