The small township of Framlingham would be unknown to most people of Victoria, let alone Australia. Yet it shot to national prominence, along with other similar towns on the 16th of February 1983 when it was ravaged by Ash Wednesday fires.
When the smoke had cleared the severity of the damage was revealed ..... houses razed, livestock destroyed and property damaged.
The timber bridge that crossed the Hopkins River here, was also a casualty of Ash Wednesday. You are looking for a magnetic micro cache. While the traffic is infrequent and controlled by speed restriction, you should not go on the road side of the Armco barrier. Reflect on what remote communities go through when so much of Victoria is burning.
The children of the Framlingham Primary School also suffered through the ordeal. Head Teacher, Lee McCorkell, said there was only ten minutes warning before the school had to be evacuated.
“After the event, all the children were very willing to write their stories, in order to share their experiences with others.”
Each placed emphasis on different aspects of an event experienced by all the children. Some, being children on the land, were concerned with rural matters such as livestock, fences and paddocks. Others worried about their parents or their houses being burnt, while others concerned themselves with food, drink or games and toys.
They all show unconscious bravery in the way they endured the terror and uncertainty of that tragic day.
Make sure you don't put yourselves and others, at risk over summer. Check the Fire Danger Rating before venturing into potential grassfire areas and, if is a Severe, Extreme or Code Red Day, find something else to do.
This information on the impact of the Ash Wednesday Fires on Framlingham was sourced from the Public Record Office Victoria