Hard to believe how beautiful the Grampians were when I was down there last week.
Next time would be looking at black charred hillsides ruined by these fires.
Fires are a natural part of the Australian landscape. For those who whinge about how bad it looks after a fire, what do you expect? Within a short time, weeks, not months, Australian flora gets a beautiful green tinge. This becomes better over weeks, then months and within 2 - 3 years the bush looks brilliant.
Australia needs these fires and the problem is that white fellas either keep putting them out or won't allow them to start. Let it burn, protecting where we can without endangering life.
For those who chose to live in a bushfire area, get insurance, keep your property cleared, prepare for the worst then disappointment won't be too bad. The person who died in the Perth Hills fires last week for a start had a heart condition but he was on the roof clearing the gutters on the day of the fires. Real sad for his family but not too bright on his part.
Personally, wouldn't/couldn't live in a bushfire prone area the same as I wouldn't live in a cyclone area or if I did, first talk of approaching danger, hook up darling, we're out of here.
Been staying in Pomonal, near Halls Gap. Left caravan there at aunts place while we head to Nz for 10 days. Just heard they have been evacuated. Apparently we won't be able to get thru Ararat if we try and go back and get the caravan! Hope the house and our caravan are still standing by the time we get back!
I did not see you as whinging either HW, just stating a sad fact of life.
I think the heat is getting to everyone. There seems to be a few touchy people on here at present.
And BunkerBob you are correct about the Aussie bush needing to be burnt in order for it to flourish. Something that use to happen every season until there was a movement called the Green movement became so popular and the old bushies were no longer listened to because they do not have a university degree in whatever and do not sit in Collins Street in a suit.
OK maybe the heat is getting to me also. Also another popular topic of conversation at happy hour last night and how much the country has changed since PC is the norm now.
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I am fun and adventure. So much to see, so much to do, so many people to meet. Will see, do, and meet all that I can.
Have you been up the High Country lately Bob?
Huge areas of mountain ash that will never regenerate due to the last few massive fires being so hot.Ash Wednesday Black friday etc
Nearly all the old growth forest wiped out.It's an errie sight
Cheers,
Mary
I wasn't whinging. I was commenting how sad it is to look like that after the fires.
Can only agree, nothing wrong with being sad at the devastaion caused by fires, floods any disaster.. Time to respect other peoples views and comments me thinks...
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Judy
"There is no moment of delight in any journey like the beginning of it"
Agree Shekon. And yes, spent a lot of time in the High Country. Areas near the Deddick Track around the Snowy RIver, MacKillops Bridges, etc. which I called the Haunted Forest. Fire burnt with such intensity. Also around Omeo and of course Marysville. But once again, white fella doing all they can to prevent the forest from burning and with the green lead labour governments stopping prescribed burns really hot huge fires have become the norm.
Warning by the volunteer fireys in todays West Australian about people not being prepared. All of what is happening sounds like a normal summer. Maybe Dorothy MacKellar was right when she penned "I Love A Sunburnt Country".
Love the Grampians - so much to see! Went there after the devastating fires went through, right down to the edge of town, last time.
If you have travelled to Halls Gap from Dunkeld - imagine that whole distance almost completely burnt out! Drove to a lookout and it was like a nuclear bomb had been dropped - absolute devestation!
BUT - went to a spot called Devils Garden (near the rubbish dump) - the grass trees were absolutely blooming - some of them had six "flowers??" sprouting off them - like Mother Nature's candelabra - just gorgeous to see. So yes some of the bush does regenerate, some doesn't.
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jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
After the fires around 2005, we had come in from Myrtleford through to Cheshunt heading for Mansfield about 4 weeks after the fires. The only thing that was green? Bloody sprouting blackberries. Went back a couple of years later and although there were still tall dead trees, the area looked fresh and lovely.
Hello I was involved in the tourist industry for over 40 years and just after the last fire in that region in 2006 I took a small group tour through there a few months after that fire, and after a bit of rain I was very surprised how it regenerated the wildflowers were the best I have ever seen them and there was a lot of trees starting to regenerate. Its always sad to see a fire in the Grampians region as I live in the Ararat district and tend to go out there for a BBQ and enjoy the mountain scenery it has to offer and I feel for the fire fighters who have to battle this huge fire they are dedicated volunteers who risk there lives for others and are so exhausted from fighting these fires ,they come from many parts of Victoria and sometimes interstate we were up in Stawell today and seen a convoy heading into Stawell from the Yarra valley with quite a few trucks and a coach full of volunteers to help relieve the ones who are there and my thoughts are with the people in that region who's homes and property are at risk living in the country we live with this sort of crises every year and I know how they would be feeling now.
