General News
28 January, 2025
Wimmera community united as Little Desert National Park bushfire continues
A bushfire razed more than 65,000 hectares in northwest Wimmera.
A relentless bushfire has torn through more than 65,000 hectares in northwest Wimmera, razing landmarks and forcing hundreds to flee in less than 24 hours.
It is understood that at least one building - the popular Little Desert Nature Lodge - has been destroyed after the blaze ignited at 1.30pm on Monday, January 27, about 15km north of Goroke.
Strong winds accelerated the firefront through Little Desert National Park before it reached the outskirts of Dimboola just six hours later.
"The fire grew to such a size and was carrying such energy with it yesterday that it made it quite difficult for any containment to occur," State Control Centre spokesperson Luke Heagerty told AAP.
Residents were told to leave the area and then seek shelter as fire crews battled the blaze overnight.
Evacuation centres opened in Dimboola, Warracknabeal and Horsham to accommodate displaced residents.
A spokesperson from the Salvation Army said they served 75 people for breakfast in Horsham.
Chan Uoy, the Hindmarsh Shire Council deputy mayor and owner of the Dimboola Imaginarium, was at the Horsham Relief Centre after evacuating on Monday.
"The text came through at 6.57pm saying we have half an hour to evacuate, but it was the smoke and the smell of it that made it seem real," he said.
"It was a very surreal experience. As we got into our vehicles to leave, seeing the stream of cars leaving Dimboola was again a reality check that this was really happening."
Mr Uoy said he was impressed by the resolve of the community.
"The thing that impressed me the most has been the solidarity of people," he said.
"People you have never spoken to are now chatting together. We are all in the same situation, and I think this makes us stronger."
Dimboola Football Netball Club president Hayden Eldridge was one of a handful of people who stayed.
"I would have said that 90 per cent of the town evacuated," he said.
"A few of us that know the area a little bit hung back to see what we could help."
Mr Eldridge said emergency services set up a base of operations at the club rooms.
"We've set up a base here because it's probably a safe zone at this stage," he said.
"We've got the [fire crews here], they got the facilities, toilets, they can have a feed.
"We've got barbecues set up, fridges for cold drinks, doing coffee... all the volunteer work for the fireies themselves."
Dimboola Golf Club chef Cat Clark was eager to know how things were looking after she evacuated to Warracknabeal.
"I'm just ready to find out how everything's kind of looking ... It's just that waiting game to get home to check it all out," she said.
As warnings began coming through the VicEmergency app, Ms Clarke headed to her restaurant at the Dimboola Golf Club.
"On the way out there, you could just see the smoke, and the wind was just vile; it was changing direction, left, right and centre, and you could see the smoke coming in."
Ms Clarke returned home, making sure her elderly neighbours were prepared to evacuate.
"The convoy of the Dimboola township was on their way through there [to Warracknabeal]."
Ms Clarke helped her neighbours find a motel and headed for a friend's place.
Having evacuated Dimboola, Ms Clarke was struck by the generosity and community support the people from Dimboola were seeing.
It is understood dry lightning ignited several blazes across the region.
There were at least four fires in the Grampians National Park, with the most serious just near a popular campground near Victoria Valley.
The Western Highway is closed between Horsham and Dimboola and Dimboola and Nhill.