Author Archives: Peter McHugh

Deadly bushfires in the summer of 1943/44, killed 51 people, injured another 700 and destroyed over 650 buildings. In particular, the loss of 13 lives at Yallourn on February 14, 1944, and the impact on the State’s electricity supplies when the critical brown coal fields caught alight brought these bushfires into sharp focus. There wasContinue reading “The CFA Board – 1945.”

Australia had compulsory training in the Citizens Military Forces (CMF) at various times between 1910 and 1945, but after the Second World War it had two very different National Service schemes. The first began in 1951, coinciding with the Korean War, and ran until 1959 with a total of 227,000 men passing through the scheme,Continue reading “Vietnam Veterans Day – 18 August.”

There has been a cold snap recently and everyone knows that the costs of home heating this winter have risen sharply. Firewood has traditionally been a cheap fuel, particularly for country folk… but it’s getting expensive now and harder to source. But how does firewood compare with mains gas or reverse cycle aircon? Comparing applesContinue reading “Firewood – home heating cost comparison.”

Smokey Bear, the icon of the U.S. Forest Service, is the longest running wildfire prevention campaign in United States history. The character was authorised on August 9, 1944, a date now celebrated as his official birthday. He was originally drawn by Artist Albert Staehle complete with his trademark campaign hat and jeans. Three years later,Continue reading “Smokey Bear turns 80.”

As soon as the winter snows melted, the Treasure family traditionally drove cattle from their home at Castleburn up to the Victorian Alps and the rich grasslands on the Dargo High Plains. The pioneering family could trace its pedigree on the High Plains back to 1878, where they held long-term grazing leases over about 100,000Continue reading “Freda Treasure Tree Reserve – Dargo High Plains Road.”

In 1906, prominent surveyor and geologist, William Baragwanath, was commissioned by the Public Works Department to identify a tourist track along the Baw Baw Plateau from Warburton to Walhalla. In February 1907, the new 51-mile route was ridden by a small party of eminent dignitaries including the Governor of Victoria, The Hon. Sir Reginald TalbotContinue reading “Talbot Hut – Alpine Walking Track.”

The firestorm tore trees from the ground and scattered them like matchsticks across the landscape. The devastation of the 1939 bushfires was unprecedented. Several towns were entirely obliterated leaving 71 people dead including four FCV staff, 69 sawmills were lost and over 3700 buildings destroyed. Nearly two million hectares of Victoria’s State forests were burned.Continue reading “Mundic Wier – Toorongo Plateau.”

In the post war period, the State Government put a strong emphasis on buying British 4WD vehicles such as Series 1 Land Rovers. They were light weight but pretty primitive and very prone to breakdown. The files in the Public Record Office are thick with warranty claims by the Forests Commission about the reliability ofContinue reading “Toyota Land Cruisers.”

A Victorian Search and Rescue committee was established in 1954 after the earlier successful rescue of a young couple, Kirk McLeod and Jennifer Laycock, at Mt Donna Buang near Warburton. The committee was led by the Police, and included the Federation of Victorian Bushwalking Clubs, the Board of Works, the Forests Commission, the Country FireContinue reading “Search and Rescue.”

The magnificent Bilston Tree near Brimboal in far western Victoria was a big part of the local consciousness in the late 1950s. The massive river red gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) was scheduled to felled for railway sleepers on 12 June 1961 but was saved by local community action led by Bill Flentje, the District Forester atContinue reading “Bilston Tree – remeasured.”

There are three distinct species of redwoods commonly planted in Victoria. And while all three species of redwood are breathtaking to behold, the Coast redwoods are something special. There are some significant individual specimens in both private and public gardens in Victoria. One of the most notable is outside the Bright Golf Clubhouse which wasContinue reading “Coast redwoods.”

Ever wondered about Chains, Links, Yards, Furlongs, Miles, Acres, Roods and Perches? Before metrication was introduced into Australia during the 1970s, distance on parish plans was shown in chains and links while area was in acres, roods and perches. Gunter’s chain was used for measuring distance in surveying. It was designed and introduced in 1620Continue reading “Gunter’s Chain.”

The first “road” to be built in Victoria by European settlers was on Phillip Island, more than two centuries ago. The “project manager” was the Commander of HM Brig Lady Nelson – John Murray – who was surveying the Bass Strait area in 1801 on behalf of Victoria’s first road authority – the Government ofContinue reading “Country Roads Board (CRB).”