Forum pre 6 July
Hi all
This is the place to find comments prior to 6th July. New comments can be posted above by selecting comments. Many of us are spread widely following the fires and we have many concerns, questions and issues. So please use this space.
The postings can be accessed by clicking on the comments link below or by clicking on the Marysville Community forum just above the date
February 22nd, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Hello all
My first comment- we didn’t know about the visit of John Cantwell AO of the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority, but neither did some of those still in the area. So let’s hope communications improve before long.
Hope to meet some of you on Wed at the Memorial service
February 22nd, 2009 at 11:19 pm
Well done Vicki, the blog is now working!
Here are minutes from the meeting yesterday
Nic Jans MC’d the meeting and introduced Major General John Cantwell, Fran Bailey, Andrew Forrest (CEO of Fortescue Metals Group, Philanthropist) and Kim Wilkie.
• John Cantwell will assume the role of Chief of Operations for the rebuild effort. He will work with Kim Wilkie, Fran Bailey & Andrew Forrest’s resources. The emphasis must be direction via community feedback, or as Andrew put it, you’ll end up with mountains of clothes and stiletto heels, as everyone tries to help, but doesn’t how.
• An announcement is expected with 2 days as to the lead contractor for the clean up process, with sub contracts letting after that. Whenever possible local tradespeople and businesses will be used – the rules regarding clearance of hazardous material from sites have been relaxed for this project.
• It is likely to be 10-14 days before resident get access to their blocks. This is due to the very difficult forensic work being done, and the requirements of the coroner’s office, which are as much about affording dignity to those who’ve died as the legals. The group were asked their preference for a staged return (as sections of the town are cleared) vs a group return (we all wait until the town is totally cleared). Different views, but majority seemed to favour the latter approach. We’ll get asked again as the clearance work progresses.
• Road closures around Marysville are likely to remain in force to prevent undesirables from gaining access to the town before residents have a chance to get to their blocks.
• The Spur may be open later this week – this issues here are back burning operations and dangerous trees.
• A multilayered communications approach will be implemented, as residents are spread far and wide with varying degrees of access. 102.9 FM, UG-FM, 774, sms, email and newsletter were all discussed, as was a couple of set times for radio updates (eg 6pm news). As this approach is agreed, details will be circulated. The Triangle Newsletter will get access to a local printing press (army to truck in), postage will be free for residents who want to receive it that way – but they need volunteers (contact Bob Embling).
• Instruction brochures, protective suits, gloves & masks will be available to residents for use when accessing their blocks for the first time
• The State Government (via the contractors) will cover the costs associated with clearing your blocks – no need for your insurance company to address this. Estimate is that each block will yield around 50-70 tons of debris. A big job. Will take at least a month to clear all blocks (estimate).
• Business operators should contact David Kenly 1 300 346 325 to discuss assistance. David is one of Andrew Forrest’s team. It was made very clear by all at the meeting that you should not hesitate to seek help – if you say nothing, nothing may happen, or you may get the wrong kind of help – please SPEAK UP!
• The recently sold land to the town side of the golf course has been offered for temporary housing. Residents are likely to have a number of choices while waiting for their houses to be re-built (1) living in a temporary communal housing in caravan style accommodation, possibly on the site next to the golf course (2) living on their own block in the same type of accommodation (if their block can handle this), or (3) renting available local housing (eg Buxton). Local farmers may also offer land for temporary communal accommodation sites.
• The general feeling seems to be that the golf course & bowling green should not be sacrificed for housing, but the clubhouse will be the community centre during the re-build
• 11:00am next Wed (Ash Wednesday) at the Golf & Bowls Club - there will be a multi-denominational memorial service. All welcome to attend. There will also be a concert that day at 19:00 at the Taggerty Hall.
• The army have replaced the rope on the church bell opposite Crossways – and it’s working again (the bell, that is)!
• John Brumby has described the rebuild of Marysville as his “Flagship Project”!
• Dave Stirling said a great piece on the contribution that golf & bowls activity makes to the fabric of the community and I think he hit the spot wonderfully well. He threw out a challenge to the speakers to move the planned Pro-Am event forward from Dec to May and mobilise the Australian professional golf community – at the “Augusta” of Victoria! I think they’re up for it! There’s never been a recorded shark attack in Marysville – but these are strange times!!!
February 23rd, 2009 at 3:05 am
Posting for Doc Lachlan
does any one know the whereabouts of:
james/jimmy adams; shannon balwyn (evans); jamie jefferson (unusual that one, jamie bowker and nicole jefferson died); len king; kevin & derry nicholas; mark leitinger; christine pastrano, ?partner, son daniel; barbara pearson; paul & elizabeth ramsland; peter & rhonda robinson; marilyn & hans speiser; marilyn & frank van shie.
February 23rd, 2009 at 5:04 am
We have a little network of neighbors in the Kings Rd, Martin Rd, Allison Cres area, most of who met up on the bus access day. So I can confirm we are in contact with Kevin & Derry Nicholas, Paul & Elizabeth Ramsland, Peter & Rhonda Robinson, Marilyn & Hans Speiser, Marilyn & Frank Van Schie. Also Eila & Tony McManus - Falls Rd (on Lachlan’s list, Eila was “unaccounted”).
February 23rd, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Thanks, I’ll update John Wilson to enliven the list, thankfully much reducing the unaccounted list (can be found by clicking the arrow under status and selecting unaccounted). Will forward same to Perry Dix to update on school website, and post remainder of unaccounted on herald sun missing persons site. Exciting news of the rebuild — I believe Andrew Forrest is Australia’s richest man, obviously a mover & shaker. They flew in by chopper from Rod Laver Auditorium on Sunday perhaps at short notice. I visited Robyn Dean in the Alfred Hospital on Saturday — she’s covered in bandages but fairly good in spirits and busy enough being a patient. She had some more grafts taken yesterday and after a few days will be up for visitors, perhaps phone calls earlier — 9076 2000, ward 6W (burns unit). She’ll be there for weeks/months so we’ll be there for her. Lachlan Fraser 0438 642 426
February 23rd, 2009 at 12:35 pm
P.S. great to have this website, well done Vicki.
February 23rd, 2009 at 3:15 pm
see above. the unaccounted list is now — julie & sean eastough; jamie jefferson; jimmy adams shannon balwyn (evans); len king; mark leitinger; christine pastrano and son daniel; barbara pearson. let us know if you know anything.
February 23rd, 2009 at 10:00 pm
Does anyone know the email address of Kim Wilke or John Cantwell who will be Chief of Operations for rebuilding Marysville?
Thanks
February 24th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Hi all,
Firstly thanks for this site and to Lachlan for contact with my sister Bronwyn. Our Mum Laurel Lewis passed away in the Marysville fires, and we are in Melbourne wondering whats going on and bothering police for information. So this site is great for us.
We intend to go to Mums block as soon as we are allowed to, I assume this will be at the same time as residents??
We are glad to hear that everyone is holding up and that Mums beloved Marysville will be rebuilt. The land will heal, trees regrow and the community stronger than ever.
Our thoughts and prayers with you all
Merrilyn and family
February 25th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Dear Marysville residents. We have friends in Marysville and know the area quite well. As gardeners, we would like to contribute plants to assist in the replanting of your gardens when you return to your properties. We know you are all very busy but if anyone is prepared to act as go-between or a central repository for the plants (in pots of course) would you kindly get in contact and we will arrange delivery. You could reply by e-mail or phone us on 9885 7712. Best wishes, Christine and Ken Barnes.
February 25th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
I believe Colin at the Buxton Zoo Nursery is collecting plants for the bushfire recovery. His address is 2600 Maroondah Hwy, Buxton, VIC 3711 - (03) 5774 7345
Thanks, we will eventually need lots of them!
Merran
February 26th, 2009 at 4:16 am
Thank you Merran. We will contact him.
Christine and Ken
February 26th, 2009 at 7:57 pm
I would like to donate portable rooms that can be used by you I have 4 6X3 portables
1 WC and shower unit
1 smaller unit for vet care
we are working with the schwartz foundation.these units are avalible to you free of charge for a period of 12 months or even longer if they need it to be
The units are in NSW and we will do our best to have them delivered, we might need help to da that.
we will also fill the units with bedding and funiture.
0417162282
February 26th, 2009 at 9:18 pm
Hi Sam
A good starting point may be to contact the glf club in Marysville. This is being set up as a community hub. contact details are Marysville Community Golf and Bowls Club Inc, 956 Buxton-Marysville Road, Marysville Victoria 3779.
Tel: (03) 5963 3241. Fax: (03) 5963 4152. Email: enquiries@marysvillecountryclub.com.au
I know the farm land next doos is having temporary housing once we can go back and they may well need the type of accomdation you are offering. Or, they maybe able to point you on to someone else.
Once again thanks for this generosity
Merran
February 26th, 2009 at 10:27 pm
Here’s what I sent today to Bruce Colville, our police liason contact. Any comments? –
Hi, I’m Lachlan Fraser, Marysville’s doctor. We’ll probably meet over the next few weeks but I wanted to let you know my thoughts re when the town is opened up. I’ve been hearing on the grapevine each week or so that access will be in 1-2 weeks. Now I’ve been told that it will be 4 weeks, then to be reassessed, i.e. perhaps 6 weeks. That’s ok, I know there is forensic work to do, just hoping that you can post on our Marysville Community website (http://marysvillecommunity.net/) the timeframe of 4 weeks or possibly more; otherwise we’re getting frustrated with the timeline that keeps getting extended. More importantly, when access is allowed I’d strongly support at least the first 2 days to only be open to families of the deceased to give them time to visit once or twice and grieve in peace before tools, work parties, trucks, bulldozers descend. I’ll put a copy of this on our forum so we can gauge the feeling on this. Thank you, Lachlan Fraser ph. 0438 642 426
Some of the information about memorial services and funerals will be on our noticeboards here, unless family objects. The media has been respectful and we appreciate that they continue to do so. Ask us gently if there is a request from media, sometimes that’s all it takes.
The families of any visitors who perished in these dreadful fires are always welcome to attend any of our events. You will find a wonderful community and may find a visit helpful in your grief, now or later.
February 27th, 2009 at 5:23 am
Fantastic Lachlan.
It is so important for the families of the deceased to be given the time and space they need. We have been concerned about an “en masse” return and the logistics (eg traffic jams) but particularly the effect on those who have lost loved ones.
If there is to be a prolonged period before a re-opening, could a police escort be given to these families so they can visit the site if they wish, and shorten this stressful waiting period? Surely there is a way the police can assist their grieving without compromising the crime scene.
We also agree that a lot of frustration could be avoided if the community could be informed of a realistic timeframe for the re-opening and that it is officially posted on the website and the Triangle. We may not be happy if there is still some time to wait but at least we can deal with it and organise our lives.
On the issue of the return, could some thought be given to the staging of this. If everyone tries to return at once there is likely to be chaos with traffic jams on the access roads and frustration at waits to collect safety suits etc. Maybe it could be staggered so that those who have lost loved ones return first (for a few days as Lachlan suggested), then residents, then other property owners. Hopefully “rubber-neckers” will be kept out for some time.
Julie and Peter
February 27th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
For those wondering about the Marysville & Triangle Development group- this is the group being run by Kim Wilke and Graham Haycraft is working with/for him.
Graham’s contact details are in the newsletter (link on the front page)
February 28th, 2009 at 3:08 am
I was just wondering if anyone has heard what condition the Cemetary is in? We were just thinking about our Dad’s headstone.
February 28th, 2009 at 3:58 am
Hello to everyone from Marysville, My family has had a holiday house in Pack Road for over 30 years. I agree with Lachlan Fraser that reentry to the town should be staged.
We knew that our house would be gone, but were hoping that some of the beautiful garden that my father had planted had survived. Whilst searching, we found a series of aerial photos of our house. They came as a shock. Nothing is left, but it has helped in 2 ways - firstly we now know, we know what is there and secondly when we do finally get to visit it won’t be the same shock that it would be if we hadn’t seen it.
In thinking about this I was wondering if it would be possible for someone to take photos of all houses. These could be made available to all home owners and would, I’m sure make the wait easier.
Robyn Jackman (Margaret Taylor’s daughter)
February 28th, 2009 at 9:32 pm
Hi Broni. At one of the meeting Bruce Ackerman said there was a special section being put aside for those who had died in the fires and some new trees had been planted. So sounds like it’s OK. I think he is the chairman of the cemetery group (and lots of other things as well!) Got this number from the white pages for him- (03) 5963 3287. Perhaps someone else could confirm if this is the best contact number???
Vicki from Lady Talbot Dve
February 28th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
This blog is a very good idea. I am also glad to see the Triangle News online; it helps us to keep in touch. (It had me in tears too).
We used to own properties in Marysville, a block in King’s Road and a house in Falls Road. We always loved Marysville; we only sold those properties because we wanted to grow more fruit and vegs so we bought in Taggerty. As we live in England at present we have been feeling devastated and depressed and pretty useless to those we know in Marysville and the surrounding area. We have been glad to hear of the survival of many that we know and very upset at the news of the deaths of others. We cherish a pair of Christmas mugs bought by our daughter for us when she and my husband visited the Christmas Shop last November. They have become very precious to us, as have some items that we had in the little house in Falls Road which are now in our home in England.
I think the suggestion of ‘after’ photos of houses for people like us, who retain an emotional attachment to them, would be a good idea. I feel I would like to see those places that were ours for some years but have no wish to be a rubber-necker.
I hope to be over shortly as our family in the area have been (and still are) living under the strain of the continuing threat of fires. They evacuated again the other day, and there is still Tuesday to come.
We are deeply grateful to the CFA and all others involved in fighting the fires and looking after people. I have been re-playing the ABC interview with the CFA who made a stand at Taggerty that dreadful day; without their work and the wind dropping at a critical time our family think our place at Taggerty would have been lost. It is people’s safety that is the important thing; I would not want any firefighter’s life to be put at risk for our buildings though.
We continue to hold you all in our thoughts and prayers.
March 1st, 2009 at 1:47 am
I spoke to Bruce Ackerman today (I have his mobile no. and can get a message to him via my phone 0438 642 426). When landholders are allowed back in we will be allowed a reasonable time to sift through the debris, i.e. several weeks rather than 3-5 days as thought, before taking advantage of clearance by the government. Working bees of volunteers will probably be able to help some people — ask me if needed. Robin Dean only has her ears bandaged, the grafts are looking good, but she will be in the Alfred Hospital for weeks to come. I told Bruce I had collected some hyacinth bulbs locally but he mirthfully informed me that at last count I have six pink naked ladies in my front garden arising from the ashes! Now, about that roadblock… urgent medical business?…
March 1st, 2009 at 4:30 am
Hello, I am not actually a resident of Marysville - but I was staying there on Feb 7. I saw how people rallied around when a neighbour had a tree fall on her car. I think that is symbolic of your strong community spirit that can’t be destroyed. Dr. Lachlan warned us to leave quickly once she was safe, also the neighbour opposite the cottage where we were staying in Sedgewick St ran over to warn us. We left MV at 5:55 pm. My ‘heart’ has stayed in MV since that day. I’m now back home in Warburton. You’re our ‘next door’ town, where we’ve often come for weekend excursions. When you are ready, (and no sooner than that), I would like to return to MV. There are people I would like to see and ask after, to know they are safe. I would like to help in any practical way. When you are ready, when the time is right, please contact me. There’s people here in Warburton who would like to help you in the re-building effort. There are people in Marysville my family owe our lives to. I don’t want to be intrusive, I agree it is important to respect the space and time of those deeply grieving. But we would love to help during these coming months and years & would appreciate your guidance on how to go about this appropriately. You’re all in our thoughts and prayers. Julie Bell, ph. 5966 5980
March 1st, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Correction to my comment above. We will be allowed a reasonable time to clear our blocks, which is probably up to a week (not several weeks). That seems enough time judging from others who have done this elsewhere.
March 2nd, 2009 at 3:40 am
Lachlan you posted on 23rd regarding Barbara Pearson. She and her partner Mark are both well. Had a drink with them at Buxton Pub on Thursday after memorial.
March 2nd, 2009 at 6:55 pm
Lachlan, I’ve contacted the Alfred Hospital several times to enquire after Robyn Dean but have been told she can’t have visitors yet. I’ll keep trying. Any news of her father, Reg?
Can we be informed about returning to check our blocks by email?
March 2nd, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Lachlan, I’ve contacted the Alfred Hospital several times to enquire after Robyn Dean but have been told she can’t have visitors yet. I’ll keep trying. Any news of her father, Reg?
Can we be informed about returning to check our blocks by SMS?
March 2nd, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Lachlan, I’ve contacted the Alfred Hospital several times to enquire after Robyn Dean but have been told she can’t have visitors yet. I’ll keep trying. Any news of her father, Reg?
Can we be informed about returning to check our blocks by SMS? Mine is 0400 578 086.
March 3rd, 2009 at 5:09 pm
I am very thankful to have found this blog and website. Ken and I have always loved Marysville and 8 years ago bought ourselves a little house in Hill Street for our retirement. The loss of life and history has been heartbreaking but it is clear that the wonderful community has not been lost.
I think a staged return is a good idea. We are anxious to return. I am hopeful that maybe there will be a piece of china or some momento amongst the rubble…I have been wondering how we will be informed. Our mobile is 0408 395 583
Thank you to those involved for all the work you have done in setting up this site.
March 3rd, 2009 at 10:08 pm
Hello to all out there in Marysville. I am mum to Nicole Jefferson or NIC as she was known as. We lost her and her lovely partner Jamie Bowker and are desperate to get back to Kings Rd, in the hopes of finding anything of personal value of the kids, just to remember them by, and also their little cat Ernie, black with white whiskers & white paws and a little white patch in the front.
I believe a staged return of all those directly affected is a good thing and also how will we be informed. Since an interview with the Task Force over 2 1/2 weeks ago, we have heard absolutely nothing and even the Coroners Office is totally non committal about either Jamie or Nicole.
Can we be informed when access is available on mobile 0409 238126
Thanks again
Elaine & Bruce Jefferson
March 4th, 2009 at 3:43 am
Dear Elaine and Bruce
I was absolutly devestated to hear of Nic and Jamies loss. I was happliy chatting to Nic only days before about her plans for the baby. Very harsh blow!
She was loved by all how knew her and that was just about everyone in town.
Please let us know if a memorial is planned.
About returning to the town. I’ve been actively seeking some sort of time line from those who are enforcing the exclusion, but to no avail. This week I’ve started talking to the media about my concerns for those excluded from Marysville. We need to make it very clear that a return is vital for the families of the missing as well as those still living….. to seach out the precious little keepsake that will remind us of the time before our unimaginable loss.
Love to you both for one who loved Nic
sharon
March 5th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
The list of unaccounted now only has 2 names, probably visitors, and the Red Cross missing persons line has now closed (calls referred to local police station now). A final update will be made about Mon. 9/3, adding some people who owned weekender houses — on our site go to “friends & neighbours”-like section, click on link next to mine and John Wilson’s names. The Herald Sun is talking about possible general town access in 12 days but it may be a week longer than that. Elaine & Bruce Jefferson (I’ll be in touch) in particular should be speaking with Marysville’s police liason Bruce Colville (see link on our website). Watch our site for news and ask Perry Dix via email (see our link to Marysville Primary School website) to add your mobile no. to the callouts re events (these have been quiet lately, they’re probably busy with new school, Taggerty). United we stand, Lachlan
March 6th, 2009 at 2:55 am
Hi Merran Guest.
I have a mobile number for Kim Wilke as per your request dated 23rd of Feb if you still need info.
My e mail rosaliewallen@optusnet.com.au we had a home in Hull Road not far from Marylands.
Rosalie
March 6th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
We are unable to get back to Marysville in time for this Sunday’s Community Meeting, (we are still in NSW). Would any body possibly have a web cam link we could watch so we can be part of the meeting. We are on MSN meetthemuirs@hotmail.com. Just a laptop would do, even if it just picked up the audio would be a help.
Chris & Barbara.
March 6th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
Hello Everyone,
My deepest sympathy to all in the Marysville Community. Words cannot soften the devastation and grief that many are feeling. I would like to offer any support I can so please feel free to contact me. I would like to let the families from the school know that I have discovered photos of different school events over the years and would be more than happy for families to contact me as I can provide copies to relevant families.
I can be contacted via the above email or 0427 960 738.
Love and best wishes to all. Joan
March 7th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
We are a small group of volunteers here on the Gold Coast and we are willing and able to send you donated items through our “Golden wishes”. We currently have a list of requested items, transport and a destination address, so these items will be sent to your community this week. Please spread the word and if you have any needs please let us know and we wil endevour to collect them and send them down. Contact us at gcemergencyrc@yahoo.com.au
We wish to continue to support the residents of Marysville.
Love to you all, from the Gold Coast
March 7th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
Update from Carole Becker, Gold Coast Emergency Relief centre.
“To the community of Marysville,
Some of you will already be aware of what we have been doing up here on the Gold Coast but I have included our latest information and update. We have already donated goods to some residents of Marysville, we have current requests from your area, a link appears to us on you community network and thus we have decided as we have already formed links into your community that we will continue to support your community in any way you deem appropriate.
Please take the time to read about us and what we offer, forward this email onto anyone you feel appropriate and please contact us with any needs you may have and we will endeavour to grant your wishes.
Gold Coast Emergency Relief Centre.
We are a small Gold Coast based group of volunteers set up 2 days after the bush fires to provided donated goods to the people of VIC. We initially collected, sorted and sent almost 2000 boxes of new and near new donations to primarily the fire victims but this also included 94 boxes into the flood zone via Ingham, Qld. We soon discovered that the response from the Gold Coast public was overwhelming as it has been all around the country and soon delivery of goods was restricted due to the large amount of donations both areas were receiving and thus we set up our wishes program in which relief organisations, communities or individuals have been able to place specific orders which we have been filling and delivering to them . We are currently on the governments list to join their adopt a community program, in the meantime due to feedback coming out of both disaster zones we are only running our wishes program and sending goods as requested. The feedback we have had from those receiving our golden wishes has been fantastic. If you have any current needs or would like any further information in regards to us or our Golden wishes, please let us know.
The past two weekends a local Gold Coast business ran a donation drive called, “Tools for Tradies”, we heard about this and are assisting them in the transport, delivery and distribution of these donated goods. They have received work wear and tools both new and used, most in very good condition, all sorted ready for transport and distribution. We are currently continuing to collect work wear, boots, tools and animal needs. In our storage facility we still have new and near new clothes, shoes, linen, baby goods and basic goods ready for immediate dispatch. Also new wishes came in today.
Thank you for taking the time to read this, please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any needs or wish to discuss this matter further. Please forward this email on to anyone else whom you think may benefit from this sort of service.
We are currently planning to send most of the above mentioned items through to your community for distribution.
Carole Becker
Gold Coast Emergency Relief centre.
gcemergencyrc@yahoo.com.au
0402335769″
March 9th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Thanks Rosalie, I now have Kim Wilke’s email and mobile numbers
March 9th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Chris & Barbara, how lovely to hear from you via the blog and that you are both safe. Hope we can catch up in better circumstances before too much longer. You can email me at merranc@bigpond.com if you like.
Kind regards
Merran & Peter Guest (71 Kings Rd)
March 11th, 2009 at 2:16 am
Hi all,
We (John, Madeleine, Jack, Molly, Annabelle) own the flat property at 52 Lyell Street.
I have been very ‘active’ over the last 3 years or so, writing letters to whoever needs to hear something. Mostly these letters have gone to politicians, newpapers and other media outlets.
If there is anything you would like to convey to all or particular politicians, or anything you would like to be heard by a media outlet or journalist, let me know. I’m sure there’ll be a lot to say.
Keep well, Madeleine 5762 1250, mclove@dodo.com.au
March 11th, 2009 at 2:42 am
To Elaine and Bruce Jefferson,
It is disgraceful that you have not been allowed into the town to reconnect. I can’t believe the complete dysfunction of the human needs aspects of this tragedy.
Wendy Lovell, member of the Victorian Legislative Council for this region has written a very good letter to Christine Nixon, copied to John Brumby about this issue - see an abstract below (let me know if you want the whole letter). Today I contacted her to get the Coroner’s ‘notice’ for restriction in Marysville, and she’s responded twice - she’s being active for us. I suggest you write to her. Give her questions to ask in parliament. She’s on the opposing team so can get stuck into it. … email wendy.lovell@parliament.vic.gov.au
Abstract of letter from Wendy Lovell MLC to Christine Nixon (hand typed by me so not ‘proof’):
Mrs Christine Nixon
Chair, Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority
ANZ Towers, Level 6, 55 Collins Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Dear Mrs Nixon,
I am writing regarding the devastating bushfires and the current situation in the township of Marysville.
[…]
Access [to Marysville] is vital to assist with the grieving process and to provide closure to those who have lost their homes, particularly given it has now been almost one month since the fire passed through Marysville.
Unfortunately, denying access to those who have lost homes is adding to their stress and to their grief.
As mentioned, I completely understand the reasons behind not allowing people access, however I believe a compromise must be found even if it means providing escorted access.
I appreciate you considering my letter.
Thank you in anticipation.
Yours sincerely,
Wendy Lovell
Member for Northern Victoria Region
March 11th, 2009 at 2:46 am
Here is an email from Wendy Lovell MLC today. She managed to find the Coroner’s notice of restriction and this is what she had to say…
Hi Madeleine
I managed to get a copy of the notice which is attached. I am sure you will
be as angry as I was when you view it. It appears that the Coroner does not have to outline the level or type of restriction.
The legislation does not even require the notice to be displayed as it only
says may and it is very broadly worded regarding restricting access.
I am still working on getting you all access to your properties. As you
know I have written and spoken to Christine Nixon. I also wrote to the
Premier last week and yesterday he said they are investigating allowing
escorted access for landholders. This is what we suggested to him last
week.
I know this is not ideal but at least it would gain access to the area for
those that have so far been denied.
I promise I will do whatever I can to get you all back to Marysville as
soon as possible.
Cheers Wendy
Wendy Lovell MP
Member for Northern Victoria Region
Deputy Leader Liberal Party (Legislative Council)
Shadow Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development
Shadow Minister for Country Victoria
Shadow Minister for Housing
Manager of Opposition Business (Legislative Council)
138 Welsford St
Shepparton Vic 3630
Ph 03 5821 0055
Fax 03 5831 1062
March 11th, 2009 at 5:09 am
Andrea Casey reports that Robyn Dean has been discharged from The Alfred Hospital for nursing care at home. Andrea & Allan, and myself, would like to catch up with her if anyone knows where she and father Reg are living, presumably close to the house that Reg is itching to rebuild.
March 12th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
This letter was sent from Ben Hardman MP (Victorian Member for Seymour which covers Marysville) to the Premier Mr Brumby, in response to receiving the Love/Bourke media release…
[not proof, typed by me]
Because Ben is ‘on the same team’ as the Premier the letter is less hard-hitting, but at least he has access to the Premier. Maybe these letters should go on the main pages rather than on the blog???
9/3/09
Dear Premier
RE: BUSHFIRE RECOVERY
Please find enclosed a copy of correspondence from Madeleine Love of Benalla, on behalf of Sharon Bourke, a resident of Marysville who lost her home on Black Saturday.
The statements Sharon makes in her Media Release are very poignant and I am sure are shared by many other Marysville residents who went through a similar experience on that fateful day.
As you know, the Victorian bushfires have had devastating effects on local communities. Right across the Seymour Electorate I have witnessed both the loss suffered by our community and the determination they have to recover and rebuild.
Whilst appreciating the complex and painstaking process that must be undertaken before residents are allowed back to Marysville, I urge you to take every possible action you can to make sure all resources needed are provided to make this as speedy a process as possible.
Yours sincerely
Ben Hardman MP
Member for Seymour
March 14th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Posted on behalf of Lachlan on 14th March
Hi folks. Sorry about this, but a body was found under a building 3 days ago on Tuesday in Marysville. So the official finish is when the army completes the second search. I haven’t heard any variation to the Friday March 20 estimate, which allows for that day and the weekend (3 days) of traffic restricted to local residents. The police have manned the road blocks at both entrances 24 hours a day for what will be 6 weeks, but a week of restricted access would be decent, in view of the delay in this part of our grief. Dep. Commissioner Kieran Walsh didn’t answer the part of my question about the families of the deceased having adequate access before the rest of us, but I hope that’s the case. Kinglake has had restricted access for some weeks now, and the reopening process is slower. From the daily news reports it doesn’t seem that they have had hordes of outsiders and media having a look. Maybe the public is sensitive, or wanting to move on emotionally. The police, as I have requested, will put official police noticeboards at either entrance to town asking visitors to be considerate in this disaster area, reminding them that removal of items is an offence and that they should not enter private property except by request. Red Cross have told me that the shire will be providing sustenance and support that first weekend back. Reminder that Friday night is the concert at the golf course and Saturday is the benefit concert by the rockers at the Buxton pub. I registered for Grocon and got no. 1900 or something, so I would like to know if their estimate is in the weeks or months before local clean-ups. Apart from restrictions by the coroner and building site regulations re hazardous conditions, the organisation is us (we can call meetings and invite agencies) and our minigovernment MATDG with the big name. On Sat. Mar. 21 questions of immediacy can be directed to Christine Nixon at our reconstruction meeting. There will be a media statement on our website, and anyone who wants to talk to the media should let myself know and I can pass on names — police media liason officer suggested that it is better to feed the hungry animal than let it go feral and find trouble. Contamination kits are available at relief centres (these have been at Healesville, Narbethong, Buxton, Alexandra and there will be a mobile bus at the golf course who I’ve had discussions with) — gloves, disposable overclothing, masks. Watch out for snakes too.
Does anyone know someone who can weld? I’d like to collect a pile of people’s found objects which could be welded together (leave at 32 Sedgwick Street), maybe a suggestion for Bruno. The opening of the community health facility at Buxton yesterday went very well, attended by 50 or 60 people. It’s grander than we had before, and as of the last full week of March I will be there Tuesdays and Thursdays (ph. 5772 0888). If anyone gets a copy of the Alexandra Standard, Vicki can scan the article and photo from the opening for our website. Bill Atkin, psychiatrist with special expertise in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) will be visiting weekly. Google PTSD or look out for a fact sheet on our website shortly, it’s interesting and important stuff. If you’ve had the dreams of fire and flight at the 3-4 week stage, that’s good. Last night I had dreams of an “M” symbol on the dashboard, and in the car ahead an elderly couple in the passenger seat was driven by an underage kid; then I topped up a swimming pool — healthy, moving on with the grief process dreams.
Lachlan (0438 642 426 or snow.doc@hotmail.com)
March 14th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
Thanks for the advice Lachlan about the ‘re-entry’ to Marysville. However, what is being proposed falls far short of what is required.
Marysville is not like Kinglake or any of the other fire affected towns. As you know, the whole town is gone, so there is no-one to watch over it, especially at night. Marysville will need to remain a ‘gated community’ until such time as the clean-up is completed. Entry should only be permitted to residents, landholders and authorised contractors. This is for two reasons. 1) health and safety. We cannot have people wandering around in the ruins, particularly in relation to asbestos. 2) private property and security. Signs requesting people to respect personal property will be ignored and thefts will take place, especially at night. I think this is absolutely non-negotiable and it is about time the ‘authorities’ realised that. Marysville should not be re-opened to the public for some time yet.
Further, some form of security will need to be maintained after the clean-up is completed and whilst the re-building is taking place because there will still not be many people living in town, and we do not want people wandering around in the building sites and, sadly, stealing building materials, which is commonplace in the city.
I am surprised that the ‘authorities’ have not already addressed these issues and advised the community what they intend to put in place to protect our community. The very thought of the police presence simply departing and leaving the town open to the public is completly untenable.
An ongoing 24-hr security presence must be maintained until there are sufficient people residing back in the town. Nothing less is acceptable.
March 15th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
hello all, lachlan i like your idea about the welding/sculpture. if people hold onto any special pieces of china crockery/ceramics perhaps we could organise a marysville community mosaic too. art work to rise from the rubble and ashes.
March 15th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Posted on behalf of Lachlan Fraser
Here’s a link to yesterday’s ABC Online news re distribution of the relief funds –
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/12/2513989.htm
People who owned “weekenders” or “holiday homes” in Marysville often came up for a retreat and quiet times and weren’t generally as prominent in the circles of us local residents. Some were retired or semi-retired and spent more time there so perhaps the term “country home” is a better term. Since the bushfire catastrophe I have met so many of these people, all good folk of all sorts of backgrounds, and strong bonds are being forged to link them into our community. Some have been working extremely hard to reconstruct our community, such as Vicki Moritz who runs our Marysville Community website and John & Rosalie Wilson who worked with myself on the Marysville People List of survivors and those who were unaccounted (which has been very helpful to Victoria Police in tracing them and to so many others, even beyond Victoria). I hadn’t met them before but now count them as friends.
The fact that these people had their money invested in property is irrelevant to how the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction & Recovery Authority has allocated these relief funds. Some full-time residents had their money invested in shares or in the bank.
Marysville is in a unique position, probably not understood by many in the wider community. The “country homes”, or second place of residence to use the official title, comprise at least one third of our houses, if not closer to half. These numbers would be rather difficult to gauge officially, using shire rate notices only if they are directed to a second address. There must be over 50 such houses, i.e. 1/4 to 1/3 of the total. It sounds like its time to form an interest group (actually since the bushfire Dirk Versluyes has formed a “Marysville Magic” website for our less-than-fulltime residents; I only met Dirk, my back neighbour through the privacy hedge, post-February 7). How about just Marysville Ratepayers Association? (covering anyone with an interest there, particularly yourselves) — I have a feeling Janet Gilmore ran this years ago but perhaps it went defunct due to lack of interest then (she’s on MATDG).
Yesterday’s announcement was that people who lost their homes, whether insured or uninsured would receive a very generous $50,000 from the Red Cross appeal fund, from the over $200 million so amazingly raised by fellow Australians and others. Tenants will receive a smaller amount for their home contents, $15,000 I believe. If there are, say, 200 homes lost across Victoria which were a place of second residence and they were given $50,000 then $10 million of the funds leftover would cover that. I’ve heard between $130 and $180 million in total is allocated for these grants currently. I don’t see how the reconstruction authority can backtrack and reduce the $50,000 allocation for everyone to help those who are perceived as having sufficient already. This can be discussed with the authority, headed by Christine Nixon (who is visiting Marysville in her official capacity on Saturday March 21 at 1 pm). They should receive what everyone else is receiving, if there are sufficient funds, or at least close to that amount. This shouldn’t become a cause of resentment in our community as we attempt the long and painful process of rebuilding. Is Marysville to look half empty in future because of this? I prefer to work with official channels, but in coming weeks it may be worth talking to our federal member Fran Bailey at Healesville (phone 1300 131 186) or, as mentioned in the news article, the state opposition bushfire recovery spokesman Peter Ryan of the National Party. I understand that policy and organisations are being developed for the first time in this unique disaster and also that changes can be made before policies are set in stone.
March 15th, 2009 at 4:40 pm
Lachlan - thanks for raising the matters about weekenders. Our holiday home at Marysville was a place we loved coming to so we (Marny and I, and our families) could relax and feel part of a community we loved. Our home at Marysville was not a business or an investment; it was a home. While we obvioulsy haven’t faced the same massive dislocation as those who have lost their main home we face the same issues with rebuilding, especially with the added costs of complying with the new building regulations. Our insurance covered the home we had and we had no chance to review it to cover what is now required (as those whose houses were not at risk can now do).
I’m sure others who lost holiday homes in Marysville are in the same boat and I share your concerns about what may happen to the town if there are large numbers who cannot rebuild because of this. I agree that an interest group will be needed if there’s no satisfactory response to this either next week at the meeting or through the other (MP) channels we can pursue - I’ve already raised it via email with Ben Hardman and Fran Bailey, and informally with Daniel Andrews.
March 15th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
Thanks to Lachlan and Rob.
There is in fact a growing email list of Marysville “weekenders”. I hope I have invited most of you to a BBQ on Sunday 29th at Mt Waverley (south of the divide weekenders and friends!)
For details of the BBQ and to have your name added to the list I have been working on this weekend please email me:
vmoritz@optusnet.com.au
March 15th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Hi Lachlan,
I thought that the $50,000 was for survivors who had lost their homes. I agree that this should also include weekenders. We are unsure whether as in our case (mum is deceased) that this amount is available to us to rebuild. I am sure there are others in this position and again it may result in a lot of empty blocks of land. Would appreciate your thoughts.
March 15th, 2009 at 6:44 pm
Hi Lachlan, Rob and Vicki and Merrilyn,
Merrilyn ( the press release specifies ‘Principal Place of residence’ )
We too owned a weekender (in Allison Cr). I believe most of the houses at this end of town were in fact weekenders. We also shared our house via Mystic Mountains Cottages with many young families in winter going to the snow. Marysville was our second home (infact was instead of an extension to our Melbourne home ).. it is only because of work and children commitments that we stayed in Melbourne during the week. We are devastated with the loss of the 30YO garden and are hoping that something is left when we can see for the first time next weekend. Given that we couldnt insure the garden and also the increased costs of rebuilding with the new regulations we will be definitely behind the 8 ball with our insurance payout.
Personally I cant understand the maths of the latest allocation by the Bushfire appeal fund the latest $130M allocated divided by $50,000 = 2600 houses (assuming no tenants) . The total number of houses destroyed is 2029 according to the reconstruction authority website.
We and many others in Melbourne are hoping that Marysville will be rebuilt with taste and character.
March 15th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
In reply to Jane Fraga about the welding and pieces of crockery. There are common thoughts happening. J (art therapist in Narby whose name has slipped me again) has plans to do a labyrinth in Marysville (one of those paths on the ground one walks around with twists and turns - mediatative). It was suggested in the after-March 8-meeting discussions (you were chatting behind us) to use broken crockery in the labyrinth surrounds and J thought the idea was absolutely fantastic.
March 15th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
In reply to David Barton’s post - if the police or Defence Forces are not going to help protect the town, can the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority use funds from the Bushfire Relief Fund to pay for a private security company to restrict access at the two main roads into town to residents/landowners/contractors as you suggest, and possibly also to patrol the town at night? In terms of the very generous amounts raised this would be a relatively small cost, and I’m sure the Australian public would be supportive of security for us as we put our lives back together again. I think if access can be restricted for the first 4 weeks, and then patrolling for as long as required for rebuilding, that will help us a lot, and also relieve the immense pressure on our local police who do such a great job.
March 16th, 2009 at 6:56 am
The issue with the $50,000 grant for rebuilding from the relief fund is rightly causing angst among the people who owned 2nd homes. This group is organising as a group (contact Vicki via this website). There is an email which is getting rejected if the person wants to forward a correct address — nagchaff@mcmedia.com As of this Friday we will have been locked out of town for 6 weeks. After so many meetings and with such big issues ahead it is extraordinary that no one has called a meeting before the deluge to inform and support. Maybe Wednesday evening via sms/email-out, Thursday evening getting a bit late + some going in on Friday am to home. Discuss — relief fund, public access to town>Mar.23, contamination suits, post-traumatic stress disorder (?psychiatrist Bill Atkin could come up to speak).
March 16th, 2009 at 7:09 am
Media release/invitation can be made for a meeting, about time we aired our squeaky wheels if we’re not getting action soon. Meanwhile you can swamp the relevant authorities with group mailouts to vicbushfireappealfund@dhs.vic.gov.au or specifically its members Lyn Gunter (Shire of Murrindindi mayor), John Landy, Red Cross Australia CEO Robert Tickner and our politicians John Brumby, local state member Ben Hardman and federal member Fran Bailey.
March 16th, 2009 at 9:08 am
Myself and 2 friends had a place at 14 Old Melbourne Rd which was also lost. Whilst it was rented at the time of the fires we were still regulars to Marysville, staying with friends or renting another weekender…. We plan to rebuild but although insured, like Murray Ross and undoubtedly many others, we will also be well behind the 8-ball when it comes to rebuilding and implenting the imposed bushfire zone building requirements. That will add a considerable amount to many places and may impact on whether or not some ‘weekenders’ are indeed rebuilt. I would hate to see many of these weekenders not built as it will ultimately affect tourism and the economy/recovery of the town. We have no issues at all with those who lost their primary residence receive as much support as possible we will be attending the meeting on the 21st to find out what can be done to ensure that some assistance is also given to weekenders who do contribute to the towns that have been destroyed by the fires.
A big thank you to those involved in this community forum and the community website - it has been the only way we have been able to find out what has been happening - and is greatly appreciated.
March 16th, 2009 at 10:39 am
I also wish to express my concern about an apparently forgotten section of the Marysville community, the non permanent residents. Our loss is not as great as those who have lost loved ones and neighbours or those who have lost everything. However, we also have lost the town we love, our homes and gardens and contact with our friends and neighbours.
In our case we had our Marysville home for more than 13 years. Over that period of time we have spent most weekends in Marysville and for the past three and a half years have spent 3-4 days a week there as we have moved to semi retirement/part time employment. In that period of time we have paid rates and contributed weekly to the local economy as well as
paying two lots of house insurance and consequently two fire levies. Employment opportunities have bound us to the city but it is to Marysville where we have escaped at every available opportunity. It was our home and have been “gutted” to see it and our town destroyed. The option of retiring there full time has now been taken from us.
We are a significant section of the local community, 25% - 30%, probably even higher and many are facing the “double whammy” of under insurance as well as greatly increased building costs resulting from the introduction of the new building code. Consequently many of us will not be able to afford to rebuild. This will have a major impact on the viability of local businesses seeking to reestablish as well as on the decisions of others to rebuild. Many will hold back for 12 months or more waiting to see the extent of rebuilding. Marysville and other fire ravaged communities need everyone to rebuild.
It is right and proper that the first distribution of bush fire appeal funds went to the permanent residents. We all support that decision. However people contributed to the bushfire funds to assist victims of bush fire to rebuild their homes and to assist the bush fire affected communities to reestablish. We are victims of bush fire, we have lost homes, we are part of our community and we are needed to help reestablish our community.
As such we should be considered for some assistance to help us meet the additional costs of rebuilding. We want to rebuild, we want to be part of reestablishing the Marysville community; whether we are able to or not maybe beyond our means. Ths needs to be communicated to Lyn Gunter and other members of the Bush Fire Appeal Advisory Panel.
March 16th, 2009 at 11:01 am
As weekenders we too have concerns about the cost of rebuilding. Our insurance is unlikely to cover the added costs due to the new building regulations. Some financial assistance with this would be welcome.
We will be at the meeting on the 21st, our first time back. We have been hesitant to come to Marysville when others have had more pressing needs. It is heartening to hear that there are so many of us who also love Marysville. Ken and Lyn Waldron
March 16th, 2009 at 11:29 am
I feel it’s important to also represent the needs of people who have a very strong emotional connection with Marysville but are not residents or property owners. Marysville was a tourist town, place of honeymoons etc. and has depended on the connections people outside have with it.
People with these emotional investments in the place will have an important need to reconnect with the town after this disaster, just like the residents. They’ll need to go past Maryslands, or holiday cottages etc wherever it is they spent their honeymoon, or whatever.
I think these needs should be publicly recognised by the Marysville community, and suggest it will serve the interests of Marysville’s recovery in the longer term.
The residents of Marysville have a lot to do, but I don’t think the image ‘get lost rubber-neckers’ is going to serve Marysville - what do the business people think?
Many people have been able to have employment in Marysville because of the investment tourists have made in the town. While the tourists remain respectful I think they should be helped to reconnect themselves.
Some residents have made Marysville their quiet isolated place of retreat, but this isn’t all that Marysville is about. I found the happy smiling tourists to be a big part of the happy lifestyle, that wasn’t found elsewhere.
I think the job of keeping positive PR going for Marysville is an important one. Over to you…
March 16th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Hello to Everyone,
My name is Vince Piccolo, my wife Lorraine and business partner Pat have a log cabin in Pack Rd. This cabin was one of the first log cabins built in Marysville in 1921 for Bill Bottoms, we had some wonderful photos that we got from the historic society, our garden was first planted in 1922 and was featured in Home beautiful in the 50’s. I have been working on the cabin and gardens for the last 12 months. The cabin was included in the historic tourist walk. We have lost everything. Like most of us we are trying to come to terms with the devestation and loss of life. Fortunately for some reason we decided to stay at our home in Eltham the weekend of the fire - thank God.
For the last 3 weeks I have been sending Emails to the Premier, Fran Bailey and my local MPs, simply to ask why families like us have not even been considered in any manner for assistance because our cabin was not our primary place of residence. I tried to point out that Marysville was a unique town and that 30 to 50% of homes were owned by Weekenders who contribute to the comunity not as permant residence would, but in other ways. I’m glad that more of us are now asking the same questions.
Marysville is a tiny village, one that has developed over time into a holiday and tourist destination. For it to be rebuilt and function, it will take the effort of every resident, every business, every B&B, and weekenders to contribute to the welfare and rebuilding of our town.
The authorities saying that families like ours who may have an investment property, holiday home or business are not entititled to any help or support is going to be detrimental to our town and could be the difference between families deciding wheather to rebuild or not.
I’m looking forward to introducing myself next Sat with our meeting with Christine Nixon.
My best wishes to everyone as we try to come to terms with our entry to town on Friday
March 16th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Thanks to all who have expressed support for owners of holiday homes. We had our home in Hill Ave for 33 years, so it is a part of us, and our girls are also closely attached to the area. With such a strong emotional attachment, it has been strange to be living in our city home yet feeling that our home has gone. The many messages from friends and relatives who had spent time at “Ladybird Cottage” reminded us that we were happy to have shared the place with so many, and that they understood the depth of our loss. Whenever we lent the house keys to friends we would say, “Don’t bother to take too much with you. You can get anything you need up there.” Opening up our house to many others has helped the economy of Marysville in the past. When the announcement of the $50,000 grant was made, I thought, “Great. Now we can definitely rebuild.” New building regulations meant that the insurance might only cover a glorified cubby house. Let’s hope there is a re-think on this issue so that holiday home owners are also acknowledged in bushfire relief issues.
March 16th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
I have lived in my (self-built) mudbrick home at 65 Kings Road for the past 20 years. I have sympathy with all those who have lost their holiday homes and support any financial assistance which could be obtained to help these people rebuild too.
My concern is, perhaps, more immediate. Our town had a population of around 500 permanent residents. I don’t know how many part-time residents there are, but probably about the same.
When Marysville is open again, my concern is that large numbers of people are all going to want to pass through the checkpoint at within a short space of time. Even coping with the permanent residents is going to prove difficult. I am envisaging long queues and half the day spent in identifying oneself and being ‘tagged’. All very appropriate, but does anyone know if any thought has been given to this? Have any solutions been found?
It has already been said that 2-3 days in which to salvage what we can, grieve for our town, our homes, gardens, friends and neighbours is not enough, without having to spend time waiting to be admitted.
I understand how part-time residents want to grieve for their homes, gardens, friends and neighbours too but we cannot all go at the same time or their would be huge hold-ups.
In view of this I believe it is all the more imperative that the authorities give us more time, allowing probably a week for residents, then another week for part-time residents, then open the town to others. And there will be many others who also want to see what remains of the town where they may have spent many happy holidays.
March 16th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
Thanks Pam, Madeleine and Suzanne for your comments about access to the town.
My own view is that ‘part-timers’ have every bit as much a right to visit their properties as ‘full-timers’ and this must be accommodated for. I don’t believe that we are saying to the general public ‘we don’t want you’ and this is not a message we wish to have conveyed at all.
However, there must be a time for property owners to be able to spend private time on their properties unhindered by anyone. There are two main reasons for keeping the public out of the town until the clean-up is completed.
First is health and safety. Asbestos and building damage is a real issue and members of the public should not be allowed to wander about. Marysville is a large town with virtually no residents - who is going to keep an eye on all the visitors?
Second is privacy and theft. As people who have a property in the main street we do not want visitors stopping to chat (which would be endless!) and we do not want our remaining possessions stolen in the dead of night.
So Marysville must remain a closed and gated community until the clean-up is complete, even if that is another 4 weeks or so. The ‘authorities’ should have anticipated this need and put arrangements in place already. Then, when the re-building phase commences, the public could be allowed back, but there would still need to be security and police patrols 24/7 to guard against unauthorised entry and theft, again especially in the dead of night.
These are the cold hard facts of human nature and all property owners must be provided with real security so that their property and emotional needs can be met.
When the rebuilding is well underway, when some businesses have actually re-opened, and when there are sufficient people actually living in the town again to watch over it, perhaps that is when we can once more allow unfetterd access and encourage our tourists guests to come back to town, and this should be combined with a big positive marketing campaign. Until then, there is in reality nothing for them but to come and stare and take pictures, and that’s not what we want at this time.
March 17th, 2009 at 12:04 am
Thanks David, Pam and others,
I hope Pam’s thoughts of queueing delays don’t come to fruition. Maybe we need to make sure the police have appropriate plans in place. I’ve been working desperately for reasonable legal access to our properties for so long, and resist any suggestion of waiting longer.
On David’s point, I was referring more to our PR. That we don’t sink to the abusive messages read elsewhere that may be felt negatively by people of goodwill and attachment to Marysville - that we remember that very many people care a lot about Marysville and publicly recognise their special connection to the place. Has the MATDG got a PR subcommittee yet?
But also, we are all different - I would happily give tours to people on our property after I can feel the property is actually our own again - to show what fire does to house and possessions, garden and soil! My view is the more connection and understanding with the wider community all the better for the future! People are naturally curious, and their interest may be able to be accomodated. I know this won’t be for everyone, and the main street problem is clear. Maybe there’ll be a Community Blitz to build main street fences first!
What about our friends and family coming to help us? - I can tell them not to look left or right till they get to our place…
March 17th, 2009 at 11:54 am
Hello again,
I agree with David’s comments regarding getting back to our properties. There should be no selective order of merit, all property owners have equal rights to enter town when its appropriate to do so.
I agree Marysville residents should be allowed in the first week of access to grieve privately and determine their course of action for their properties. However after this period and the town has been declared safe for visitors, we should be encouraging the general public to visit our town and witness for themselves the shocking devastation. This will encourage discussion by visitors and their families and help us in continuing to promote our town and applying pressure on all relevant authorities for support in the future.
One idea for the when the general public is allowed back in town is put a sign at the town’s entrances with a notice perhaps like this…
Welcome to Marysville,
Thank you for coming, we need your support..
45 people (I’m not sure of the final number) died in this town in the bushfires, our community is still grieving, please respect peoples property and right to privacy whilst we are organizing ourselves to re-build.
Please come back again soon.
The other concern I have is the potential removal of trees from properties that may seem to be dead, but in actual fact may be very much alive, I have spoken to the Murrindindi council about some assistance from Arborists, all I got from them was an Arborists list. I will make other inquiries about this idea. Will keep you informed.
March 17th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Marysville’s primary business is tourism. It comes in many forms. First there are the day trippers. They may come to the town once a year, a little less or a little more. Many are motorbike riders. They invest in the town a few dollars and move on.
Then you have the weekend visitors who stay for a couple of days, spend money in the guest houses, dine in the restaurants and cafe’s and purchase some souvenirs. Again, they may come to town on irregular occasions.
Skiers, bushwalkers and trail bike riders will come back one day. The area will again become a drawcard for the beauty and all we can offer.
One point I want to make here is that the “Weekenders” or “Part timers” that come to town regularly invest in Marysville, week after week. It’s dining in the restaurants, shopping in the supermarket, bringing in vistoris themselves that will play a part in the town recovery. With insufficient funds from the government to support those who had part time residences, it may take a long time to get them back. I hope this ruling on the funding can and will change. It’s going to be a push.
In January I had the chance to spend time in Halls Gap. I noticed, a couple of closed businesses and I got talking to a resort owner. The comment was made that even though the town was not directly burned from the fire, tourism was decimated. It’s three years now for them and this was getting closer to being a “proper” year for tourism. Many could not survive the constant loss of business.
Please, support the “weekenders”, and encourge the goverment bodies at the right time, when residents and business owners ar ready, to really get behind the promotion of Marysville as once again a great tourist destination.
March 17th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
I spoke to Lyn Gunter this morning about recognition of the contribution that non permanent residents/weekenders make to the Marysville community and our eligibility for bush fire grants to assist us to rebuild and help reestablish the community.
She has requested that we email her directly stating our case. She is a member of the Bush Fire Appeals Panel and will forward our emails directly to the other panel members. The panel meets this THURSDAY so we need to do this IMMEDIATELY.
She said that she has heard from a number of us and has been representing our case but that it makes more impact if we are heard from individually and in numbers. Her email address is gunters@ycs.com.au
Although this message is intended primarily for those among us who are not permanent residents, I would like to think that we would get support from the permanent residents as well, as they will all be impacted if many of us are unable to to rebuild. Any support is to be welcomed and we all belong to the one community. Please pass the message on.
I made the following points to Lyn all of which were acknowledged by her:
-that without some assistance many of us may not be able to afford to rebuild as insurance proceeds are unlikely to cover the increased costs of rebuilding resulting from the new bush fire building code
-that we are a major section of the community and contribute a great deal to the community and its economy
-that being excluded makes us feel like we are not being considered as part of the community and does not recognise our contribution to the community
-that if we don’t rebuild, the town and its businesses may not be viable
-that the rate base of the council will be greatly reduced and in future those remaining will face big rate increases
-that a lot of empty blocks will impact negatively on everyones (permanent or part time) decision to rebuild
-that a lot of empty blocks for sale will impact negatively on property values that will undoubtedly be already negatively impacted by the fires.
-Marysville needs ALL PREVIOUS RESIDENTS, permanent and part time to rebuild
Christine Nixon is also a member of the panel so putting our case to her on Saturday will also be important.
I told Lyn that I feel we need to have our case addressed and soon as I fear that many will simply take a payout and move on. I must admit to losing some of my initial enthusiasm as the whole saga drags on.
If you feel the same way please take the time to email Lyn Gunter today.
March 17th, 2009 at 7:31 pm
Ken and I are heartened to read that others feel the same as we do with regard to Marysville and the rebuilding procedures. We also had a holiday house and a haven for us when we chose to use it. We had income from our tenants via the real estate so well run by David and Marlene Sebald (both dec.) and even though we were occasional visitors, we feel a part of the community and now the pain.We are confused by the delay, repressed by the lack of payment from our insurance so far and uncertain as to the future and what it holds. We hope to meet others from the town as the swell of interest gathers so we will be attending gatherings when possible to put faces to our names for you and to offer our physical help and support when needed.
March 17th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
Ditto all the above. It’s hard to understand why these bureaucrats can’t find their brains nor their hearts. There will be a media conference on Mar.21 at Christine Nixon’s appearance with the reconstruction agency. Marilyn, Merran, John Philp, Sharon Ellis et al how about being the newly declared Marysville Ratepayers Association and sending your invite to a media appearance there yourselves (BYO outdoor chair)? I have some newspaper and TV contacts to pass on. Vince, I have spoken to police about signboards asking for respect and reminding that people should not trespass or remove objects and I gather there will be one at each entrance.
March 18th, 2009 at 7:25 am
I’m going to ask the really big question now - one that has really been burdening me…
What are everyone’s plans about the bush? Everything is being canvassed, including razing the lot of it.
I love the bush, the insects, the animals, the fresh clear water. I also love the green trees of the town.
I don’t know what the big response reaction to the eucalypts is going to be.
March 18th, 2009 at 9:15 am
We have sent this letter to the following:
Lynn Gunter
Fran Bailey
Ben Hardman
Peter Ryan
In 2002 I took my wife, Heather, and her mother, Mary (from Adelaide) on a day trip to my favourite place in Victoria: Marysville. We had been contemplating buying an investment property in Melbourne towards our retirement, which instantly went out the window as we drove into Marysville. Heather’s first comment was, ‘I love it here - I mean I REALLY LOVE IT HERE - can’t we buy here instead?’. Three months later, we had purchased a cottage in Sedgwick Street which we planned to be the home we would retire to one day.
For the last 7 years we have shared our cottage with many families who have come to this special township for a vacation - many from overseas - through both the Marysville Country Real Estate agents (agency destroyed and owners now deceased) and the Mystic Mountains Tourism sites. It has given us much joy in sharing our love of Marysville with so many others, whilst also working towards our own dreams of turning this beautiful place into our place of retirement one day.
The bushfires of 7 February 2009 have had devastating effects on so many across our state, none more so than in Marysville, where so many lives, properties and dreams have been destroyed. It has been heartening to witness the generosity shown by the Australian people to help rebuild the lives of all those affected. We have also contributed, knowing that there are people and friends in urgent need that we could assist.
Almost half of Marysville’s properties are made up of non-permanent residences - either weekenders or those such as ours, which catered to the tourism needs of the township by providing accommodation. Marysville is a tourist town and is totally reliant on its visitors for its survival: without them it will never truly rebuild. It was with much disappointment, when the announcement was made of how the relief moneys were to be allocated, that we saw that assistance would be given to only permanent residents, thereby treating almost half the property owners of Marysville as if they weren’t victims of the fires and putting a serious question mark over their ability to rebuild. With the introduction of tougher and more costly building regulations, sadly many will be forced to walk away at a time when the town’s survival is dependant on them rebuilding. Without the holiday cottages and weekenders, a vital part of Marysville’s tourism infrastructure and its tourism industry can never fully return and the town’s destruction will be complete.
It is with sadness and a touch of anger that we see people who have lost nothing being compensated for merely being without utilities for 24 hours or the inconvenience of being displaced for a short time, while there are many like ourselves, who have lost fully furnished houses and been locked out of our townships - that we loved and were an integral part of - for 6 weeks, who are receiving nothing.
We desperately want to see Marysville rise from the ashes, and were hearted by the Premier’s pledge to rebuild our towns ‘brick by brick’, but are afraid that unless issues like these are addressed and assistance is given to all those who need to rebuild, we’ll see only a half-built town which cannot possibly support itself or cater to its tourism needs. For Marysville to survive we need to have our foundations in place. The foundations of Marysville are those that support tourism and encourage visitors to stay in our village. For this to happen we need everyone to rebuild: both permanent residents and those who have invested in the cottage industry as well as weekenders. All are vitally needed.
So it is that we ask you to revisit the issue of to whom assistance is given, to see that the victims aren’t only those who have lost their principal place of residence: the victims are also those who have invested their savings, time, hearts and souls and futures in these bushfire-ravaged towns - and they also require assistance to rebuild our towns to what they once were, or to at least give them a fighting chance.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:35 am
My husband and I owned a holiday house in Marysville - 6 years old, we felt we were part of the community having been there every other weekend. I feel we are being discriminated against as to payment of the relief fund because it was only a ‘holiday house’ We would very much like to rebuild in Marysville again as we loved it so much as I’m sure everybody else did who had a holiday house. Please could we also be entitled to some funding to help us with the cost of rebuilding especially now with all the new building codes. Give us a go so we can get on with our lives after such a tragedy.
March 18th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
It sounds from the Recovery newsletter (on Shire website) that we will not be getting in this weekend.
I hope I misread it but on Saturday Christine Nixon etc will inform residents of “a planned return to their properties.” More information tomorrow. It sounds ominous to me.
We had shuffled the kids off for Saturday and I have to work the following weekend and so we cannot go up then if our 48 hour window of opportunity is delayed a week. I know they have a difficult job but some good reliable information to plan our lives around would be useful.
Especially tricky when we have the Council’s threat of a 48 hour notice to make our properties safe from the council looming over us and the prospect of the public traipsing through any day now.
We know we had at least part of a brick wall still standing, so presumably we have to do something - if someone has not knocked it down.
March 18th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
Feel free to contact me Jacky (March 18th, 2009 at 2:12 pm)
Outrage at the arbitrary deprivation of rights to our own land is My Thing.
It doesn’t surprise me that there’s been no mention of childcare issues, given the gender bias of the committees etc. I’m thinking about that too - do they have little asbestos suits?
mclove@dodo.com.au, 5762 1250
March 18th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Are you asking about childcare during meetings or cleanups ( both?) Maybe some teachers would be happy to donate their time if this is what you were after. If so, please respond here and I’ll see what I can do.
March 18th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Hi all
I won’t put this on the main website until it is official, but I’ve just heard the Friday entry is “probable”, and will be official once the Coroner completes the paperwork (!!!!!!!)
March 18th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Hi Gaynor,
With an undetermined amount of time available to go through the rubble before Marysville is opened to the general public we may have to act swiftly. I’ve been to the property and would like to go through it all carefully. I don’t know how patient the children would be, to sit and not play around with the treated pine ash.
The main issues are
What day so we can organise care if necessary?, and
Will there be any facilities available in Marysville if we can’t find our own childcare for that period and the children get tired of hanging around on the property?
March 18th, 2009 at 3:33 pm
We took the kids up to the last community meeting so they saw some of the burnt areas and also how life goes on. We decided this was a good thing for them but we don’t think they are ready to see Marysville itself. As we are weekenders, they don’t have to go yet, and they have been upset by the fires, loss of Marysville, deaths of people they know, unpredictability of the fires and of course the loss of our holiday home where we have had such great times as family.
Also, I would prefer they were not unnecessarily exposed to asbestos - even suited up.
If we are allowed in this weekend, the notice in the Recovery Newsletter was very poorly worded.
March 18th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
I have just managed to find this page and it was so good to be able to make this contact.
I wondered if anyone could help with locating a green “coles” bag that I left at the golf club that fateful Saturday evening.
It contained photos of my late husband (Maxie Parker who built the haven at 41 Kings Road) and photos of my mother, cat and dog food and some medication.
Unfortunately, the bag is not at the club, would be very grateful if you can contact me on glenna.parker@hotmail.com if it turns up, I would love to get those photos back.
It would be really good to get some clarity on whether we are able to access our sites this weekend, the indecision and waiting is not helping with the terrible grief that all of us are experiencing.
Marilyn, I have emailed Lynn Gunter and will happily volunteer to be part of “the ratepayers” group
March 18th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
I rang the Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority 1800 number to ask about childcare on the day/s. The person there said that Marysville is under the authority of police.
Pretty sure the police wouldn’t be doing anything, I rang the Shire – nothing planned at this time - a message is being passed on.
I rang the Alexandra police and they suggested ringing DHS.
I rang DHS Recovery Centre in Wangaratta - they are enquiring.
March 18th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Jackie
I think we crossed paths 9 years ago in a profesional capasity. I hope we can catch up on Saturday. Heaven knows how I will recognize you, but I’ll try!
Regards
Merran
March 18th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
Hi Madeleine. regarding childcare I understand your concerns and even with some people to supervise, is there someplace the kids could be ? Any way, offer still stands but yes maybe authorities could be organising such things? Regards, Gaynor.
March 18th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
Hi Merran
Yes I am the one you mean and I told our mutual friend that I had seen your postings. She was pleased to hear that you were safe.
My family has driven past your house a few times, especially while it was being built but never dropped in as we didn’t know you - I feel I know you well enough now! But both our houses are gone.
I will be at the meeting and will try to find you.
I liked your report of the first meeting. Thanks for preparing it and putting it on. I feel I am being lied to. It wouldn’t be so bad if they told us up front we would not get access for x months. or once they know that the timetable won’t work, they should tell us, rather than wait until the last minute.
Jacky
March 18th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Gaynor, There are no authorities organising anything. When I rang the Alexandra police they said childcare sounded like a good idea, but they weren’t doing it. I rang the Department of Human Services and after consulting with each other they said they wouldn’t do it. I’m waiting to hear back from the Shire to say whether they’d like to organise anything, but I’m expecting a similar answer. I’m not sure what you were offering.
I think it would be good to bring the children to Marysville at last for some closure, but know they won’t be content to avoid hazards all day while we search through the rubble. I don’t think it would be a good idea to send them off into the bush to occupy themselves. I was just thinking of something that would be helpful. But you don’t have to take on the job.
It would be nice to know if the concrete sheeting in our laundry contained asbestos or not so we know whether we should be worried for the children’s sake or not. I wonder if there’ll be anyone who can advise on this?
March 18th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
Thank you for those who had got this website going and the forum.
My wife and I lost our country home in Falls Road; and like many of you it was not for rental or for investment. It was our country home away from our home-office where we work in the city. Yes we are also disappointment by the unfair treatment to ‘weekenders’ by the allocation of the Bush Fire Relief funds. Sure there must be a ‘formula’ where funds can be made available for permanent residents and weekenders.
It was only last week that we were able to go in to Marysville under police escort to see our home; we could only watch it at the road side and not able to step on our land. We know for sure that the houses on our left and at the back were for weekenders. Marysville will not be the same without the support of EVERYONE - permanents and weekenders.
March 19th, 2009 at 6:22 am
Thank you very much, every one for the site and for all who have contributed to keep an intelligent, positive and supportive outlook on the future of Marysville. I will be returning to the area to start the assessment process but not sure what the future holds until many of the issues contained for all who have been blessed by the town, people and area, are faced ard dealt with. Together, united with a clear vision and focus, and not letting the beauracratic problems hinder us, Marysville will one day be a place to be proud of again and call home.
March 19th, 2009 at 9:57 am
Hi everyone..I have been living in Marysville at my in laws house since the fires(there house is one of the ones saved that day) as my fiance and I lost our home on Lady Talbot Drive.I too am finding it very frustrating that I am not allowed to visit whats left of our once beautiful home…I feel so close yet so far…
Also who is allocating this grants?They arent being distributed well!!A family friend of ours who lost his home,in Flowerdale owned a few caravans, aswell as 8 cars(he was a collector/restorer), all which were destroyed and is now being told he isnt even entitled to the $50,000.(his house was insured, along with contents, but not all cars could be insured due too the fact that it simply costs too much!!)This was his principle home which he had owned!!He is told he has “no right” to the fund as he has money in the bank…(money which is there for his retirement.This person has suffered so much..Why should he not be granted something???)I think everyone that has lost somethin in this devastating time should be entitled to the support our fellow Australians have given us.
I was in Flowerdale last night visiting a friend and noticed every house left standing, and on every property, even amongst the rubble, has an Australian flag(big ones, little ones)..It really gave me hope and a sense that people will rebuild and perhaps someday we can return to some normality.I urge all Marysvillians,permanants and part timers to do the same and recognise the Australian flag as a symbol of our unity and thanks to our fellow Australians for their spirit and supporting us in this hard time!!
March 19th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Its midday Thursday..Where is the Police..The police road block has been removed, according to my fiance who just got through on Marysville-Buxton Road..I hope that means that town is open to Residents, but how does this stop others from getting in?
March 19th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Correspondence to Kim Wilkie of MATDG, just sent…
Dear Kim,
Could MATDG provide a materials person on the forthcoming day of re-entry to advise on whether some concrete sheeting in our house contained asbestos. We expect it didn’t, but would like an expert clearance.
Thanks,
Madeleine Love (03) 5762 1250
March 19th, 2009 at 12:20 pm
We echo the words of many of you who acknowledge the contribution of cottage owners / holiday home owners in Marysville - my husband and I owned a house in Keppel Court called “The Springs” that was part of the Mystic Mountains Cottages that David and Marlene Sebald managed.
Reading all your comments, it seems that even though we have lost something very significant to us all (people we knew and appreciated / our homes / holiday homes / investment homes), it is not considered hardship because we are still have money in the bank.
We have been talking to our case officer from the vic Gov. who has been very supportive and understanding and is suggesting that we get together as a collective to present our plea to Christine Nixon on Saturday.
I am intersted to know if there is a group of people getting together so that we can have a joint voice - in the first instance people that belonged to the mysticcottages website but also everyone affected but not helped or addressed currently.
I reiterate what some of you said before. Mayrsville is a tourism town and without the tourism, it will not be what it was. We used a lot of local businesses like cleaning services, gardening, plumbing, etc… and we would find it difficult to rebuild when we have no income from it and a huge mortgage to pay on a “o” value property that has no house in it.
It is all very sad - of course, our heart goes out to those severely affected having lost family, friends and homes, and we want to do our bit to contribute to the rebuilding of Marysville but we will also need support and help.
Kind regards,
Lucia
luciarm@optusnet.com.au
March 19th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
It looks like town is open to residents..I dont understand why the people of Marysville werent formally informed..It seems access isnt allowed into Murchison St.I was able to go up Woods Point Road to our block and wasnt stopped.
Good Luck to everyone returning :o)
March 19th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
RE Karens note- I’ve just being trying to clarify the situation with the MATDG and even they can’t get a specific “official” opening date/time from the police. So please don’t all get in your cars and drive up there just yet. While the town may be unofficially open you may be disappointed if you try to access some parts of town . Or you may not- this is the problem! I heard they have moved some of the road blocks, not closed them as yet. But I think we are not far away, and understand it is increasingly hard to be patient.
March 19th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
I have been up to my property and begun rummaging through what we have left!Police are driving around intermittantly checking on residents.(we werent the only ones around)The Police are allowing people on their blocks provided it is deemed safe!
March 19th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Hi again.
There have been some concerns about the insurance aspects of peoples blocks now some have been paid out. This is particularly in relation to going back in and either the owner or others being hurt while cleaning up. I rang the Bushfire Legal service and they are going to get some opinions and hopefully put out a fact sheet about this. They did suggest insurance policies differ and to check the personal liability clauses. Paying out an insurance claim may not invalidate cover, but that may also depend on what you sign at the time (latter bit my contribution, not theirs). Their fact sheets are at: http://www.bushfirelegalhelp.org.au/legal_factsheets.php and are currently being updated. More at http://www.pilch.org.au/Page.aspx?ID=278#10
March 19th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Hi all, I spoke to Police today and they were informed today that the Coroner has lifted the section 40 and that we should take some form of i.d. with us when we go through. I believe that they may have a blockade there tomorrow. I also spoke to Steve White who confirmed that the Coroner had lifted it. Hope this helps. Just make sure you have protective gear from DHS at the Golf Club first…
March 19th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
Geez Karen, That’s incredible, really!! Getting a bit dark now though - wonder if they’d stop me - wish I’d read that earlier.
I’m writing though because The Age put an item on 45 mins ago to say we might be allowed in sometime NEXT WEEK…
Heres the link
http://www.theage.com.au/national/marysville-locals-prepare-to-return-to-bushfirehit-town-20090319-936i.html
“Ms Nixon said she believed the town, which has been declared a crime scene since the fires, would be reopen to residents soon.”
“I think that’s a matter of, probably, next week some time,” Ms Nixon said.”
I s’pose I just head down tomorrow morning…??? What does “provided they deem it safe” mean?
March 19th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
On the Marysville Community Website it says Marysville will officially reopen to residents on Saturday.
http://www.marysvillecommunity.net/
March 19th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
I saw a few familiar faces around today…the Police road block has moved from the Golf Club and moved to the bridge at Murchison St.Woods Point Road at the Round About is no longer manned by police.
There were a few cvilians about, I presume were residents…more than what Ive seen in the past weeks.Police are still being strict about movement around town and are requesting ID and taking down rego’s and times of entering/exiting check points.
As we were rummaging we were approached by some local officers who only asked if we were residents and they stuck around for a chat and made sure were ok.I spoke to someone else who had spoken with police and they said that residents are allowed to their properties where accessible and with ID.I heard something similar on UGFM.Im presuming this wasnt let out to the general public “officially” as there would have been a mass rush to Marysville by anticipating residents.The police I chatted with said that their some properties which may be unstable…brick walls still standing and that may be considered unsafe..I did see police on some properties with whom I assume were residents.
Ensure if you are returning that you are kitted up with masks and gloves and the abestos suits.(I think they are available at the CFA).The smells are quite strong when sorting through the remains.
March 19th, 2009 at 9:39 pm
Like many others on this forum we lost our holiday home. With the imminent lifting of access restrictions I was wondering how people like us are classified. Are we ‘residents’ because we own a home in Marysville, and have done for 15 years, and pay rates? Or are we ‘outsiders’ because we don’t live there permanently?
I am very mindful of the grief suffered by the community, and don’t want to add to anyone’s distress by turning up if we’re not wanted, but like many others with a special place in our hearts for Marysville, we need to be able to see our properties, and say goodbye to what we’ve lost. We need to shed tears for what has gone, so we can begin the process of renewal and plan our return to what was - and will be again - the loveliest town in Victoria.
We love Marysville, and we will rebuild.
March 19th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
To Johnny and Tina Wong, Glad to know that you are OK. We haven’t seen you for ages, but we’re from the house behind you in Falls Road.
Hopefully we can keep in touch.
March 19th, 2009 at 10:13 pm
To Kathy, You are a ‘resident’ for these purposes and a very important part of Marysville’s future (just like 2nd residence me!) and please come home. But you might have to march in…
I sent an email to The Age newsdesk not long ago to tell them their Christine Nixon article must be wrong (opening next week), and gave them the matdg website with the good news of the Saturday opening on the home page.
They rang ‘the police’ and ‘the police’ confirmed that The Age’s Christine Nixon article was correct - that we’re not getting in until next week.
And I was having a nice flippant conversation with this lovely journalist, silly me (slap across the face! - will I ever learn) I said that if that’s correct I’ll be leading a march in on Saturday ha ha ha… journalists have no idea of ‘friendly off the record chat’ - probably appear as fact in print tomorrow!
Note to self: write rousing speech :))
March 19th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
Kathy - I spoke to the police contact (Ian) yesterday. Holiday home owners are “residents” as far as getting into the town goes. Bring your rates notice and photo id and you should be fine (well, that’s what we will be doing).
You are indeed part of the future as we all will be - we will be rebuilding in Settlers Way.
March 19th, 2009 at 10:48 pm
Thanks Mark - that was the answer I was hoping for.
March 19th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
Kathy - glad to hear you all are well. Allison has been great to keep up posted - and really appreciate neighbours like you all. Looking forward to going up to Marysville soon and look forward to seeing you all this weekend.
johnnytina.wong@gmail.com
March 20th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Just wanted to let all the ‘weekender’s’ know that as someone that has donated quite a large amount of money to the Red Cross Bushfire Fund, they have my support in receiving the same grant as any other person that owns a house that has been destroyed or damaged by the bushfire.
I am horrified to hear that all people that have lost their houses are not being treated equally. It was certainly not my intention when donating the money that it would not be given to ‘Weekenders’. Equal amounts of money should be given to all that have lost a house that they own regardless of whether they are a permanent resident or not.
I have sent an email to Lyn Gunter as suggested in an earlier email and I would highly recommend that anyone who has donated money and feels the same way should do the same.
Whereas I do understand that this disaster would have impacted more heavily on permanent residents, my thoughts are with all of you.
March 20th, 2009 at 9:35 am
Posted for Lachlan
Marysville may be swamped by hundreds of cars queing up, getting impatient, trying to get into town. Be warned. The official line is to contact Victoria Police by phone or in person and ask on an individual case for access, as has been the case in recent weeks, where access is usually granted. SMS sent out by Development Group, I believe, telling people to attend 1 pm meeting Sat. to find out the official announcement. I have been told there will be at least 10 days that the public will be kept out, so no need to rush. You should be able to find your treasures in less than a day sifting easily. Phone me if this is not clear and only if you are desperate. Lachlan 0438 642 426
March 20th, 2009 at 9:38 am
Another posting from Lachlan- some of it superceded by the email above. Waiting on clarification from the Bushfire Legal Aid group about liability once insurance payouts have been accepted
Hi Rod, good to hear your hello. Yesterday I got to go home, and to work (though the clinic is as flat as everything else in Marysville). It flattened me again, but it was o.k. I didn’t find any restrictions in Marysville. No news about how long the police will keep out the general public. Contact the shire if your walls and chimneys look dangerous about urgent demolition — could it take a week for someone to fix it? There are metal fences around some businesses, or tape at least, keeps visitors out and safe, consider tape (tied on some stakes) at least, be nice if the roadblock or golf course could supply it (ask the shire?). Remember to think of snakes under debris though I doubt if they like ashbeds. If you’ve taken an insurance payout, you probably don’t have public liability, another reason for the police to maintain restrictions for a week until sites safe. Check bushfire legal helpline 1800 113 432 (8:45am-5:15pm). Lachlan Fraser
March 20th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Have just phoned the Marysville police operations centre and asked if we can or cannot get into Marysville today.
Verdict: (from Sgt Walsh - horse’s mouth): ‘Yes, we can get in today’. Go to the golf course, via Buxton entrance, where reps from DHS and the council will be there to give us a briefing. They are setting up now. They will be able to tell people if their property has been listed as dangerous and what needs to be done. We will need our rates notice and ID, such as driver’s licence.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:45 am
Just wondering if someone can give me the phone number to the operations centre pls. Had a big clean up and can’t find it.
Cheers
March 20th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Not sure if this is it
Victoria police have assigned Acting Sergeant Ian THOMPSON to assist with residents questions. These include questions such on access to Marysville, insurance claim expediation etc.
Contact Ian on 0407 867 184 or ian.thompson@police.vic.gov.au
March 20th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Whether you owned a “weekender” or you were a permanant resident, you all have access to Marysville as of today.A sticker will also be put on your car to identify you as a resident and I should imagine from that you can come and go as you please freely.
All the best to everyone for a safe return home :o)
March 20th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Thanks Jim!
We’re driving up from the Mornington Pen tomorrow for the meeting and to view our property, how do you think the parking will be so we can get an idea of what time to get there? Sorry might be a silly question but we were only 2 weeks from moving up to Marysville before the fires so can’t remember the size of parking area.
Thanks.
March 20th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Hi All,
Our family have been up in Marysville from early this morning at our Mum’s residence in Lady Talbot Drive and have told me of how hot it is…especially in the protective clothing. Please make sure you have plenty of drinking water etc.. when coming up (especially tomorrow) Take good care. Broni
March 20th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
To change the subject somewhat. I’ve been looking at the “Guilde to Building in Victoria After the Bushfires” which will come into effect in March 2009 as an amendment to the Victorian Building Regulations 2006 and notice that they are suggesting that external walls in areas zoned BAL-FZ could be
“Non-combustible material (masonry, brick veneer, mud brick, aerated concrete, concrete) with minimum thickness of 90 mm or an FRL of -/30/30 when tested from outside or be tested for bushfire resistance to AS 1530.8.2″
My house was built of mud bricks 230mm thick and, although my house was gutted, the walls have stood up to the fire. However I have been informed by the shire that my house will definitely be issued with a demolition order because it is deemed unsafe. Certainly the roof is unsafe (the iron is still held up by the walls), but the walls have to be demolished as well. I’ve had an independent report done through the help of Archicentre and believe that it certainly would be adviseable to demolish the house completely and I understand the reasons. My concern is that mud brick, although it has withstood the fires in other areas of Marysville and is recommended as a suitable material, may not, in fact, be ideal, although the added criteria about testing was never carried out on my walls, so I can’t comment on that. When people get around to thinking how they want to rebuild, this could be of concern. Personallly I love mud bricks and would be happy to see them in Marysville again.
I read an article in “The Age” entitled “Opposition grows to fireproof housing” by Michael Bachelard, dated 15 March 2009.
I believe Marysville does not have to look like “row after row of brick veneer housing”. On the contrary - this is an opportunity to become a world-class example of how to build a beautiful town which is fire resistant.
The town of Napier in New Zealand had a similar opportunity after a devastating earthquake. I believe this town was rebuilt in the 1920s art deco style and has become a tourist attraction in its own right for this very reason.
If Marysville residents can come to an amicable agreement - with a little imagination we could do the same. But, I think the town would have to be designed ‘in toto’ - shops, houses, guest houses - all along a theme. I do not mean they should all look alike, but all should be integrated to form a cohesive, interesting village, using world’s best practices. In my opinion the best way to do this is for some of the Relief Fund money to go to paying a top designer/architect, someone who has imagination and foresight and knowledge of our area.
I have already thought of a few different types of houses which could be built to the new building code, apart from brick or rendered brick. I personally have been thinking of a stone (or stone-like) cottage similar to those in Europe. If excavation is needed (and it easily could be), then the opportunity exists to build into the side of the slope, or even underground houses with sod roofs. Obviously these designs would have to please the owners and not be exorbitantly priced, but I believe that Marysville could be something special, and still use the new building code, if only people could come to some kind of agreement. Even if only the main street was designed properly, it could be a major drawing card to regain, or even increase, our visitor numbers.
March 20th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Just me again. My sister said asked me to mention that shorts and singlet are a good idea for wearing under the protective suits as it’s very hot and sweaty. Just thinking about tomorrow’s weather.
March 20th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
Hi all- access at last!!! Hope to meet some of you tomorrow
I’m posting the following information for Lachlan:
There are quite a number of properties which have been declared unsafe sites. At the police roadblock they will check whether your address is one of these, and if so will probably escort you to the site. Unsafe hazards include some of the chimneys & brick walls (not all though), possible cellars or septic tanks. You will be allowed to walk around a bit and take photos only. I am writing this so there is some warning when you arrive at the roadblock. Grocon has the contract to make these sites safe (unless you want to pay a lot of money which is not refunded by the government, and if it was part of your insurance claim may come out of your building settlement sum). Contact Grocon about details and time frame for doing this. Be mindful of public liability issues if your insurance claim is settled, whether before or after site made safe, whether hazardous tape around the site would warn the public over coming month, etc. These are difficult days and many more to come, and there will be some strong opinions raised at the meetings. Acknowledge hard work and good intentions, accept that there will be criticism, yield when needed and we’ll get a hard job done and keep the goodwill of the reconstruction authority and the state. We’re a fair way ahead of some communities in our progress so let’s keep the ball rolling. Lachlan
March 20th, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Dear Vicki
Unfortunately, we have a commitment in the afternoon tomorrow and will come up in the morning to touch base with some of you if possible. We are keen to participate and will have lots of feedback from others who can attend the meeting and the club, so we should be ok there. We are just hoping that we may see some of you to personally say hi and thank you for this great blog. It’s great to read so many like minded replies and to know that an enthusiasm is building in the people of this beautiful town in which we share.
March 20th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Hi all,
Good luck for tomorrow when it appears most of you will go up. We were there today and got the bulk of sifting done despite alot of china etc that Mum had. We used a hand fork, metal rakes and a sieve. We are exhausted and sad, but we came home with some garden items, handpainted china that was intact and an Anzac medal. This all helps us with the loss of our very special Mum. We got access via the Narbethong Marysville road even though there was a sign stating “no access”. The police were very accommodating and the only noise was from a channel 9 helicopter! We saw some trees beginning to regrow, some bulbs coming up, a butterfly and a little scorpion! Life goes on and renews.
March 20th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
For Madeleine,
Hi Madeleine, and everyone else who may be considering bringing children to Marysville, just to make sure you know that there will be qualified childminders at the Golf Club both days this weekend from 10am. The notice is posted on all the related websites.
March 20th, 2009 at 10:59 pm
Hi Vicki,
We have really appreciated this blog as a way of keeping up with what is going on. We have received a letter from Murrundindi shire saying we have part of the building ‘in a state of collapse’. We are wondering how to contact Grocon to find out about the time line for clearing our block. Does this mean we will not be able to inspect the remains of our house without police escort for some weeks/months yet?
March 21st, 2009 at 8:46 am
Hi Pam (Ellis),
Barbara and I both have simular thoughts about the future look of the town. We agree that at least a consultative process is formulated that would help with the overall planning of the town. Ideally the engagement a community planning consultant would be a smart move.
However, to pre-empt any concerns resident and business owners may have over individual choice it should be emphasised that it sould be a consultation with the whole community of Marysville.
Having a small amount of knowledge about building design, I have already observed some different ideas relating to an overall look of a community. This included a new development in a bush setting environment that places basic restrictions on things like exterior fininshes and colours yet retainting an individual feel.
March 21st, 2009 at 9:13 am
Has anyone else tried to work out their BAL level? We had a house on a fairly large grassy block just uphill of the pub in Lyell St. The way we read the standard we think we are BAL-LOW (>100m from the forest and in a cultivated garden with no major clumps of trees in the vicinity). Although we would incorporate a number of fire retardent materials and design features in our new house, it means we are not too restricted in design (and we basically want to replicate what was there). I am thinking the same would apply to the main street.
Someone please let us know if we are reading it wrong.
March 21st, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Guys I didn’t hang around for the whole meeting as it was just getting to warm. Can anyone remind me when they will let people who don’t live there in. Reason I am asking is our builder wants to get in to access the damage and I can’t remember when he will be allow in.
Very emotional day!
Cheers.
March 22nd, 2009 at 10:07 am
I agree Madeliene’s comments on the 16th. A vast number of people have strong emotional attachments to the place as visitors (many,many more than the numbers of full/part time residents). I feel that it is important that they also have a voice in the reconstruction process. Marysville as a place is a lot bigger than the size of the town suggests. It was a priceless asset that has been used for generations for the enjoyment and wellbeing of all Victorians and others.
In my view after witnessing the extent of the natural devastation yesterday something ‘very special’ will need to be done in terms of rebuilding to offset this to encourage visitors in the short to medium term (out of snow season).
March 22nd, 2009 at 10:12 am
Hello all
Yesterday’s meeting was pretty intense but it was good to get together and speak to a lot of people on the same boat as us.
As we drove to our house in Keppel Court, it occured to me that the catholic church may not be rebuilt given that there was only mass once a week on a Thursday for an ever shrinking catholic community - I do think it is still important to give everyone in town the chance to express themselves through their faith, beliefs, passions, recreation activities and I would like to inquiry about the future of Our Lady of the Snows - if anyone knows about anything happening or the best way to start, please contact me at luciarm@optusnet.com.au. I am just intersted in doing something about it.
As a start point, I will contact the parish in Alex and the Diocese in Melbourne.
Any more help appreciated!
Lucia
March 22nd, 2009 at 10:13 am
I am one of many that have donated to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal and was present at yesterday’s meeting chaired by Christine Nixon, I need to stress the intention of my donation was to assist all bushfire victims that suffered personal loss and suffering. It was not desiganated soley to benefit Principal home owners. The allocation was to benefit all victims equally.
The manner in which the appeal monies have been allocated to date, without any clear agenda to non principal home owners, concerns me, so much if I could turn back the clock I would as I am sure others would have second thoughts about making the initial pledge.
March 22nd, 2009 at 3:41 pm
I agree with Pam and Chris that an overall plan for the Marysville needs to be developed before any re-building commences. A consultative committee, including residents and appropriate professionals, would be a great way to start the process. We are virtually rebuilding the town from scratch and we need to ensure the right mix of services and amenities to ensure the economic viability . We could never replicate the architectural character of the town but we certainly can rebuild the community and vibrancy.
Council should lobby the State government for funds to undertake a Structure Plan as it can be a long and expensive process.
Incidentally Pam, I saw Napier in January and loved it.
March 22nd, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Some places would relish the opportunity to have a town designed from scratch albeit not by the way Marysville may achieve it.
I know there is probably not time but a worldwide competition would produce some interesting alternatives. I thought that Andrew Forrest was going to get involved in infrastructure.
The reconstruction leader said yesterday , in response to a question, that there wasn’t a blueprint as yet. Let’s hope the “Pope arcade” is built in a fitting way!
March 22nd, 2009 at 10:29 pm
I agree 100% with “Anonom - March 22nd, 2009″ moreso in relation to the unjust and unfair treatment of holiday homes and weekenders.
The unashamed lack of respect the bushfire relief committee has shown for this group of victims has without doubt dented my passion to rebuild or desire to be part of the community.
Mr Brumby keeps pumping Lake Mountain as vital to Victorian tourism, unfortunately without the rebuilding of weekenders, holiday homes and other rental accommodation places, the recovery of business and employment in Marysville will be very slow.
March 23rd, 2009 at 10:06 am
Hi all…Whilst on my block on Saturday, 3 dirtbike riders rode from the forest up Lady Talbot Drive and then sped up Woods Point Rd.I assumed they werent residents.
I spoke to a Police officer on Sunday and she informed me that she had been pulling many civilians over and sending them back to where they come from.Woods Point Road isnt manned by Police so this is where they are entering from, which I find disturbing at this point…more so because on my walk last night I decided to head up to our block down Lady Talbot Drv and on the embankment outside our home was graffiti… “DOUG WAS ERE”
I immediately rubbed it off but couldnt understand how somebody could be so disrespectful to a town of not only homes, but beautiful people, lost!!!
I just want to give mybest wishes to the Weekenders, as I am a permanent resident.We need you..as stubborn as some are to realise that right now..Dont lose hope :o)
March 23rd, 2009 at 10:40 am
Karen, wonders never cease to amaze me. It makes you now think have they helped themselves to peoples property over the past 6 weeks! Totally no respect and I am sorry you had to find that on your property.
March 23rd, 2009 at 10:49 am
Hi David (Barton),
Just writing to congratulate you for getting the message out there on the ABC today
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/23/2523088.htm?section=justin
I have to admit I’m feeling a bit more like you at the moment - I could cope but the place is a bit sacred right now really. I was glad at least for the one week extension.
March 23rd, 2009 at 11:04 am
To Lucia and Peter Murphy,
I hope the Catholic Church will be rebuilt. We were married there, two of the children were christened there - the third is waiting for the church to be rebuilt!
I thought it was more that the monks in Terrawarra Abbey were getting too aged to keep up the service to the town. I’d like it to be raised even for symbolic reasons, and every other building related to our wedding has gone!
It should be called “Our Lady of the Snows and Fires” now.
March 23rd, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Would someone have to phone number for the police in Marysville Please?
Cheers.
March 23rd, 2009 at 2:24 pm
In reply to Sue & Alan Boyle. I have tried to work out my BAL level and am not sure of result. Low shrubs within 40m on sloping block will move you to medium, or within 15m, move you to high.
However, Table 2.1 in the standard has only 4 categories. Whereas the BAL levels in the “Guide” have 6 categories. I spoke to a Building Surveyor about this last week, and at that time, he did not know how to correlate Table 2.1 to the BAL levels.
Hopefully the planned Community meetings that Building Commission will hold, will explain this point. IF my memory serves me well, Christine Nixon is going to arrange one of these meetings for Marysville (none scheduled as of last week). Christine Nixon also advised that both Building Surveyors and Architects had volunteered to give people free advise in this regard.
I hope that the advice is available soon so that we can get an idea of what is possible under new regulations.
March 23rd, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Hi Chris and Barbara
Thanks for your comments. I totally agree that the whole community should be included in the rebuilding and redesigning of Marysvile. I hope that MADTG will be the facilitating agency for the rebuilding, and that our community will make use of their expertise. The design of our home must always be an individual choice, with qualified guidance and taking into account the new building code.
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:02 pm
Hi Sharon (G)
I have the mobile number of Acting Sergeant Ian Thompson who is the Police Liaison Officer for Marysville. It is 0407 867 184
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Thanks Pam! I had one number wrong.
March 23rd, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Hi there Sue, Alan and Bruce and others. By way of introduction I was a resident of Buxton in my teens and my husband was a Marysville resident, living in the little white fibro which still sits opposite the golf course! We were married at El Kanah and had our photos at the Falls, and reception at MaryLyn, I worked part time as a teenager at Mountain Lodge, so although not locals we are entwined and feel like it is one of our homes.
We are property valuers and have worked in Marysville and surrounds for the past ten years, as well as the Dandenongs and the Kinglake Ranges. We have done well over 100 hours of investigation into the effects of the fires and resultant regulations for the purposes of establishing the continuum of values in the area. As a former resident of the area we are really passionate about helping to ensure the best outcomes for values in the area.
I have attended the Industry sessions for the new Bushfire Code and have looked very carefully at the BAL levels - differences from before seem to be it applies to every property in the state, and there are now 6 levels. Most properties in a bush environment (within 100 m of scrub, woodlands and forest) will be affected. It appears the first three levels up from low, being BAL 12.5, 19 and 29 are very similar to existing Building codes, once you get above that to 40 and FZ then thats where the building code gets more onerous, FZ previously had to have a report done through Fire Consultants. The horizontal distance from each set of classified vegetation, not just ‘the forest’ is determined and the slope of that vegetation (not the slope from the house to the vegetation) is determined and whether that slope is upslope or downslope from the building being proposed. Then the vegetation is determined is it woodland, forest or scrub and then a table is referred to. As an example a proposed dwelling less than 19 metres from flat forest would be BAL FZ the most severe Bushfire Attack LEvel (BAL), this changes with slope such as a proposed dwelling less than 39 metres from forest vegetation that runs downslope from the dwelling is also BAL FZ. Our house in Emerald is a BAL 29, we are 38 metres from our classified vegetation of >10-15 degrees slope which is downslope from the house and is woodland. If there is some flexibility with the site the best BAL may need to be determined before rebuilding, in context with all the other aspects that need to be taken into account. Over BAL 29 there are limited options with timber as no timbers, as I understand it, are rated above 34. I would be happy to be corrected. With BAL FZ there are many things to be worked out in terms of acceptable materials and the like. They are working hard to establish acceptable roof systems and window systems which seem to be the main issues at the moment. There are also regulations regarding outdoor buildings within 6m of the dwelling and for decks etc. It will certainly take a bit of time for designers, builders and building surveyors to get their head around it. Hope this helps.
We are certainly with you all and we are thinking of you as you proceed through this maze. PS - We have offered (and been able to help a few people) if you have had a bank valuation done in the past 5-8 years we may have a copy of photos and the property details we could provide you with.
Thanks, Lisa Cann
0417578867
March 23rd, 2009 at 9:08 pm
Hi Bruce,
As I understand it Table 2.1 is used to determine the Fire Danger Index which I assume is to do with weather conditions/temperatures in different areas of Australia. This level is then used in the calculation of your individual BAL which varies from one block of land to another. The whole of Victoria apart from alpine areas (which I think must mean above the snow line) is FDI 100, so to calculate the BAL you use Table 2.4.2. The thing that made us think the central part of Marysville would be BAL-low is clause 2.2.3.2 Exclusions:(f) onpage 16: low threat vegetation… cultivated ornamental gardens…nature strips and wind breaks
March 23rd, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Thanks Lisa, Sue & Alan. I only have extracts of the standard at the moment. I obviously need to get the whole code, or wait until I can get expert advice
March 23rd, 2009 at 10:58 pm
Hi Madeleine, and others,
Thanks for your comments and web-link. Just a point of clarification if I may with the ABC regarding what I actually said. I didn’t say that there was nothing open or nowhere to stay or eat. I said that Crossways and the Tower Motel were open, but very busy with, and booked out by, the authorities.
I clearly said that once the clean-up was mostly completed and the town safe and some of the businesses reopened, then the public and tourists would be most welcome and inded encouraged to come back to town.
May I also add that I made it quite clear that I was speaking personally and not on behalf of anyone else.
Hope this clarifies things.
Regards,
David Barton.
March 24th, 2009 at 8:07 am
To David, In respect of the accuracy of quotation of my bits in the print media, ditto. And in the case of news, the message depends on which bits they show. I’ve read and watched very little because it hurts too much. But I’ve thought it’s important that the general messages get out there - the rest of the world was deciding things for us without hearing from us, consulting with us, or obtaining consent! If anyone’s case isn’t being represented or heard, please speak up.
March 28th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Hi everyone,
What are you all doing about burnt trees on your property? I noticed that Council has cut down a couple of ours that they deemed unsafe but there are a still a few that look a bit worrying. While we were at our blocks yesterday, with the insurance rep , the top half of a tree on an adjoining block suddenly dropped to the ground. With a loud thud!
Given that most of us will cease to have public liability insurance I am worried about the situation.
Sharon E
March 28th, 2009 at 11:18 pm
Hi Everyone.
At long last We have some wonderful news of Jamie Bowker. Nicole’s partner. Ian his dad phoned Elaine & Bruce (Nicoles parents) to say Jamie has been formally identified and will be released from the Coroner’s Office this coming Monday the will be at the funeral parlour where Nicole has been waiting for him
It’s been a hard 7 weeks not knowing his outcome, but to know he will be near us all is wonderful.
If anyone wants they can either phone or email and I think the funeral forthe 2 will with in 2 weeks time at Wantirna
Home phone number 03 9729 7268
Bruce’s mobile 0409238126
email jeffersoneb@patash.com.au
Have been back to the kids property in Kings Rd, and there is not much left to tell. There have been a few pot plants that decided to put green shoots, so they came home to Wantirna, and we are concerned about the kids little cat which answers to Ernie.
The cat is female, black fur, short hair, 4 white paws, white bib and white whiskers and a 3/4 tail due to her being caught in a cupboard door. She is a little cat. have tried several animal rescue centres to no avail, but I am hoping some one may know of her or seen her some place.
Many thanks and hope Marysville grows and prospers
Elaine Jefferson Nicoles mum
March 29th, 2009 at 1:25 am
Elaine, Today after work at our property we went for a walk through the town. John let us move ahead of him and he honored Nicole where she had lain. mclove@dodo.com.au
March 29th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
I just wanted to thank Lachlan for a beautiful read on Steavensons Falls on the Community Website. Looking at the photo’s just bought a tear to the eye.
March 29th, 2009 at 7:25 pm
Madeleine
I stopped at the spot where Nicole was found last Tuesday and had a cry at the loss of life and the little life that was to come also. I miss Nicole dreadfully. Was at the house again today Sunday with Jamie’s dad and step mom, who hadn’t been there before all this, and they found a few items and I found her Merlin the Magician in many bits, but not complete yet
Still very concerned about their cat, but I am now thinking it never survived.
If you are in contact with anyone else from Marysville. please tell them there will be a funeral for the 2 in the next week or so, in Wantirna, and if you want to come you are more than welcome.
Elaine (nic’s mom)
March 30th, 2009 at 9:40 am
Elaine, Thanks for your welcome. As soon as you have a place, date, time - mclove@dodo.com.au . I’ll tell whoever I see. I’ve been finding the notices on this marysvillecommunity.net website - I think Lachlan Fraser is the contact for the site (?) his phone number’s everywhere - 0438 642 426 . I’ve seen notices written on the whiteboard at the golf course.
It’s good to hear you finally had the chance to look for something of Nicole’s. Finding something ‘almost complete’ is the more the norm. We found only one thing of value that is sort-of intact.
I’ll look out for the little cat. I understood that after the fire the SES took the animals in the town through to Alexandra - I suppose you’ve checked there? We buried native animals such as kangaroos and possums on our property.
I’m so sorry for what has happened. It won’t be forgotten, it won’t be in vain. On Saturday Marysville’s wonderful artists/muscians/writers came together to talk about memorial and recovery pieces etc. In time there will be art, sculpture, music, in memory and for the future and for the flight of spirit.
March 30th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
I’d just like to say a massive “thank you” to Dr Fraser and everybody else for keeping us all informed - whether it be about meetings, dates, or the “little” things like sharing experiences and photos. It’s very much appreciated.
Jen - a “weekender”.
March 30th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
I read in today’s paper, and saw on the news on telly tonight, that last week the Shire decided “to enact its own bushfire recovery model, snubbing the State Government’s Reconstruction Authority” (Herald-Sun, p.5) - no further explanation.
What does this mean?
What are the advantages of a separate local recovery organisation? Would this duplicate services to those who need them? Wouldn’t it be more beneficial to stay within the main reconstruction authority?
This has only added to the confusion for residents, and to me it seems as if the Reconstruction Authority is being undermined, and this certainly doesn’t inspire confidence in the Shire.
I have looked on all sorts of web-sites and haven’t found any reference to this decision, and I wondered if it was me being a bit thick and not looking in the right place, or if this was put through on the quiet. It was just a bit confronting to hear about this through the general media without a whisper of it on the community web-site.
Can anyone explain, in clear and simple language, how a separate organisation will benefit those who are affected by the fires? I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels left out of the loop.
March 30th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
Some thoughts: trees, insurance and re-building to the code.
Trees: There are probably about 10 oversized trees that should come out of our block alone. Most of these should have been cut back years ago, but weren’t because of proximity to powerlines and houses. Well, there will never be another chance like the present. There must be thousands of similar trees throughout the town. I wonder if any of the forestry trained people in town could get a company up and running to cut down, cut up, stack, mulch and/or dispose of all these trees?
Insurance: Our insurance company told us that the third party insurance attached to the house insurance had been extended for 6 months from the date of the fire. I don’t know if all the insurance company’s did that. If anyone is contemplating demolition and/or tree cutting it would be worth checking before you get started. Does anyone know if it is possible to just get third party insurance on a property?
Re-Building and Fires Breaks: I have had a read of the code and the Building Commission summary. On the face of the documents, claims that we will all be forced to re-build with concrete walls on ground slabs are wild exaggerations. But it does look as if weatherboard houses on stumps may be a thing of the past, particularly around the edges of town, where there is no question that we are getting into the higher zones. (I am NOT in favour of a 500m wide buffer zone. After all, the code only classifies vegetation within 100m). However I do think that some intelligent thought towards relocating and / or widening the previous “park” type firebreak could be useful.
It will also be interesting to see what sort of classification the council accepts for the central parts of town, where the fire hazard was basically not from a bushfire in the sense that the code envisages, but simply from the house next door burning.
March 31st, 2009 at 9:55 am
It was offensive to read about a ‘plan’ by ‘local leaders’ endorsed by ‘experts’ for a 500m buffer zone it in the Sunday Age - very grateful for whoever put it up on this site.
I immediately rang MATDG - no decisions made there. If the article quoted him correctly it seems it was just Graeme Brown, described as “president of the Marysville Tourist Association”. I left a message for him, but no returned call as yet.
Letters went off to every unelected member of MATDG, and to our elected representatives at the Shire, Fran Bailey and Ben Hardman.
I’m not sure who’s going to be mowing the steep slopes of the hills around Marysville, or planting up the rice paddies along the lines of the proposed vegie gardens around town.
But certainly houses next to paddocks in the Canberra 2003 firestorm burnt - Phil Cheney (CSIRO): “…But it just goes to show when you get these extraordinarily high winds burning material can be picked up out of eaten out and mown paddocks and create an ember attack that we’ve not seen before”
Brick houses in suburban Narre Warren burnt down from a fire emerging in paddocks on Feb 7.
And the Marysville fire crossed hundreds of meters (if not kms) of clear land on its way to Granton, and happened to spot 12km ahead of itself.
We all have some big decisions to make, with challenging assessments to make about likely future risk, taking into account individual decisions about risk management, and giving respect to the timber producing life of the town. To see an article emerge like that at this time (just starting the funerals/memorials and sifting) without any established process of community consultation is unbelievable.
Please write a letter to the Sunday Age - probably best to be in by Thursday night. sunday@theage.com.au (from memory), or letters@theage.com.au - refer to the date of the article.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:14 am
To Kathy, I can’t explain in clear simple language about rebuilding authorities, but I have established values.
Whenever I have rung the Shire (at Alexandra) about issues they have been exceptionally helpful, polite, understanding under the most demanding situations. The CEO Mark (surname?) even returned a call, but he sounded so tired I didn’t ring him back. The Shire agreed with what I understand most of the people of Marysville wanted, but said they were powerless.
On the other hand I’ve been completely unable to speak with anyone at the Christine Nixon Bushfire Recovery group, despite many attempts. I’ve rung the Premier’s office asking for contacts for this group - it’s like it’s a piece of air.
I rang the Bushfire Recovery number, and after intense questioning learnt that the person answering the phone was from the DSE, and that they were acting as a “Front Door” for Grocon. It appeared that the public aspect of the Bushfire Recovery group was actually Grocon.
Now ‘authorities’ are obviously able to get in touch with Christine Nixon - but taking a ‘member of the public’ approach this group has not been readily available.
Without knowing anything about the disagreements I’d be backing the Shire without any second thoughts - real local people doing things for real local people.
March 31st, 2009 at 12:18 pm
WELL SAID MADELEINE - I have just read the article on this site and was amazed at the statements being made without community consultation - what else is going on that we will find out via the media??? Like you I am still waiting for return telephone calls from certain people within the MATDG organisation.
Barbara
March 31st, 2009 at 12:29 pm
As Marysville is now welcoming back visitors a proposal is being made to have a team of ‘hosts’ to meet and greet people, promote those businesses that are open, give information about where they can and can’t go, and to engender a feeling of respect. If you have any free time and would like to volunteer to be part of a co-ordinated team for Easter weekend primarily, please email me on barbara@terracotta-room.com.
March 31st, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Could you please list any places that are available to stay overnight, in the area ,(if any.) People may be coming back to Marysville to spend time on their properties, either sifting, tidying ,maybe even working on a new garden . Also, in the future after local residents are housed in the temporary village, will there be any chance those who had weekend homes in Marysville be able to stay at all? Thankyou.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:55 pm
Ann,
Crossways Historic Country Inn(4 Woods Point Road, Marysville) have sufficient, standard accomadation, with some of these including 2 bedroom units.
Im pretty sure the Tower Motel has reopened on Murchison St..(I know it has housed The Police and Fireys in recent times, so you may have to check personally with them)There number should be easily found online at their website. There is also The Black Spur Caravan Park and Motel in Narbethong and a Big 4 Holiday Park( Great for Families) in Taggerty (I think!)I hope I havent left any out and I hope this helps!
April 1st, 2009 at 12:02 am
Hi to all once again.
Have set a funeral date for Nicole & Jamie if any one wants to say thier last good byes to them.
The funeral will be held at HERITAGE FUNERALS Bornina Rd, Wantirna 15th April which is a Wednesday at 10 AM
No flowers by request envelopes will be left for any donations and this will be put back to the CFA of Marysville and as you know, they sure do a great job.
Bruce & I are are returning this Friday to Kings Rd, and try do some clean ups, retrieve anything again. I see too that the Ferns and trees are resprouting once again, which is wonderful for the morale of the town.
Elaine & Bruce
April 1st, 2009 at 12:03 am
THe Address should read BORONIA ROAD WANTIRNA 3152 for Heritage Funerals Sorry about that,
Elaine
April 1st, 2009 at 8:27 am
Just a quick hello and a huge thankyou to many many people for yesterday. Mum’s service was just beautiful and a true celebration of her life. We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day. I feel so much more at peace now. I’m sorry if I couldn’t get around to everyone to say hello…but you will be sure to see us in the future. Marysville has always been a second home to us and always will be. God Bless.
Bronwyn
April 1st, 2009 at 6:17 pm
Hello fellow maryvillians,
i am so happy to hear that the ferns are re shooting i am a past resident myself (16 Darwin st ) and will be coming down in Early may with my Daughters, I am now living in Hervey Bay,Qld but because Marysville has always been a part of my soul i am now considering about coming back to to live my Heart was shattered and i felt like i had lost a relative, I spent nearly all of my childhood there Long Story ok guys Chin up Because your spirits are strong thinking of you and see you in May lotsa of love to everybody,Robbie Braddock
April 2nd, 2009 at 7:57 am
Hi Barbara,
Couldn’t make your email address work for some reason.
I will be in Marysville over Easter . If I can be of help with meet & greet I’d be happy to.
Please email me a.sboyle@optusnet.com.au
Cheers
Sue Boyle
April 2nd, 2009 at 8:24 am
Think about the trees outside your property and decide if you would like to be notified if the Shire aborist has indicated that it is to be cut down.
I arrived at the property yesterday to find 2 trees immediately outside our back fence on DSE land, cut down. It seems it was a mistake that the contracters cut down trees on DSE. We were very happy to see one of these trees was regenerating (cambian intact) knowing that koalas feed on it.
A massive messmate that was regenerating beautifully was in the process of being felled. To be frank and earnest I wouldn’t have wanted to live under that tree in King’s Road (given snow and wind), but ordinary processes of public consultation are being completely and deliberately disregarded. I asked the contracter why the public wasn’t informed and he said “there is no resident’s group” - where is MATDG? He said they were meant to meet them on Friday but no-one turned up.
He said the tree should’ve been felled anyway. I asked why it hadn’t been, and he said “Because the public would’ve objected”. Yes. The other point is that contracters who don’t know the area make mistakes.
I suggested to Peter Cownley at the Shire (5772 0342) that trees intending to be felled are marked, residents notified and given a week to see what they think and object if there is good reason the tree stays.
Unless we assert our ordinary rights wide ranging possibly unsympathetic decisions will continue to be made. Clearly they want to drop as much as they can before there are too many people around making safety problematic. But this is our environment, and these decisions should be ours, with Advice from aborists.
April 2nd, 2009 at 8:44 am
spellcheck: cambium.
I’ll be there today if anyone wants me to look at something - 0447 762 284
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:15 am
Hi, does anyone know if you are allowed to camp on your land ? (not necessarily long term) Thanks.
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:11 pm
hi James,
Don’t know but we are planning to camp on ours over Easter
April 2nd, 2009 at 6:27 pm
Thank you Madeleine, and everyone who has contributed information along the way. This website has been a great source of information for many.
I would like to know who it is best to contact regarding the felling of trees on and adjacent to private property.
If a tree is suspect we would appreciate the council assistance to identify and remove the tree but we would also like the opportunity to know beforehand and if necessary seek independent advice from an aborist before it is removed.
We have large Messmates in Kings Rd and they are the feature that attracted us to the place initially.
Thanks
April 3rd, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Hi Cheryl,
Peter Cownley would be the best person to contact (5772 0342) in the ‘demanding consent/consultation’ area. A contact I had for a contracter on the ground who may know exactly what had been done would be Geoff Ladder (0419 899 446). In your message be very clear that he call you back. Many trees bordering Kings Rd along the Marylands strip had been felled as of the day before. They had the Allison crescent end of Kings Rd shut off yesterday.
You have a right to be consulted, and to pass comment. Good luck.
Madeleine
April 3rd, 2009 at 8:06 pm
Has anyone heard whether the issue of assistance for rebuilding of weekenders has been considered by the Bushfire Appeal Fund? The notes from the recent meeting with Christine Nixon indicated it was still on the agenda, but this seems to have been the case for weeks and without knowing one way or the other it’s difficult to make any sort of plans for what we do in the future.
April 3rd, 2009 at 8:17 pm
Rob, I do not know if it has been considered as yet, but it must be still on the agenda. refer to Victorian Government Hansard Legislative Council….web site, for record of statement made by Jan Kronberg MLC in support of some help mfor holiday home owners.
Regards
Bruce Ellis
April 3rd, 2009 at 8:48 pm
Part of the answer from Brumby in the Legislative Assembly to a ‘Dorothy Dixer’ from Hardman, member for Seymour.
“The bulk of commitments that have been made against that fund have been made in terms of emergency relief, short-term relief and medium-term relief, so the bulk of the fund has been committed. ”
*** DAILY HANSARD *** PROOF VERSION ONLY *** DO NOT QUOTE ***
“There is still a significant amount remaining, which the fund will particularly devote towards the longer term issues — for example, it might be putting money aside for education trusts for orphaned children — and the fund will focus very much on these issues over the next few weeks. ”
I expected an announcement today regarding the issue of holiday rentals and holiday homes but it hasn’t come. Maybe they are waiting for a media opportunity!!!! Does anyone know the extent of the fund to date?
April 3rd, 2009 at 10:23 pm
i just had a thought… i have tried to keep up to date with what’’s happening in marysville on here and its been great…..but there is no actual direct info being sent to me ( from gov’t , shire,water /sewer/ services etc). What of others who may not have internet access, or of a generation not used to this form of communication ( i.e my parents…)?
April 4th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
We went up today. The first time the kids have been past the golf course. Although they had seen the Melba Highway, it was different seeing the familiar areas of the Black Spur and Marysville. It was worse than they expected, but it took the egde off being able to collect metal objects for the sculpture collection - thanks Lachlan for telling us where to drop things off.
And we didn’t know the bakery was open! Yeah. Amazing to have it up and running so quickly and with a good variety of food and drinks. We had taken our lunch so thought we would go in and buy some drinks, but it was packed. We stood there for a while and soaked it in.
Big trees outside our property have been chopped down in the past 2 weeks. The school has been completely demolished, they were finshing off the police station and starting on the kindergarten. They were working today - Saturday- so there was a lot of activity around.
There were quite a few trees through the Black Spur and on the Narbethong-Marysville Road with green fuzz on their trunks. Our tree ferns are sprouting well and a couple of trees but it is too early to tell what will withstand the fire and Grocon’s big machinery.
Grocon have knocked down our remaining brick walls which we authorised them to do to comply with the Council order, but many brick walls and chimneys around town are still standing.
April 4th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
HAS ANYBODY HEARD ABOUT RELIEF MONIES FOR HOLIDAY HOMES AS YET, WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF WE ARE GETTING ANYTHING FROM ALL THE MONIES RAISED OR WETHER WE HAVE BEEN FORGOTTON
April 4th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
To James et al; Exactly! Our phone numbers, emails haven’t changed - any authorities would’ve been perfectly able to contact us , but haven’t. I’m receiving Murrindindi shire notices by email but I think that’s only because I deliberately signed up for them. Maybe we all need to get on the Communication/Consultation committee.
When I was there two days ago I arrived to find 3 blokes walking out of the property. At first I was dumbfounded and polite, asking who they were and what they were doing there - they were connected with Geoscience Australia and NSW fire authority, and had been taking photos.
And then I stopped feeling polite, having flashbacks of unauthorised entry by fire, police, water, army reserves, forensics, shire safety inspectors, and possibly grocon, all without any notification and with me forbidden to be present (except for the exceptionally dangerous fire). Important streetscape trees had been cut down without advice or consultation the day before. It was more unauthorised entry with no prior communication.
I respect science research and all that - want to contribute - but that is our property, we do have phone numbers, we can be contacted… I got Really Mad. The house has burnt and suddenly everyone thinks they have a right to wander through.
So today I bought tape and have written on it…
“Do not enter without permission”
“PRIVATE PROPERTY”
“CALL (our telphone numbers)”
There is no excuse.
April 4th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
Thanks for the info about the town Jacky. On Thursday I came across Four Corners filming in town.
This is what they were doing…
“Four Corners is making a program about the fire that hit Marysville and looking at what lessons may be learnt from this terrible event. Questions that the Royal Commmission will be asking.
We have spoken to many locals, residents and emergency volunteers to try to get a broad range of views.”
I emailed some views and I suggest that anyone who hasn’t been interviewed send their views to Lin Buckfield (producer) at buckfield.lin@abc.net.au I really want the community to be deciding its future.
April 4th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
I wonder if the council knows how many weekenders are in Marysville yet. At one of the community meetings the Mayor was asked how many there were and she did not know.
The permanents have certain basic needs to meet so they are encouraged to rebuild - school, jobs, income support while buisnesses are rebuilt, access to services, etc.
The weekenders have other needs.
It seems like a very basic planning issue to know what number and precentage of each you are dealing with.
April 4th, 2009 at 10:00 pm
If the Mayor who I thought was a strong advocate of holiday home owners/weekenders receiving some form of relief monies, does not have a clue by now of how many holiday homes are in the Marysville area, what a pitiful show of incompetance.
Why dont we (all holiday home owners) unite and spell out the unjustice to the media, I am sure there would be some interest. What right does Mr Brumby have to differentiate between one group of victims and another. Victims are victims. donors to the bushfire appeal did not make such distinction.
Mr Brumby also needs to be reminded that he was not ELECTED into office and finds himself where he today, only because of the good luck that fell his way. a bit of compassion and luck our way would be nice too.
April 5th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
I visited marysville with my parents recently and had the opportunity to quietly wander the streets and absorb the enormity of the tradegy, while they sifted through the remains of their once beautiful cottage, hoping to find an undamaged relic or two, to take home. As my parents and uncle/aunt had cottages there, we visited regularly, and also stayed there with a big group of friends at Easter in the Caravan Park. I feel very sad for my parents, as they have many challenging responsibilities in their daily lives, and Marysville was their respite, their getaway,the place they could go to do little projects, constantly adding to the comfort of the cottage for their guests, while enjoying a wine on the deck overlooking the mountans in the evening. I feel very disappointed that the cost of rebuilding with new regulations may mean that they choose not to do so. I think that a government contribution of some value would help them to make an easier decision as to whether they can/want to rebuild and would also show them that the business that theircottage generated, and contributed to the town, was and is trully valued. Marysville is a popular tourist town, and tourists need places to stay.
April 5th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
I can remember the Premier saying in a TV interview very early in the peace that the holiday rentals and holiday houses will be considered for some of the Relief Fund in the future. Since then we have heard nary a word from anyone apart from the answers we received at the community meeting. I was told that our plight was discussed at the Thursday panel meeting prior to our Marysville community meeting with madam chairman. I specifically asked Lyn Gunter before our meeting if anything was decided and I didn’t get any tangible answer. It seems to me that there is someone on the panel who feels that the holiday rental/holiday house owners are not deserving of any help at this stage. Someone quite high up in the Victorian Bushfire Appeal organization told me that the uninsured and what to do with them was creating a lot of angst for the panel.
Surely there should have been some action one way or the other taken by now as that was some time ago and I think that the message regarding our issues and the resultant effects on the rebuilding of Marysville if these houses aren’t replaced got through on that day (Bill Shorten was going to run with it as I feel that he grasped the implications as well)
The Hansard record in my posting 03 April is becoming ominous for us!!!!
On another issue I have communicated with Fran Bailey to explore the Capital Gains Tax situation with regard to insurance payouts. It seems that failure to initiate any capital expenditure on a replacement house before 30 June 2010 means that CGT is payable at the appropriate rate. When I attempted to use the bushfire free legal aid I was told that I didn’t qualify for any pro bono assistance although the guy I spoke to did verbally confirm that the tax would be payable if the above conditions were not met. (Just another hurdle to get over in the rebuilding process)
April 5th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Hi all, a few issues that have come up recently
1. Posting a nice idea on behalf of Alison McGregor:
From: Alison McGregor [mailto:bluewrendove@hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, 2 April 2009 1:13 PM
To: vmoritz@optusnet.com.au
Subject: Marysville website animal stories
Greetings, I’m wondering if it would be possible to include some animal/people re-unions, happy stories, rescues etc. on your website, for animal lovers and the joy and inspiration it brings them.
I’ve heard of many but would like to see them expressed in peoples own words. Thank you. Alison.
2. Paul, I’m not sure I have your email details for distribution of information that may relate to the issues you raise. Please send through to vmoritz@optusnet.com.au.
3. In relation to Jame’s comments on 3rd April- I send on a lot of information to Delice, the editor of the Triangle. However, you are right in saying that those who don’t have access to electronic communication may not be getting all the information they should. This came up at the meeting in Buxton last week. I do know the message about sealing the sewers will be posted out to home owners, but a lot of information is not.
4. I volunteered for the Communication/Consultation subcommittee weeks ago. sent through a CV and have heard nothing.
5. I followed up my question from the meeting re the proportion of Marsyville residents that have their rate notices sent out of the area (”weekenders”) with an email to Lyn Gunter. No response. In Feb 2005 when a “small towns” survey was published 30% of Buxton residents were in this category. I haven’t been able to find the comparable figures for Marysville, but it is a “triangle” issue.
6. For those thinking about Marysville urban design, there was some work and recommendations published in 2001
http://www.murrindindi.vic.gov.au/Files/MarysvilleUDF.pdf. There are some ideas in there worth consideration
Vicki (web”mistress”)
April 5th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
My CGT of course refers to second homes not principal residence!!
April 5th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
hi ,you can’t tell me that in this day and age a shire can’t access computers to work out who pays rates as a resident or someone who has an alternate address?
April 6th, 2009 at 12:20 am
Dear Lord as I pray tonight for the day just lived,
I remember the souls that were lost on February 7th,
I think of the many, many people who will be homeless
and living in temporary accommodation for as long as it takes.
Please Lord give them the courage to get through this time
until the roof over their heads is their own as before.
April 6th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
I was rather concerned at John P’s comments regarding CGT. We had not considered that aspect.
As part- time residents I feel strongly that we are in a difficult situation. On one hand we are not receiving any assistance to rebuild and on the other hand we will be taxed on our insurance settlement if we don’t. There is serious inequity in the treatment of part-time residents vs full-time residents. Our loss has not been recognised.
Im sure we are not the only who has received a less than generous offer from our insurance company. We are still considering our options but the reality is that the town needs us to rebuild and to support the local economy.
April 6th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
To all the holiday / weekender home owners in Marysville , i , like many other thousands of people donated money and goods to ALL the survivors of that horrid saturday in feb , UNCONDITIONALLY.
I too am disgusted that not everyone has been treated equally , with equal amounts of the bush fire fund being shared out .
ITS SIMPLY NOT FAIR . MARYSVILLE NEEDS THOSE HOMES REBUILT AND THE PEOPLE TO COME BACK TO MARYSVILLE TO RE ESTABLISH THE LOCAL ECONOMY AND THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE .
HAVENT THEY LOST ENOUGH THERE ?
MY THOUGHTS AND MY HEART GO OUT TO THE FAMILIES THAT LOST PEOPLE THEY LOVE .
COME ON PEOPLE WHO HAVE A VOICE , WE DONATED THESE FUNDS TO HELP ALL .
I THINK ITS TIME TO HAVE A SAY TO THOSE IN CONTROL OF THE BUSHFIRE FUNDS AND GET SOME ACTION HAPPENING FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY .
April 6th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
Thanks Diane, I am not sure what others think, but this is how i feel…it isnt just a matter of receiving some kind of financial assistance to rebuild ( i am figuring new regs , etc, will add to replacement costs) BUT anyone who lives (full or part time) in Marysville loves it so much and is experiencing a deep sense of loss. I think i just want someone in authority to acknowledge that ?
April 7th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
I am one of the many owners of holiday homes/weekender who have lost both home and possessions in the marysville bushfires. We wait patiently hoping that some relief monies will be paid to us to help our pain and also meet the cost of reconstruction.
Our learned bush fire appeal committee from all accounts have not yet ascertained how many non principal homes existed in marysville prior to the fires, and therefore are not prepared to make any committment in relation to holiday homes/weekenders.
Then can I suggest as a possible starting point to maybe work on estimations:-
1. assume 2,000 homes were destroyed by the fires
2. assume 30% were non principal homes
3. this would equate to 600 homes representing holiday homes /weekenders
4. multiply this number lets say $50,000
5. we have a total outlay of $30 million.
We are not talking about large sums of money here, the decision to include holiday homes/weekenders for relief monies needs to be decided immediately, we should not have to wait any longer.
How dare the committee deny victims the chance of receiving compensation. I am more bitter today than I was 8 weeks ago, so much for the healing process.
April 8th, 2009 at 6:50 am
I have only one thing to say - The monies raised from the bushfire appeal was for all fire victims not FIRE VICTIMS (PRINCIPAL HOME OWNERS) so the committee should start recognising holiday/weekenders so we can start rebuilding.
April 8th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Hello all, I am nto directly connected with your beautiful town, but I believe ALL residents should be treated equally. I would like to add my name to any petitions or applications to the Bushfire Relief Fund Appeal Committee to ensure all holiday/weekenders are entitled to their share of the funds raised. I can be contacted on apelling@bigpond.com.au or 0428 576 718.
April 10th, 2009 at 9:20 am
Hi all
Apologies for the brief downtime yesterday. There was a technical issue with introduction of the new website. I’ll get back to it after Easter. Hope to see a few of you in town over Easter
April 12th, 2009 at 1:05 am
Maybe it’s just because it’s late, but it has suddenly occurred to me that despite all the very kindly efforts of the police force to ‘keep us safe from asbestos’ over the lockout time, they seem to have left it all behind.
Did the police remove potentially asbestos-containing concreting sheeting from anybody’s house? Did they only leave it behind at our place?
Is safer for the kids to play with now that it was eight weeks ago?
April 12th, 2009 at 9:00 am
What a great time we had on Good Friday welcoming the HUGE number of visitors back to Marysville. All were very respectful and concerned for the future of Marysville - I even met one of my previous Guests - What a Buzz the town was.
Lets all keep this warm feeling with us and unite to keep our Marysville alive.
April 12th, 2009 at 9:01 am
A good news story for Alison McGregor
We had a deep dark corner filled with greenery. Bower birds would constantly chatter in this corner. We watched a young male build practice bowers over a few years before he turned deep blue, and left blue things out for him which he selectively included.
Eventually he turned that deep glossy blue with violet eyes, and the children stayed out of the corner for him. He spent a lot of time in a rhodie bush, and last winter we think he impressed a mate with his loveliness.
On the Valentine’s day bus tour I was devastated to see this corner lost - - no secret places - nothing green. If the birds had survived the fire I didn’t know if there would be anything for them to come back to.
Eventually inspection showed all the trees/bushes along the paling fence burnt badly, but his rhodie out in the garden was re-shooting, with hundreds of little birch trees springing up around it. We hoped.
And on Good Friday sitting on the front steps of our flat house in the early morning sun eating breakfast of bakery hot cross buns and coffee, the bower birds appeared.
The glossy blue male presented himself attractively with a blue orange juice bottle lid in his beak. The olive female seemed interested. He has left his blue lid under the grey brown rhodie - we might leave some random straw/grass around for a bower. Don’t know where the female would nest yet.
April 13th, 2009 at 8:25 am
Many, Many thanks to Chris & Barbara Muir (ex. Terracotta Room) for instigating the “Welcome to Marysville” campaign. They have unstintingly given up every Easter Weekend day to welcome visitors and raise a huge amount for the CFA as well.
April 14th, 2009 at 9:26 am
Ditto to Jenny Pullen’s comments above. Barbara and Chris put together exactly the right ‘package’ of material for the visitors (credit also going to Robin for his map). There was so much exchange of information - it was wonderful to meet so many people who had such a depth of feeling about the place. It was cathartic for me to talk variously about on the incredible range of issues we’re needing to deal with.
Giving respect though to the residents/property owners for whom it was all too early. Most of us would know the challenge of being completely exposed on our ‘naked’ blocks.
April 14th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
I would welcome any comments , particularly from “weekenders”, who have received final figues from their insurance companies. We have received a letter advising a paltry payout figure , which doesn’t include the new building code and in our opinion will not allow us to rebuild. As weekenders we have not been entitled to any other relief funds and are subject to Capital Gains tax so we are in a difficult situation. Do we take the small amount offered , pay Capital Gains Tax , bear the loss of our property and walk away ? Or do we try and find extra money at this stage in our life (pre-retirement) to supplement a rebuild?
Is anyone else in this situation?
Has anyone been in touch with the Insurance Ombudsman and had any success?
We would love some feedback.
April 14th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
Thankyou to all those residents that have provided statements to police. It has been an exhaustive process and I thank you all for your patience. We are seeking further assistance from those residents including those outside Marysville (in the triangle) that have been affected by the fire that are yet to provide statements to police. Can you please contact me on 0400879650 or alternatively email me: mark.oxnam@police.vic.gov.au.
Regards
Mark Oxnam
Detective Senior Constable
Taskforce Phoenix
Victoria Police
April 14th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
I received a letter today from Fran Bailey regarding the implications for CGT for investment property owners. I will send the scan of the correspondance to Vicki so that she can make it available to everyone or maybe if you email me I will send the opinion.
lomatia@optushome.com.au
April 14th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
Hi Sharon E
What sort of policy do you have? Does it have a cash value or is it a reinstatement policy? We have a reinstatement policy with CommInsure and are waiting to hear their offer.
According to our reading of the Product Disclosure Statement, they are meant to rebuild according to current building regulations but the building surveyor was at best non-committal when we mentioned it.
If you have any concerns I suggest you go to the Insurance Ombudsman, talk to your local Federal MP, talk to Fran Bailey’s office etc. Don’t sign anything until you have satisfied yourself.
Due to the type of policy we have, our first step if we get an offer we are unhappy with, will be to talk to a builder or building surveyor or both. I am not sure that is the right step, but it feels right.
Good luck
regards
Jacky
April 14th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Our insurance assessor and a builder came down from Brisbane to do the assessment and we have received the info in dribs and drabs. Paid out on contents in both houses but we are still waiting for the money for buildings. Have been told the amount but they seem to be stalling on doing the transfer.
Their rebuild cost estimates were absolutely ridiculous (high) and they were very sorry we were under-insured. I have no idea how they arrived at the values and I think that if I had tried to insure based on their figures then they would have refused.
Overall I think I have done OK under the circumstances but I haven’t received the payout as yet! I think the way to go is to over insure a reasonable amount and review the figures annually.
April 14th, 2009 at 11:07 pm
Our assessment was done weeks ago using aerial imaging, and we got a cash payout - even though we were under-insured we got the full amount we insured for, plus they indexed it by 2% so we ended up with slightly more than we thought (only very slightly). The money was in our bank within a few days.
It’s certainly not enough to re-build, and with the new regulations it’s going to cost us quite a bit to re-establish our Marysville retreat - the pitfalls of being complacent with insurance I guess. I think to come to terms with it I’m looking at it as an investment in our future lifestyle, and any investment costs money. (I know it’s a pretty poor rationalisation, but at the moment it works for me.) We’re also in the pre-retirement bracket so any money put toward the rebuild is coming from our retirement nest-egg.
A grant from the Bushfire appeal would really make a difference, but we’re working on the assumption that that is not going to happen, and if it does it’s a bonus.
I’m also thinking that we’re very fortunate that we have just lost a house, and we can/will rebuild eventually, and we still have our family and loved ones. So despite any financial hit that we take on rebuilding our holiday home I’m feeling pretty damn lucky at the moment (although I will make reviewing insurance policies a priority!)
April 15th, 2009 at 12:27 am
Hi John P and Jacky.
Our building was insured with AAMI for full replacement cost. They have estimated the building cost based on “same size and standard” of what we had, without factoring in the cost of the extra requirements. The carefully worded letter says that if we ” rebuild to the same size and standard”and “subsequently find that the settlement amount is not enough” they will re-assess our claim.
Of course the “same size and standard” would be a split level cedar cabin with 3 Brs,bathroom and ensuite and timber decking - which they estimated to be 100sqm total. Of course we cannot possibly build the “same standard ” under the new regs.
They further state that if we rebuild our home with a “different design or structure” the extra cost will be our reponsibility. It seems that they will not cover us for any bushfire - proof requirements .
We feel we are in a bit of a bind. Any advice?
April 15th, 2009 at 12:49 am
We had left it to the insurer’s “Ready Reckoner” of rebuilding costs to determine our sum insured.
But when the assessors came through they said the sum insured was a long way below the cost of rebuilding.
We probably knew the insurance level was more likely low than high, and we were self-insuring to some extent.
We expect to get the full sum insured (haven’t heard yet - I’ve just sent all the house plans and photos), but are certainly ’set back’.
We’re in Marysville for the long haul though, and in this context extra capital spent is an investment in our future.
In my mind a big fire at some stage was a likely event, and I looked forward to rebuilding in a more resilient style when the day came. I’d never imagined the whole of Marysville going at the same time!
April 15th, 2009 at 6:33 am
Hi Sharon E and John P
I forgot to mention legal advice. Legal Aid has set up a website with information like links to free 1/2 hour legal advice, fact sheets and precedent letters you can use to insurance companies. See http://www.legalaid.vic.gov.au/2274.htm
Sharon, your policy sounds a little like ours. However, we can insist they rebuild for us. A cash payout is only an option because of the extreme circumstances. At the moment the cassh payout is the easy option. CommInsure say that it is usually cheaper for them to rebuild as they get builders for cheaper than we can. This may not be the case now.
I suggest you read the policy and product disclosure statement carefully, phone AAMI and ask questions about what they say it means while taking careful notes, then talk to a lawyer about it all. You may need to talk to a builder or building suveyor about the costs of a rebuild.
Good luck
April 15th, 2009 at 7:42 am
I meant to say that a cash payout is the easy option for the insurance company not for us. It means that the insurance company has a fixed cost, which will not increase due to delays in being able to rebuild, further changes in building regulations etc.
April 15th, 2009 at 8:02 am
The guy from Censeo (building assessment?) who came with the insurance assessor mumbled something about $1400/m2 for a timber home.
I think their plan was to rebuild for us but realised that under their valuation regime that was out of the question as we were under insured in their eyes. Mind you we did agree. I thought >$500K replacement for a weatherboard in Marysville was a bit over the top!!!!
In reality if we had had that amount of cover the company would not have taken the policy.
(We did get a 25% disaster bonus, indexing, 15% of insured value on clean up for buildings and similarly 10% clean up for contents)
They did however include garden walls, paths, sheds and 10.6% surcharge for fire requirements in that figure but even so …………!!
April 16th, 2009 at 11:17 am
In the press this week there has been mention of some looting as well as theft of copper piping and hotwater tanks from fire damaged homes in other fire-affected towns. Has this been an issue in Marysville?
just wondering……
April 16th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Hi to all again. I must thank everyone who came to the funeral of Jamie & Nicole. I am sorry that Bruce & I were unable to thank you all personally, but please accept this posting as our thanks to you all.
The kids will live in our memories and hearts for always, and we will support Marysville and surrounds. It is too early yet, but we may again build on their Property in Kings Rd.
The Rhoderdenrons and Ferns are reblooming which is lovely and we hope that in time Jamie’s DayLilies will grow again.
Miss the kids so much, and if some person email me when Errol & Harley’Morgans funeral is happening I would very much appreciate it
Elaine & Bruce Jefferson,
April 16th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
Hi Elaine,
Errol and Harley’s Memorial Service was held a little while back. The family were to hold a private funeral at a later date. I am in contact with their daughter. Best wishes, Broni (Laurel’s daughter)
April 16th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
Hello everyone,
I have been very interested in all the talk about insurance. Like many of you we were told that our very modest holiday cottage was vastly underinsured. We have requested that we be given all the options - cash payment as well as the rebuild option, but so far haven’t heard anything. Are there still other people waiting to hear? It seems to be an awfully long time to wait.
Robyn Jackman
April 17th, 2009 at 7:24 am
I will be giving my insurer a hurry-up today. I was told the building settlements details before Easter and promised a written breakdown via email on the Thursday before Good Friday. Suffice to say nothing arrived!
April 17th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
To Kath, no looting of copper at our place, despite putting it all into a neat pile out near the road - not even Grocon!
April 18th, 2009 at 7:56 am
Our claim is nowhere near finalised.
CommInsure is now saying they do not payout on the rent insurance as we did not have a lease and it was not tenanted on that weekend. They said they will look into it some more if I send them rent history, forward bookings etc.
What are other people’s experiences with rent claims on holiday houses?
April 18th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
Jacky,
We had no problems claiming on rent insurance with RACV.
In fact, I was surprised at how “trouble free” this component of our claim was. We did have to supply some statements from MMHC /MCRE in order to support the claim, but once this information was received by RACV, the money was in our bank account a few days later.
April 19th, 2009 at 1:41 am
Broni
I would appreciate it if you are able to contact Errols daughter as I would like to say my goodbyes to her I was on the same roster at our little Genealogy group in Blackburn the Monday nights till it became impossible for Errol to drive home after 10PM ,, She was a great gal and I had time for Harley also, he was a quiet person and my daughter Nicole, her Jamie, spoke many times.
email if you can help is.. jeffersoneb@patash.com.au
Thanks Elaine
April 21st, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Does anyone have the names and phone numbers, and approximate charge rate, for the following? (We were quoted $440 by an engineer to do a BAL assessment, which would be reduced to $330 if he was doing more than one in Marysville on the same day. We feel it is a bit rich):
A qualified person to do a BAL assessment?
A qualified arborist?
Many thanks,
Heather and Mark
April 21st, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Hi Heather and Mark,
I am not sure why we should have to pay for any of those things AT ALL, in fact I know there is no way we can afford it. It is stuff like that, that will all add up and possibly put people off rebuilding?
April 21st, 2009 at 10:13 pm
Ad in the Triangle - $99 for BAL.
I need a tree feller before the Shire start with all this overlay stuff!!!
April 21st, 2009 at 10:33 pm
Hello everyone,
Is there anyone else insured with CGU who is still waiting to hear what they are prepare to pay out. We are becoming increasingly frustrated by the lack of communication from them.
With regard to an arborist - I was talking to John Coyne from Buxton’s wife at the meeting on Saturday. He advertises in the Triangle. He will do an inspection of your property for $88/hr if you don’t require a written report. He isn’t too busy as people have been holding off waiting to hear if there will be some free help. His phone no. is 57747541 emailjohncoyne@bordernet.com.au
Regards
Robyn Jackman
April 22nd, 2009 at 9:40 am
Hi all
In regard to a couple of points people may be interested in that we learnt last night at the Building Commission talk in Yarra Glen.
Firstly, the Vic Bushfire Recovery Auth suggests we ask Grocon to resurvey our blocks as the main town survey markers are now in place. Apparently they are quite helpful
Also, the Building Commission is about to list volunteer BAL assessors who will do your BAL free. Keep an eye on their web site http://www.buildingcommission.com.au/www/html/7-home-page.asp
The architect who spoke thought a quote in the $100s for a BAL assessment was too high after a question was asked regarding this
Thirdly, we heard at the meeting that that if you have a qualified arborist assess your site, eg John Coyne, it will soon be announced that we will not need planing permits to fell trees. We found John very knowledgeable and helpful
Lastly, if fallen trees are over the building rubble, Grocon will remove them. If not, we get them removed.
Hope this helps
Merran
PS We are also still having hassles with the Insurance company. Seems the only one who is being helpful is RACV!
April 22nd, 2009 at 11:35 am
Merran,
I didn’t have a lot of hassles with my insurance company - just a little slow transferring the money over. I poured over the policy document before I signed off to make sure that I didn’t miss anything that I was due!
I must say my agents (two policies) phoned me a lot asking if everything was OK and just a mention to them of the tardiness from Claims Branch in Brisbane seemed to invoke a bit of haste from them. Maybe that’s the benefit of going through an agent rather than dealing with the company directly. It’s a steep learning curve for us all here.
On another matter I noticed the following in the latest Murrindindi Recovery Newsletter (Edition 38)
“The Fund has had to exclude properties owned by a
company, trust or partnership because charity tax law
does not allow charitable gifts to businesses.
A charitable payment to a business may bring into doubt
the Red Cross Society’s tax status including its status as
a Public Benevolent Institution (PBI).”
This could create a few dramas for Holiday Rental operators, particularly those who might have a business structure. Mine aren’t company etc based but I guess they are money-earning enterprises.
If Holiday Rentals are categorized as businesses and are therefore excluded from Fund aid then there has clearly been a lot of deceit in answers from the Relief Fund Board who would have undoubtedly understood the rules from the very start and said nothing and just let some of us rant and rave.
Surely this ruling also impinges on those who run businesses from their principle residence as well. I thinking here of tradesmen, truckers and anyone who has an office in their house for the purposes of running a business.
Am I being a bit paranoid here and reading too much into the Newsletter article? I sent and email to John Cann (MOCA) and I think that he is looking into it. These are certainly interesting times!!!!!!!
April 22nd, 2009 at 2:39 pm
Dear Marysville community,
The ABC is looking for a person to write a blog for a new website we are building about the 2009 Victorian bushfires. I am posting this notice to this forum in the hope that I may find our blogger through the network of people on this forum.
The type of person we’re looking for:
+ Is living in a bushfire-affected region. This person’s life has been touched by the bushfire in some way, whether they be a survivor, or out working directly with communities.
+ Is actively engaged within his/her local community and well-connected in his/her region.
+ Is a self-confessed “news-junkie”. Will be knowledgeable about the wide range of issues that are arising in bushfire affected areas (not just in that person’s local area, but across Victoria).
+ Is personable. Interested in people and in helping them tell their stories.
+ Is passionate about the issues. Wants to understand all points of view on a topic and to give these voices a hearing – but can also be opinionated and provocative.
+ Can write well, with flair and personality.
+ Ideally, this person will be familiar with the language and etiquette of the ‘blogosphere’, may be a regular reader of other blogs, or perhaps has made contributions him/herself to blogs, forums, etc.
+ The blog will also integrate video content – some of which we may ask the blogger to shoot by themselves (with training provided), so this person must be must be willing to pick up a camera and will have fun learning how to use it.
Basic training will be provided. The blogger will write for the blog at least twice per week and their contributions will be paid for.
If you are know of any local talent who may fit the bill, ABC Innovation would love to hear from them. Please forward this to your networks, and if you are interested in the project, contact me on the details below. Thank you!
Priscilla Davies
Interactive Media Producer
ABC Innovation : http://abc.net.au
p: 03 9626 1243
e: davies.priscilla@abc.net.au
April 23rd, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Dear Heather & Mark (and other interested parties),
I am a Marysville resident (our house was spared the conflagration on 7th Feb) and not only do I perform Thermal Performance Assessments (5 star energy ratings), I also perform BAL assessments. I am a qualified professional engineer holding a PhD in physics. I am an accredited Thermal Performance Assessor (No. VIC/04/316), fully accredited in first and second generation software for thermal performance (FirstRate4 and FirstRate5). I perform BAL assessments according to AS 3959-2009 for $150 for residents in the Triangle area. Outside the triangle, extra travelling time and costs will also apply as I need to make a site visit to perform BAL assessments. My details are :-
Ian Pearson
Delderfield Energy, 1 Darwin Street, Marysville 3779. Tel: 0418 147 660
Ian.Pearson@delderfield.com.au
April 24th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Some Marysville residents talk to their God when they go walking in the bush, but I often have a short dialogue with the trees - ask them how they are - that sort of thing.
I realised that I hadn’t asked the trees how they were since the fire - some people talk about them springing back into life with the epicormal growth, but I wasn’t so sure.
Anyway I asked… They couldn’t reply very well, but I learnt that they were feeling absolutely terrible. And I said that that’s how I feel too. So walked down the track as though we were all in the hospital together, and felt so much better for being with them and knowing that I’m not really springing forth with life.
April 24th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Madeleine,I have only been back once to see my beautiful home or what is left of it and I miss the trees, I miss the birds, we use to feed a baby Currawong with one leg and watched it get stronger, the kookaburras were regulars and they would bring their new babies to meet us, the Galahs would make us laugh with training their new babies, the old Cockatoo who barely had any feathers left use to melt my heart, the parrots would eat from my hands, and the precious Wattle Birds, we had them all visit, we were kept so busy.
We have temporary accommodation in Melbourne, the worse place to be when you are mourning the loss of all that, I have tried to talk to the birds down here but it is not the same.
I feel your pain Madeleine, just remember you are not alone I lost everything I had collected over 43 years of married life, everyday I go to reach for something and it isn’t there anymore, but I am one who talks to God and He has never let me down, but I am still wondering what He has in store for me now.
Like everything this will become part of our past, just know someone else feels absolutely terrible too, and if you see my birds say hullo for me and on one of your walks, hug a tree.
April 24th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
Re Insurance claims. RACV were very prompt paying out on our place. Our policy value was based on estimate per RACV on line building calculator, but assessor who was down from Sydney (due local overload, thought it was underinsured). RACV payed out full value of policy.
This does not cover the extra cost of new regulations. However, subject to professional BAL assessment, I am hopeful that the extra will not be too great (my own assessment is BAL 2 or 3 for our site).
A thought/question for all - if several of us are underinsured after using the Insurance companies building estimate guide, how strong is a case to ask for an increase in payout?
April 27th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Hi all
I’m posting this on behalf of Peta at etgalaxies@yahoo.com.au
” I don’t seem to be able to connect with your message board so am sending this. As a number of venues are displaying photos of Dean and Rudi as missing, I’m trying to clarify this as they seem to be listed as deceased on some websites, if this is so it is not appropriate to be posting them as missing. Could you please throw some light on the matter, thank you.
Thank you for the website and all the information in it, a marvellous job under such difficult circumstances. ”
Best wishes, Peta”
Maybe it is a case that there have been no remains found, or that they cannot be identified. Any one know if they have been formally listed as deceased?
April 29th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Hi All,
We will be moving to Marysville on the 9th. We were just wanting to know what is happening with the mail service up there so we can organise things before we get there.
Thankyou.
April 29th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Posted on behalf of Ross Porter- rossporter@iinet.net.au
Could someone reply to him please?
Hi. My name is Ross Porter, and I used to stay at a farm in the late 50’s and ’60’s on the Buxton/Marysville road. The entrance to the place was at the Taggety River. The place was owned by Maurice and Margaret Keppel, next to Maurice’s brother Frank and sister Claires farm, at the base of Mt.
Margaret. Would any one know if these houses are still standing after the fires??. These farms gave my brother and sisters some great memories. I don’t know the present owners. Any information would be appreciated.
Regards………………..Ross Porter.
April 29th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
Hi everyone!
Sharon G- you need to arrange for your mail to be delivered to the Buxton P.O.Just go in there and they should be able to help you.We pick up our mail from there every few days.Sometimes our mail is delivered by car but not regularly.
Today has been a pretty sad day here as the tree loppers are taking away everything…EVEN the trees which are still alive with new leaves on them.This activity is happening in the Caravan Park.Apparently nearly all of those huge gums will be removed at Councils request.The view outside has changed dramatically.What will Marysville become without these beautiful trees??
April 29th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
Karen, they removed a big Liquidamber from outside my place yesterday - it too was alive and greening up.
Their rationale was that the crown was damaged. Problem was the crown was damaged years ago in a storm and the Shire told me then when I reported the damage that they had neither the time nor the money to trim it up.
My neighbour’s big Rhodo on the footpath was burnt but reshooting nicely. She told me last night that they cut the dead material off and in doing so apparently broke off all the shoots.
(We are talking here of plants with a fair bit of age)
April 29th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
Hi I am feeling very helpless here reading these comments about the trees. Can anything be done to control this? WHy do they need to chop a rhodie? I mean they are hardly a danger to anyone (as compared to a large tree.) I presume they cannot cut down trees on private property without some consultation?
April 29th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
I have had to have some dead trees dropped on my Murchison St property. Will now have to cut them up and have a burn - haven’t we had enough fire?
Grocon will only clean up on the house site not the surrounds I have been told so there is a lot of work ahead for me. The block is sloped so I will make a few pyres which will be interesting - do I have any water? My meter has melted.
The tree guys told me that the work on public land etc was being funded by the Government so they might as well give everything a bit of a makeover. Some of the new growths on burnt shrubs will need protection from the frost. The dead material and burnt leaves was doing a bit of this.
April 30th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
It is just so sad to watch all these trees regenerate with new life since the fires..Everyday I’d notice just a little more regrowth than the previous day.The birds had even come back to claim these trees(the Kookas, King parrots, Cockys)….now all we hear all day is the loud thumping of yet another tree with so much life, felled…I cant believe the Rhode was destroyed.The landscape is changing too much!
My fiances father called the council yesterday and they said they had ordered the removal of nearly 13 trees in the caravan park…but it has clearly gone behind this number.He said he would investigate as to why live trees were being felled, but Im sure this was the councils way of saying shut up and deal with it!
April 30th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
Lovely to hear Karen that the birds have come back, so sad to hear about the trees I wonder whether the Council realise that it will be hard enough to make the decision to return without them destroying what is left.
It was the same after the fires at Mt.Macedon, to fell a tree prior to the fires required numerous environmental bodies to okay it, after the fires it was open slather, council and individuals did what they wanted, it should have been renamed Bald Macedon.
Of course it has taken over 26 years for it to look like no fire has been through Mt.Macedon, but for some of us we probably don’t have that amount of life left to enjoy what Marysville was before the fires, I just feel everything has been taken away through no fault of ours, we are not there to watch over everything they do, we have to live elsewhere because we have nothing except the land at Marysville, so for goodness sake leave it alone or treat it with respect and maybe people will want to come back.
April 30th, 2009 at 11:40 pm
Helen F, I loved your reply a few days ago (set me crying again!). When I’m in Marysville now I look for the birds for you. Today I saw an eagle swooping over the Beauty Spot. I also saw a grey thrush and another whitey-grey bird I couldn’t recognise with a fanned tail. I’ve seen parrots and rosellas, magpies of course and kookaburras. I’ve also seen a few of the tiny mostly greyish birds (what are they?). Most special for us are the bower birds that always occupied our garden in season - two beautiful blue males have been hopping around amongst our regrowth. There will probably be more birds soon because there are heaps of insects around. Lots of dragon flies eating smaller flying things over water, and suddenly lots of butterflies - maybe the tender regrowth on the eucalypts makes good caterpiller food.
The water in the Beauty Spot is crystal clear and full of life. I’ve learnt a secret about that place (perhaps you already know it) - now I KNOW that water was magic! (long suspected) Come back to “Blokes-with-chainsaws-ville” soon, but shut your eyes so you don’t see the missing trees, or chain yourself with me to the few still standing!
Anyone who wants answers over the trees should contact Peter Cownley at the Shire. Hope you all do.
May 1st, 2009 at 11:00 am
Hi everyone
I have been putting off this question, but am really curious to know if anyone else is in the same situation as us- is anyone out there uninsured as well as a ‘part-timer’?
Through some really awful circusmtances we have found ourselves in this position- the bank not taking any accountability ifor their actions which contributed to where we are today.
I have sent various letters off to different groups- state and federal governments, The Bushfire Appeal Office, Bill Shorten’s Office to explain that these 2 groups (unfortunately we belong to both) have been overlooked so far.
I know that MOCA have these 2 issues on their agenda, but would be interested to hear from anyone else in this situation- who is in limbo and in a really impossible situation, at present.
May 1st, 2009 at 5:10 pm
Madeleine, you have me intrigued now with your reference to the *Beauty Spot* I don’t know anything about it, but it all sounds very mysterious with its magic water.
If the little gray birds have a silver patch with red under the ear, it is the Wattle bird, I first saw them at Marysville, they are such characters with their whip type tongue, they would sit on the arm of my chair and listen to me natter.
I had to laugh at the chaining myself to a tree with Madeleine at *Blokes-with-chainsaws-ville* the mental picture was deserving of a laugh, we had better watch that it doesn’t become the new name for Marysville……..Take care.
May 4th, 2009 at 9:35 am
April 30th timber contractors came back to the areas along the river beside the lake and oval and removed the remaining Mountain Ash. These were healthy and had originally been spared – although I must admit they posed a risk of falling over during the next hundred years. From what I understand the various government departments responsible for the trees along the river have failed to keep the contractors busy and those contractors have used their own initiative. Does anyone know who is meant to be in control ?
May 4th, 2009 at 10:00 am
Hi Simon, Ring Peter Cownley at the Murrindindi Shire (5772 0342).
I’ve found the change to the river shocking, but was relieved to learn more about some of it (at least) on Sunday from Marilyn Conner. I understand there was a big plan that was due to start this year anyway. It was planned to pull out all the weeds (and weed trees) and revegetate it properly.
They say they’ve had to pull out a lot more of the manna gums than expected because their root systems were ‘loose’ - I suppose you saw the fallen mannas and their very shallow root systems (amazing they support the massive tree). However, they say are going to replant quite large trees (don’t know how, but good).
I haven’t heard anything about mountain ash. A huge amount has been taken from the escarpment up from the river - is this private property, or something to ask the shire?
May 4th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Sorry - not sure if they are Mountain Ash or Manna Gums ? Anyway - just upset to sell it all so bare and not entirely convinced those trees were any more likely to fall over now than before
May 4th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
If anyone wants to be part of a story in the Herald Sun about slow pace of cleanup etc call Norrie Ross, 9292 1549 or mob 0401 998 758.
May 5th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
I am fed up with meetings that offer nothing but motherhood statements and slogans on t-shirts!3 months on and Marysville still looks like a tip.I don’t want “bigger and better”, I just want what we had.
May 5th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
In relation to Janes comment above, I’d be interested in what people thought of the meeting last Sunday.
I guess I saw it as a step in the process of reconstruction. An opportunity to get together and talk about what was special about the town and what the vision of the future will be.
My main concern is then to turn the vision into a reality and how long it will take before a tangible plan is put together and then enacted. From the meeting I understood there will be a follow up meeting to put the plan together based on the vision developed from last Sunday
How did others see it?
May 5th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Yes the tree issue is disturbing and we need to be on our guard but please……….give me a break!
Jane, yes it is a tip but you do need to clean up before you rebuild and how do you propose getting back what we had without planning, let everybody do what they like?……..now that’s not a “what we had” that I would like! Yes meetings just seem to be going on and on…..so, get up and do something. Everybody seems to let everybodies else step forward. It’s all ours!
Homes that weren’t your principle residence, yes terrible that you lost something as we all did. Give the authority a chance, they need to look after those that have lost a lifestyle and a quality of life first.
Has anybody considered that businesses aren’t getting anything yet either. So think about it at least if it wasn’t your principle home….. you have a home to go back to!
Those that have lost a home……and many a business too have nothing.
I agree, Australia donated for everybod in the fires, so let the authority get on with it and stop complaining. I think there are a few people out there that have a little more to complain about than part timers, and they don’t!
May 5th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Paul your comments on holiday homes/weekenders were stupid you should keep your comments to yourself,ours was a holiday house we had a lifestyle and quality of life we were there every second weekend, it was our second home so we deserve money just like yourself. We consdiered ourselves as residents of Marysville that we loved and called home. Before you speak again just think about what you are saying, so many people have been effected by 7th February, and have suffered a terrible lose not only permanent residents.
May 5th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
Bravo Paul, yes the the non permanent residents can go back to thier homes, we lost everything, our home, friends and community.
We all just need it to be made easy for us all to go home. Grocon have a massive job and they aredoing it well.
May 5th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Hi All, we are after a plumber for our home in Marysville to which we move in on the weekend. Wanting a local one if any available? If anyone knows of one could we pls have a name and contact number.
Cheers.
May 5th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
hi EVERYONE who lives in, visits, loves Marysville…. this is so upsetting to read a tone of part timers vs. permanents creeping in ( or am i reading it wrong ? ….. i sure hope so.) Strangely enough my ‘principle place of residence”‘ is also a tourist town and we all need each other.
May 6th, 2009 at 12:38 am
When we settled in Marysville (which we consider to be a very beautiful ‘God’s Waiting Room’) we never for a minute thought we would lose everything but we did, the Australian people, business etc gave this wonderful amount of money to help us, we could not have wished for better people to be responsible for where this money goes and commonsense must prevail that the people who lost their haven, their castle, their only home must be looked after first, we have a big step ahead of us and we are not talking months and in the meantime we are living in someone else’s house and giving them money we would not have had to spend if not for the fires, I cannot see why there is not more sympathy for us, not in the monetary sense but for the fact that our roof over our heads has been taken, I find it very sad and very crass to bring money into people’s suffering, we have all lost but some more than others.
It was encouraging at the meeting to hear that The Cumberland will be rebuilding, I found that to be very positive who knows we could go back to being the exclusive Marysville of the past, very few homes but lovely character homes, although they will cost more and that will hurt a lot of people. We still have not decided but it would be lovely to get a group of people together who have definitely decided to rebuild to talk about the Marysville they would like to see and then convince the fence sitters like us to come back.
The money from the fund will in some part go to the increase in building costs, but I don’t think we will be able to build the type of home we had before, and that is very sad because we didn’t do anything wrong, we were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
May 6th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Hello Lyn ( and Paul)
I was appalled when I read your comments last night - so much so that I decided to “sleep on it” before I responded.
What a narrow minded, short sighted attitude you portrayed in your dismissal of “weekenders” loss.
I can’t recall any part-time resident ever suggesting that their loss was on a par with those who lost loved ones, friends, employment or the roof over their head. But they still suffered a loss!
In our own case we bought our home at Marysville 12 years ago and spent many happy hours (and many thousands of dollars) in the town . We invited friends who contributed to the local economy and promoted the joys of Marysville to all who would listen. In fact we loved it so much that we purchased an additional block of land a few years back.
But all that has now changed .
We are still haggling with our insurance company but it looks as if our settlement will not be enough to rebuild. They have not taken into account the new building requirements but simply calculated on the squarage of the footprint. As we are at pre-retirement stage we are reluctant to eat into our limited savings to supplement the costs. And of course we do not yet qualify for any of the donated funds.
The other option is to cut our losses, take the meagre settlement, pay any capital gains tax and walk away- leaving two vacant blocks until such time as they regain some value. Not our first choice but may well be the reality.
It has been quite a stressful time for us - even if we do have a “roof over our head ” - as we weigh up the financial costs vs our emotional ties to the town.
Comments like yours and Paul’s do nothing to encourage “weekenders”to be part of the rebuilding process.
Have you thought of the financial implications for the town if weekenders don’t return? Most of us have contributed economically to the town- as well as paying the same rates as full time residents . Often for services we don’t use.
Have you thought of the rate implications if a large number of blocks remain vacant. Those with a higher CIV may end up bearing the greater cost .
As I said earlier, Lyn, you represent a short sighted view of a much bigger picture.
Weekend residents were part of Marysville’s culture. Get behind them and acknowledge their loss or you may find they don’t return- which would be to the detriment of the town.
May 6th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
Thanks Lynn ,I too thought about those comments all night as well, partly angry but more so very saddened as I was so sure the permanent residents of Marysville wouldnt think of weekenders in such a way. You have said everything that I was thinking and not sure how to put in words. My younger daughter actually said ” I thought this website was to help and support people, not divide them”…………….
May 6th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Sunday at the community meeting I was inspired by the spirit of Marysville and the lovely people that I met. Monday was upsetting discussing cleanup with Grocon rep. Tuesday morning actually had a glimmer of optimism, that just maybe we could rebuild something after all. Tuesday evening reading some comments on here just upset me all over again. We know our losses arent as great as permanent home owners but please can someone just recognise our pain too ( and I am not talking financial!)
May 6th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Hi Gail. I agree that at this time we should be all supporting each other, which was why this website was established. I’m glad some of my comments resonnated but I am sad that I had to make them.
I think it needs to be acknowledged that weekenders/ part timers are entitled to grieve too. We have lost a part of our lives that was important to us- it may not be the “roof over our head” but is still a significant loss.
I don’t know about other “weekenders” but I have supressed the sadness and loss I feel out of respect for those that lost far more than me. It is almost as if I don’t feel any entitlement to complain.
But the reality is we all suffered some degree of loss.
We should be working together to rebuild our beautiful town not bickering over whose loss is more important. Sharon E
May 6th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Can we please put aside any residents/non-residents animosity? That’s not what my Marysville was about. My Marysville was/is a place where everybody contributed in some way to the town, and everyone was valued.
I fully understand that many of us are under a great deal of stress and the grieving process is ongoing, and sometimes things are said in anger and frustration that would otherwise not be said. Perhaps if comments are made that seem to be divisive, can we please take a deep breath before responding in the same way so we can ALL work together to make Marysville great again? Venting frustration on each other can only lead to divisions among us - we need to remain united in the face of bureaucratic red-tape that seems to be hampering recovery.
On a different note, what do others think of the kerfuffle in today’s newspapers about Mick Gatto’s offer of a big shed for the town?
And a public thankyou to John and Leanne for the ‘welcome flags’ that are appearing all over town - they look terrific!
May 6th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
I thought something was changing in the atmosphere - everyone’s havin’ a go! Don’t worry about it.
Vicki - John and I really enjoyed the Sunday - we loved hearing so many people describe their love for Marysville (and district) - I don’t what it will do for the future but it found it useful in the ‘getting over it’ sense.
The best bit for me was the red ticket bit - I thought it related to things we personally wanted to let go, so I wrote “Let go of the pain of the police lockout”. I’m traumatised about losing control of the block because of this and haven’t signed up with Grocon. I’m feeling a bit John Howard-like… “I will decide who comes onto the block, and the circumstances in which they arrive”… just to get the feeling of control back.
We’ve been cleaning up ourselves - we knocked down another chimney yesterday (John undercut it as though it a tree - “I’m a lumberjack and I’m OK”) and moved hundreds of bricks - only one to go. By the time someone comes to clean up it’ll all be gone.
I’ve been carefully political for a long time over the part-timer thing, but now everyone’s fighting really loudly I want to join in!
First of all, what I’ve noticed is that there are infinite shades of grey in this primary/secondary rich/poor residence thing. Relative wealth depends on time of life, and nature of assets. Some primary residence people are very rich in other assets such as cash and shares. Some secondary residence people are asset poor. But I know one primary resident who will be getting nothing because of a bureaucratic peculiarity.
We’ve asked around and also learnt that there are shades of grey amongst the donating public. For some, the money was given for ‘lost everything’ and ‘pain and suffering’. For others the money was for anyone who lost assets. Some gave money with labels attached - “I wouldn’t have given money if I knew it was going to be used for…. “. Others want to know that it will really go to the people - that it won’t be used by the govt to offset other bushfire costs.
Marysville is my ‘home’ but second residence, and although we will be considerably set back (unintentional underinsurance and the cost of building a more resilient home) we donated a small amount to the bushfire appeal, in respect of the many people we knew who lost so much more than us.
Having lived in Marysville some years and knowing many primary residents it would break our heart if people who were living there before the fire could not rebuild after because of lack of finances. It’s been our view that if we received any money we would direct it instead to a primary resident we knew who was having trouble rebuilding, before using it to help our own rebuild. But we are in the situation where we are still income earners - we are not yet near retirement - it’s a long term picture for us.
This is not to say that there aren’t many second residence situations that need consideration. I suppose because of the infinite shades of grey and because we will be able to rebuild though set back, we’re just going with the umpire’s call on this one.
May 6th, 2009 at 11:36 pm
Hi Vicki and others
Re: Sunday meeting
I was only able to attend the latter part of the meeting after 130pm but being able to share with people a point of view of how I would see a part of Marysville being rebuilt and listening to so many different views and wishes for the town coming from very respectful positions was very healing for me.
I got the run down on the day from Peter once the meeting finished and he was positive on the meeting although the challenge is to transform the talk and goodwill into actions that will have a lasting effect but that we can see happening soon enough.
Do we know what the next action is? I know we were told then that we will be advised but it will be good to have at least line in the horizon to see what is next.
Thanks, Lucia
May 7th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Song for Helen F from 27 currawongs…
Hello Helong - Come back ‘fore long
We sing this song - To keep us strong
We sing our song - We happy throng
So come along - Our food is gong
That Madelong - Threw manderong
She got it wrong - Please come back hong
They were So Beautiful - I threw them 2 apples and all I had left was a manderine which they ate under sufferance. So all 27 of them sang this incredible song and I worked out that I went to the bakery to buy them a loaf of multigrain bread. It was very lovely there today.
May 7th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
Madeleine you made my day, even more so because you counted the currawongs and I now have a special song, I know they are called the scavengers of the sky but I love their bird noise and I loved the fact that their babies came to meet me, there was always a good supply of bird seed and mince meat and when the magpies started as well with their heads thrown back, it was a magic world at Marysville, my own little Heaven here on earth.
We could look out our bedroom window and see the evening stars and when all the noise of the day stopped we could sit back and listen to the night noises which were so restful, that doesn’t happen in Melbourne, your ears hurt down here.
We will probably be up there one day this weekend, our family haven’t seen the house yet and I believe Grocon are meeting my husband tomorrow on site for instructions, so this will be a last chance before it will all be gone.
We are all going through a grieving process, we all want what we had back again, I dislike buying things because I liked what I had, I didn’t need anything, now I need everything.
Thank you Madeleine for thinking of me and I will remember you in my prayers tonight.
May 11th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Great news, (if it is fact), about the Cumberland rebuilding.Iwould be comforted if it was officially proclaimed.There is so much hearsay and so little real information filtering through.
May 12th, 2009 at 12:33 am
Jane, did you ever see the movie *Field of Dreams* and the voice over use to say *build it and they will come* well why don’t we do some research and find out who owns The Cumberland and get in touch with them, I know their website gives an email address for urgent messages, I am not brave enough because I haven’t decided, but there must be some people who have written on this site who have definitely decided to rebuild and feel confident to ask whether what we heard at the meeting is true, it would be a starting point.
Also did anyone else hear about the Car Museum being used as a shopping Mall?
May 12th, 2009 at 11:00 am
Contrary to the announcement in the Triangle News May 1, the Marysville transfer station is not open and will not be open until at least May 20. Yet more misinformation!
I suggest that this date is not relied upon. Call Darren Ritchie, Murrindindi council to confirm that it is actually open on the 20th. He has also advised that the number of weekends for free disposal of household vegetation material will be extended into June as the announcement stated that there would be five weekends allowed for the cleanup of properties.
One would think that opening the transfer station would be a priority.
May 13th, 2009 at 8:50 am
It submissions time. Submissions to the Royal Commission have to be in by 4pm this Monday May 18.
Everyone who was at the May 3 community planning meeting would know that almost everyone in Marysville loves the place for what it was before the fire and would like it to continue that way.
But there is a worry that the Commission may come down with knee jerk reactions for political objectives.
I know it takes a lot of energy - I’m struggling. But please put in your paragraphs. They can be formal or informal (”Dear Royal Commission”).
If you want them to be confidential, write “Confidential” clearly at the top.
Contact me if you have any trouble… mclove@dodo.com.au 5762 1250
The main website is http://www.royalcommission.vic.gov.au/
Hit the Submissions button which takes you here http://www.royalcommission.vic.gov.au/Have-Your-Say
Scroll down…
You can submit electronically, or by post.
Electronic - hit the Make a submission button (font is red) - it takes you here
http://www.royalcommission.vic.gov.au/getdoc/17b4504e-4162-4707-b830-9d17f697dfc5/Submissions
You put in your name and address and attach your document (eg Word) using the Browse buttons - ie ‘upload’ your submission
Postal address is
Submissions
2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission
GPO Box 4358
Melbourne VIC 3001
Australia
May 13th, 2009 at 9:25 am
Dear Helen, I have not seen ‘Field of Dreams ‘ but I have sent an email to Simon Cuzens via The Cumberland site, and have requested a reply be directed to the Marysville website.I heard the car museun mentioned as a temporary shopping hub option by the MATDG rep.
May 13th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Good for you Jane, we shall anxiously await his reply. I was reading an article about the fires and Christine Nixon was quoted as saying 1 in 5 usually rebuild, but this is Marysville we are talking about, beautiful Marysville, we know it will still snow on Lake Mountain, we will get our wonderful rainfall, it will still get so cold we have to have our wood fires going, (remember the smell of the smoke in the still of the night, not like on that terrible day when we lost everything), and plants seem to grow overnight with the magic soil, and the visitors will still come and they will need somewhere to stay.
In my mind I can see the future Marysville and in our time it will probably stay relatively small, it was never big anyway, so we have to decide whether to be part of a *happening* place, or live elsewhere and always wonder whether you made the right decision, that day in February changed our lives.
May 13th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Helen F, I’m really surprised by those 1 in 5 statistics. I know a few primary residents that have moved on, but theywere thinking about going anyway. I had the impression that just about everyone was rebuilding. The people we know and love best are staying. The secondary residents keep saying they might not be able to rebuild, but as you say, this is MARYSVILLE we’re talking about.
We just heard from our insurers today… yay! we’re getting the money and it’s going in a special account and we’re on our way for rebuilding… So what shall it be? Yurt? Pressed earth? Timber? Sandstone? Country? Avant Garde? Fairy Tale? I really hate choices. Just something Nice.
May 13th, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Congratulations Madeleine Love on your insurance that has been a long time for you and also the fact that you are rebuilding, I must admit I don’t know many people in Marysville, so I am so pleased to hear that you know more people and that they are rebuilding too, I know our neighbours and friends down the *enchanted lane* from us are going to be part of that as well, do you think we can start to get excited?
I had to google *Yurt* that looks amazing and with the opening at the top you would be able to see the stars, pressed earth, very good, very effective, I love sandstone, but I suppose we will have to get past the new laws on building so we will probably have to chop off a room or two, but as you said *just something nice* if this has taught us all anything it is you cannot take it with you, live simply because you never know, don’t try and impress, God is watching, and less is more.
May 15th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Greetings Marysville,
To reintroduce myself, I am Nicole Morris and I run the Australian Missing Persons Register. I have been working since the day of the fire to reunite people misplaced and am still going all these months later! I worked with John Wilson in the early days and later with Lachlan compiling all the lists. Anyway I am still looking for a few people and have some names for you - if anyone knows the current whereabouts of these people can you please let me know, or alternatively let the people know and they can contact me on austmissingpersons@supernerd.com.au or 0438 900 861.
*Elle Zoltak of Kings Road is looking for her former neighbours Philip Brady & Spiros Samiakos. She knows they made it out safely but she does not know where they are currently and would like to get in touch.
*Kim Searles is looking for Sally Hider. I believe Sally moved from Marysville before the fire (?) but if anyone knows where to please let me know so I can reunite Kim and Sally.
*Charlie Robertson - Charlie’s sister Rhonda Chambers has not seen her brother Charlie in 18 years but she recently learned he was living in Marysville, possibly at the time of the fire. I have no further info but if anyone at all knows of a Charlie Robertson from Marysville please let me know.
Thanks to all and I’m thinking of you still!
Nicole x
May 15th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Some common sense talk!!!!
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25483633-5018723,00.html
May 17th, 2009 at 5:40 am
Short Hair style - cons and pros…
There are many reasons to consider when choosing a short hairstyle. I have always believed that the perfect hairstyle can only be created when you’ve considered all the variables.For example, your new short hairstyle should match your personality, car…
May 17th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
Thankyou MARYSVILLE for a beautiful wedding!We have had so much support and I thank absolutely everyone for getting behind us and supporting us all the way.It was such a privellage to marry my husband Karl in this beautiful place we will forever call home.THANKYOU!!!
With Love and warm wishes to you all on the road to recovery
xx
Mrs Karen GRAF
May 17th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
To Karen and Karl, Congratulations!!
I saw the photos of your beautiful wedding in the paper, and I wish you a wonderful and blessed life together in Marysville.
Your decision to marry in our Marysville, despite the hard times, gives hope that the future can, and will be, happy again. I’ve never met either of you, but the story of your wedding made me so happy that there was some joy once again in our beautiful town.
Again, I wish you a long and happy life together.
May 19th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
It was cathartic to get the stuff down on paper to the Royal Commission. I only managed to cover the police lockout (all 43 pages font 10), but I hit the Submit button and it’s out of my life. I had a glass of wine and the tears poured out without even the bother of crying. Thought you ought to know.
It was beautiful news to hear of a wedding at Marysville.
May 19th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Posting for Lachlan- not too late I hope! Incidentally Russ and I were called by the Commission lawyers to do a further submission and also met the deadline for the written submissions
From Lachlan
“Hi folks, here’s some important info. for distribution –
*I’ve spoken to David Barton, who ran Chaffcutters next to petrol station; is in SES, media appearances, etc. He has been told that although the shire had planned to provide free surveying of blocks re boundaries this will not happen now. If there are fences and markers which are at risk of being destroyed by Grocon either specify for these to stay or mark them clearly with stakes (and have it written in your contract that these are to stay). In addition you can request that you be given some notice so that you might be able to be there onsite for the demolition/removal. Unfortunately his pegs were dug up and tossed aside anyway.
*David Barton and Eamon O’Flaherty had met the earlier deadline to appear in person at the Royal Commission, with expertise in SES/fires and horticulture respectively, but they have been rejected initially and on appeal. I attended the community consultation with the RC, as did Vicky & Russell, and in view of being there during the fires, reasonably articulate and with somethings to say, have been called in to make a statement with one of their lawyers. At my interview the lawyer was fairly sure I’d be called to be a witness at the public hearings. I’ll be writing a written submission (per guidelines on their website) to RC, will read David’s 29 page+ and Eamon’s statements, and be open to trying to be representative, whilst making my points if able, given limited time. I’ll find out if it’s question and answer for the witnesss or if there’s time for some concise statements, particularly if they haven’t already been raised. If others are called to the public hearing it would be worth a discussion to avoid covering the same ground.
May 20th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
John P. Thanks for posting the Herald Sun article by Dr Dan Walsh. His report and recommendations are the best that I have seen. Let’s hope that it is carefully studied by Royal Commission and all authorities.
May 20th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Kath, Madeleine, thankyou so much for your kind words.Our special day in Marysville will be one we will truly never forget.Words cant describe the feelings I felt on our special day.It truly was a humbling experience to marry Karl in this place I love so much and will forever call home
Marysville is such a magical place.It truly is “heaven on earth”!Marysville has not lost its beauty and in my heart, it will always remain!!
Best wishes to you all always.
May 20th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Karen I hope the flag(s) went up on the right block!!! All the best from John and Leanne.
May 20th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
Hi Mrs Karen Graf, I haven’t met you either but I wish you and your husband Karl all the best for the future, and just think your wedding will be talked about for a long time, it will go something like *and remember the first wedding here at Marysville after the fires* happiness out of sadness.
Well our house has gone completely now and I can only thank Grocon for the caring way they handled things with us, the communication was
great, they did everything when they said they would, and for want of a better word, they were kind.
May 21st, 2009 at 2:03 am
I was saddened to read of some of the resident/non-resident feelings. Those with the greatest losses need the greatest care and financial support, but those with lesser ones also need care and understanding. There are differing levels of loss and grief; I cannot begin to understand how those who lost loved ones and their homes feel and are coping. As an ex-part timer of Marysville I do know that dreadful empty ache for the lovely town that we have lost. I cannot come to see and support you all as I live overseas, but I think of Marysville every day and cry over it.
May 22nd, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Watched the last bit of our house put on the back of a dump-truck - bit sad, but now we can really start to look forward and begin to think about more definite plans to rebuild.
Cannot fault Grocon - everyone we dealt with, from the people on the phone, to the guys (and girl) we met on site and the blokes with the diggers and scrapers and shovels were all so considerate and kind, and nothing was a problem to them. Big thumbs up!!
May 22nd, 2009 at 3:06 pm
I can fault Grocon. Finished the Royal Commission submission at last. Went to Marysville. The property next to ours had just been cleared. Not only that, but a load of roots, rock, dirt and possibly asbestos had been dumped on our clearly taped-off property, on top of where our 6yo had planted new little trees. We’d told her to plant them there because they would be safe from our demolishers. I started throwing the roots and boulders back and shovelling the dirt over. Sorry Marg. Then I called the police, they said Grocon would contact me. They haven’t.
May 22nd, 2009 at 4:51 pm
Madeleine, have you called Grocon directly? I’ve found they are very mindful of community needs, and if you talk to them directly you should get a swift and satisfactory response.
May 22nd, 2009 at 5:13 pm
John and Leanne,Thankyou so much for the flags.They gave me a strong sense of pride walking onto our block.Im really looking forward to our future!!
Helen F thankyou so much for your kind words.Im still meeting people here and there and the communities support is so overwhelming.Just amazing!
I know that plays a huge part in why I love to call this beautiful town our home!
Thankyou everyone and best wishes to you all ALWAYS!!!xx
May 22nd, 2009 at 9:35 pm
fraga’s cafe open on murchison street out the front of our building tomorrow and sunday. hope to see some of you there, whether you be full or part-timers!! all welcome to come by for a coffee and a chat!
May 26th, 2009 at 4:37 pm
Hi Madeleine, sorry to hear you had a bad experience, but everything at
the moment hurts, it wouldn’t matter who was doing it, it is being done to your property.
As I said the birds in Melbourne are not as friendly, but I had a talk to them today to tell their country feather friends to try and get close to you and whisper *all will be well in time*, we have created a
big memory from Saturday February 7th, and that was only 114 days ago, the house is no longer there but you are so protective of what little you have and that is your land and what remains on it, cheer up buttercup, eventually Marysville will be ours again.
Is anyone else worried about what is happening up there on May 31, we certainly have not been approached to give permission for anyone to come onto our property and take the timber, there are a few felled trees, and we will be most distressed if anyone goes onto our property without permission, we will have signs put up before the weekend,
I am sad the other people do not have enough heating and it is wonderful that people are caring about them, but don’t distress
other victims by just taking.
May 27th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
Very heartening to see “FRAGAS” operating on the weekend!The open air street cafe was a welcome sight.Three cheers for James and Jane! I hope everyone stops messing you both around and changing plans , you both have enough stress without added complications regarding re-establishing your popular business.
A big thankyou to Karen, of the Marysville Triangle Real Estate, for organising a copy of Greg Champion’s cd single ‘This was my town’.
May 27th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Hi Helen, you got me thinking about May 31 so looked up previuosly posted info. Can people just go onto your property and take wood? What about if you are saving it for the future? and also why is it going to Kinglake when I am sure Marysville and surrounds could also use it?
May 27th, 2009 at 10:38 pm
thanks jane for your kind words. we should be in the marquee at the cumberland for the long weekend. hope to see you all there! stay strong and positive for the future of our town, our children and grandchildren.
May 27th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
Hi Ann, if you go to the MATDG site it just states what is happening on May 31, if came as a bit of a shock because there hasn’t been anything else about it anywhere and that would take a bit of planning, unless they are sifting through the Grocon bump site, I certainly would be interested in finding out more before the weekend.
We are saving ours for the future although it is a bit hard to hide big logs and we have been told by the Arborist three more have to be felled in the back, but that is not too bad considering what happened that day.
We had enough stockpiled in the back for this Winter, but that burnt, so I would like to think we could keep some for the future.
May 28th, 2009 at 9:51 am
Helen F, Thank you so much for that beautiful piece (May 26th, 2009 at 4:37 pm). Crying and crying at the rare touch of gentleness.
It was wonderful to see Fraga’s happening last weekend. Didn’t hear anything about May 31st.
May 28th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
This site covers almost identical stuff… That’s strange…
May 28th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Hi all
In relation to the concerns about the firewood collection on 31st May I have re-posted some information sent earlier requesting people to help, and a contact number. It was presented as picking up timber from pre organised areas, but the number is there to ring if there are any issues. Hope this helps.
And well done to our near neighbours Karl and Karen on their wedding!
Vicki
May 28th, 2009 at 11:14 pm
Hi Vicki,
Thanks for the wonderful website it has become part of my daily life to log on and find the news and postings, for my own satisfaction I will give that telephone number a call tomorrow to find out more about May 31, I am sure it will be okay and they are collecting just from the Grocon dump sites, but when you are in the *concrete jungle* and the smoke signals don’t reach you down here because of the smog you jump at shadows, so thanks for the information and the website.
May 29th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
anyone who has found trees taken down on their street which were uneffected by fire should contact the shire immediately before there is nothing left. 5 liquid ambers which were not burnt were chopped down last week on lyell st for no apparent reason. this has happened at numerous other locations around town. let’s use our voice and save what we can amidst such devastation. please contact peter cownley at the shire with any relevant info. thanks folks, c u on the long w/e. jane.
May 31st, 2009 at 10:40 pm
This message follows up on Jane Fraga’s message above about the trees.
I think we need to quickly arrange a meeting with the shire to regain some residential control over the tree situation. I only notice the problem once the tree is on the ground, and that’s too late.
Lately I’ve been driving into Marysville with my eyes shut and get to the property by ‘feel’ because I can’t cope with anymore tree shocks.
There are mistakes, there are ‘plans’ that we have not been informed about, and there appears to be maverick action by contractors as well.
A possible solution is to request that all trees intending to be cut down have pink tape put around them. We can request that no tree is cut down unless there is a tape on it, and unless the tape has been on it for (say) 2 weeks. This will give us time to inspect trees, and if necessary, ask for an explanation for why the tree is intended to be cut down. If necessary we could also seek a second opinion.
In ordinary circumstances residents would have a right to object. I think we need to regain these rights. There aren’t that many living trees left in the town - we can’t lose any to ‘mistakes’, or unsympathetic maverick action on the part of contractors, and I’d like to know what ‘plans’ exist.
It would be more effective if there was a group of us to approach the Shire - I’m happy to co-ordinate a group. Please contact me at mclove@dodo.com.au or 0447 762 284.
May 31st, 2009 at 10:43 pm
Hi Marysville,
Just thought I would let you know that I have had a heavy timber wall system tested to AS1530.8.2 which covers up to BAL-FZ if anyone really wants a timber home and has been told you cannot build one. My email is twakefield@optusnet.com.au
May 31st, 2009 at 10:43 pm
Thank you to the lovely people who drove past yesterday and offered us a couple of plants. We planted them in ‘bird corner’ today.
May 31st, 2009 at 11:00 pm
To my online therapist Helen F,
After your ‘hit the spot’ message, and my cry, I had a dream… I had a dream that one of the rooms of the house hadn’t been burnt - that part of the house had been burnt on the outside, but not the inside (what a miracle!). But then I walked through a door and found the next room was there, and the corridor, and I walked around the whole house and it was beautiful. Our beautiful bedroom with the half pastel blue walls and white lace curtains and golden floorboards was there.
And even though I woke up and knew the rooms weren’t actually there it didn’t wreck the effect because it was so WONDERFUL to have gone back.
And then… I hadn’t seen the currawongs since they sang to you, but today ~35 turned up (we couldn’t count them all) - perhaps their friends in Melbourne sent them. But I think they passed on some wisdom because while I was chipping the bricks I had a ‘lightbulb moment’. I realised that I could build a house that had the rooms I loved in the old house, and I could paint them the same colours - it would be like they weren’t gone at all. Nice thought! I’m probably the last property owner in Marysville to have had this thought… Not sure why it took so long…
June 1st, 2009 at 10:07 am
To all Marysville residents. I happened to walk up to Steavenson’s Falls the other week and was shocked. Yes, the fire impact has been massive. But apparently Goulburn Valley Water has taken the opportunity with all of the post-fire turmoil to replace the water pipe from the weir below the falls. This was not emergency works, but was on their long-tern list of things to do. Anyway, long story short, they have bulldozed a road on the floodplain of the river (with the new pipe underneath), which is not stable, and will likely wash away with the first big flow down the river. The cutting of the road is also unstable, and I could see the existing Falls Rd collapse on to it with some rain. Not to mention the tree felling on either side of the new road, and pushed in to the river. Did GVW get any permissions for this work ? What they’ve done is environmental vandalism, and I’m usually the last person to take the ‘green’ perspective on anything. The people of this town really need to do something about this, as people will not want to come and visit the falls with this created eyesore. An absolute bloody disgrace ….
June 1st, 2009 at 10:47 am
A former resident told Leanne about the work at the falls a little while ago. He didn’t want to go into the details but did eventually talk about it and his rage was apparent.
June 1st, 2009 at 11:17 am
Dear Madeleine, I am coming up to Marysville for inspiration today we haven’t been up since they removed the house……what a wonderful idea to duplicate part of the house it would be a talking point and a comfort and I love that phrase *lightbulb moment* can I use it sometime?
I am hoping to see some birds today, I will be sad if I don’t, I will post tonight to tell you, we also want to look at the tree situation, maybe we should all march to the Council Offices with big banners, have news cameras, draw attention to ourselves and Marysville, is anyone game, I will hide behind you Madeleine.
June 1st, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Trees: I rang Peter Cownley at the Shire today. He said he will organise for a tour of the trees so we can learn which ones they are intending to cut down and why. I asked that they wait till spring first to see what comes back and what doesn’t (where relevant) . Less of a shock now, and more acceptance of the obvious later… what’s the hurry?
I’m waiting for the call and will let you know.
Falls: Will go and see them again. I went up shortly after Marysville opened up - they were shocking - complete devastation - track to the falls from the carpark completely wrecked. The asphalt on the road to the carpark had burnt off (apparently) and the road had turned to gravel. There was one regraded road down to the pumping station(?) at the time.
Someone told me that they were wondering about whether to go ahead with ’something big that needed to be done’ at the Falls and I understood there would be some expediency in doing it while no-one was around and without informing anyone. The person knew this wasn’t really fair. I didn’t ask any questions. As a general rule I trust this person with the natural environment.
This isn’t to say that the action that has happened (don’t know anything about it) was environmentally appropriate - he wasn’t with Goulburn Valley water. I wonder if they had an appropriate environmental plan (I don’t know anything about these things). As a small possible interim reassurance, everything grows very quickly at Marysville.
June 1st, 2009 at 5:41 pm
Who is permitting these un-educated enviromental vandals run amok in Marysville? On Saturday we saw destruction of the assets once the pride of our township, obviously these out of control ‘chainsaw cowboys’ have no limits or supervision by the Shire. It seems as if there isn’t a plan to this madness. WHO is in control?? certainly no reference back to those remaining in town. I think unless this wanton destruction is stopped now, we and others will not re-build. Overhead comments by the visitors on Sunday were all negative.
June 1st, 2009 at 7:05 pm
The tree “cleaning up” has been going on since April using funding from Fed and State Government and I was told that it was a good time to clean up all the trees around the town because there was plenty of cash to pay for it!!!
June 1st, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Please can we do something about this tree situation ,are they taking advantage of residents not being around,? WHY would anyone want to cut down these beautiful trees anyway? Its going to take time for everything you regrow again without taking plants that may be ok. I know what you are saying Al about rebuilding doubts, whenever i get optimistic, something happens to bring me down again.
June 1st, 2009 at 8:45 pm
Ann that’s exactly how I am feeling too.
The day they felled my Liquidamber (actually on the roadside on my distant boundary) I was told not to go past the roadblock and so couldn’t enter my property for OHS reasons as the footpath was a worksite!! Told them to get stuffed and jumped the fence and watched from afar.
June 1st, 2009 at 10:08 pm
Dear Madeleine, it seems as if both local DSE and people at the Goulburn Broken CMA were told of the new road/pipeline being put below the falls, and it was all about doing it and avoiding all the necessary permits and approvals. They did need a permit to work on the waterway (under the Water Act), and they did need approval to clear the trees under the Native Vegetation Framework - not that anyone is adhering to that in the town anyway. I’m also told that they used somewhat less than suitable pipe to put in the pipeline, because it just happened to be sitting in the yard for a job around Alex, and they were in a hurry. Like Al, I overheard some comments the other day from visitors in the Bakery, and they won’t be coming back, because that place is now starting to look like the nicely cleared parks of the Dandenongs ! And what about the road to Buxton - nicely spaced trees……
June 1st, 2009 at 10:09 pm
Hello to all of my new Marysville friends.
I just want to say what a pleasure it was to meet with those of you who came to Mission Beach. I thoroughly enjoyed singing to you on both occasions, both plugged and unplugged. I do hope you had an enjoyable week in the tropics.
We don’t have fires, but we do have cyclones. I appreciate the loss of special trees and how important our natural surroundings are to us as individuals who love where we live. As an artist, I didn’t paint for nearly 18 months after Cyclone Larry. Everywhere I looked, I saw devastation and ugliness. However, good old Mother Nature has come to the rescue and has filled our landscape with greenery again. It may not be quite the same as it was before, but it is getting there.
I love both the resilience of the landscape and the incredible resilience of the human spirit. I believe it makes us all aware of what is really important.
I am grateful to have met and talked with you all, and I especially I liked the comment that someone made about us being Sister Cities, I think we should hold onto that thought.
Take care and love to you all
xx Sal
June 1st, 2009 at 10:49 pm
There seems to be an awful lot of “I’ve heard…” , “someone reckons…”, “so and so told me he heard that…” - it’s all getting a bit like chinese whispers.
Has anyone actually been in touch with GVW or the council or DSE or whoever to find out exactly what is going on? Is there a higher authority that can tell us what and why it’s happening?
If work is going on around the falls without the required permits, does the town (the town being all of us) have any redress? If the pipes aren’t suitable who will be held responsible if and when they eventually fail?
And as for the visitors who were overheard that they won’t be coming back because the place looks too cleared - well, we are recovering from the worst bushfires ever!! what do they expect? the town is still very much in recovery mode, for God’s sake, and will be for a while. Of course it’s going to look like a dog’s breakfast for a while, but it will recover and will be just as lovely as before, but different. It just takes time.
June 2nd, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Hi Kath (June 1st, 2009 at 10:49 pm)
I rang Goulburn Valley Water ((03) 5832 0400) yesterday, and the call has just been returned. They said they lost 100m of pipeline (melted) that needed to be replaced. They worked in concert with the DSE. I understand they will put a message on this blog to say what they have done.
I understand DSE cleared an exceptionally wide track for the replacement. I haven’t talked to DSE yet to hear their explanation. Do you want to call them? (Marysville (03) 5957 7111, Alexandra (03) 5772 0200)
It takes personal activism, and if necessary, organisation, to make people and groups accountable for their actions and get redress. Someone has to investigate what should’ve been done, and decide whether to blow the whistle.
The authorities will probably be working towards their view of ‘good’, but that these views don’t not necessarily equate to resident’s/property owner’s/the public’s ‘needs’ just now, after everything that has happened.
Typically our representatives would be:
Kevin Bellingham, Shire Councillor and Deputy Mayor kbellingham@murrindindi.vic.gov.au 0448 327 563
Ben Hardman, State MP for Seymour
benedict.hardman@parliament.vic.gov.au (03) 5799 2760
Fran Bailey, Federal MP for McEwan
Fran.Bailey.MP@aph.gov.au (03) 5962 1255
Wendy Lovell, MLC for Northern Victoria has been very responsive
wendy.lovell@parliament.vic.gov.au (03) 5821-0055
and some research could be eked out of them.
I should find out what the powers/responsibilities of MATDG are - the election for office bearers is on June 13.
If you want me to to do the work here I need your voices and information to sell the interest and stakes - contact me Al, Ann, Gary F, Kath, etc… - mclove@dodo.com.au, 5762 1250 (preferred), 0447 762 284
Gary F - contact me directly to tell me your sources to help me/us to follow it up. If I don’t have the energy or resources I need information at least to forward to our usual representatives.
June 2nd, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Hi all
Looks like we are getting a bit of spam through. Does anyone know if the post from “Uniform stores” is for real? Otherwise I’ll delete it
June 2nd, 2009 at 8:17 pm
I had a call from the shire arborist yesterday who told me that all the trees in town which have been cut down, have been removed for good reason. He wanted to take me on a tour of the town to show me this. I didn’t have time or inclination to pursue this tour, and asked that the public be advised by the shire of any further removal of trees within Marysville township. I know of at least 10 european trees which have been cut down unnecessarily (liquid ambers on lyell st, also mt kitchener, elm tree on racecourse rd, rhodi on barton av…etc). We cannot get these trees back, so I have no interest in discussing them with council, I only want some kind of assurance from the shire that we can save this from happening to other good trees. Marysville will be beautiful again, but we need to try and save whatever we can. Keep posting so that the information gets out there! Cheers, Jane Fraga.
(p.s. don’t forget community bulb planting with lana this saturday. meet outside crossways at 930am)
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:33 pm
Vicki, with regard to the spam and the ‘uniform stores’, I’d delete it - it just doesn’t look right, and if it is legit they’ll repost (hopefully in a less ambiguous way).
(There’s also another post on May 28 - (first home owners grant vic) that also looks a bit suss.)
btw, so glad you set up this site - it’s such a good way for us all to stay in touch and keep up with what’s happening, so belated thanks
June 3rd, 2009 at 8:01 am
hello all again! i just heard from lana that the bulb planting is now postponed until next saturday - 13th of june. meet outside crossways at 930am. thanks.
June 3rd, 2009 at 9:19 am
Hi all,
The stories being posted about the trees are very distressing. I think a united approach is definitely what is needed. It’s hard for these organisations (council,DSE, GVW) to consult ‘the residents’. But we already have MATDG and MOCA - it’s probably best if we don’t have too many groups.
Can we discuss this at the MOCA meeting next Wed Vicki?
I like the idea of trees being marked for 2 weeks before felling.
As for Marysville as a whole - we’ve been up every weekend since we were allowed back. Every time we come there are signs of new life (plants & buildings). stay positive - Marysville will be beautiful again.
Looking forward to a coffee at the weekend Jane!
June 3rd, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Yes- will go on the MOCA meeting agenda and John and I will be going to the MATDG meeting tomorrow also, so will raise it there as well. MATDG have already asked council to explain, so there may be something to report back after the meeting also.
There is a lot of overdue information about to come on line from MATDG (New convenor for the Comms/Consult group!). They have been doing a lot!
How do people feel about merging the MATDG and Marysville Community websites into one (one stop shop!!)
June 3rd, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Hi Vicki
I think it’s a great idea merging the 2 sites, as we are starting to overlap info and concerns now.
June 3rd, 2009 at 8:56 pm
Kath, I don’t think your description of others valid points of view as ‘chinese whispers’ is appropiate. The fact of the matter is the chainsaw thugs rapeing the few remaining green assets around Marysville serves no useful purpose. These ‘vandals’ have been up and down Falls Rd [where we used to live] successfully destroying all roadside trees, living or not! I am sure they have their sights fixed on trees located on private property. It seems as if they are on a commission basis, the more they chop down they more $$$ they make. You may think Marysville will be a beautiful place again, NOT in our lifetime I fear! For some suited exec now to try and explain why 75% of our trees need to be destroyed is pointless. The evidence has been pulped.
June 4th, 2009 at 12:14 am
Al, I meant no offense about the ‘chinese whispers’ comment and I apologise if you thought it was made in a derogatory way. I’m not out to put down anyone’s point of view, and I know that valid points are being made. What I was trying to say was that because there’s little or no information coming out via official channels about what’s going on, and the little info that’s available to us, particularly those of us who cannot get to Marysville regularly, is sometimes garbled and confusing.
If the powers-that-be could post info in an accessible way in plain English about what they are doing, as well as WHY they are doing it, I think that would allay some fears we have for the future of the town.
I was under the impression that any trees removed by the contractors were not going to be pulped but the useable timber was going to be made available later to the town.
I’m certain Marysville will be gorgeous and green again - it will be a different Marysville, but it will be good, in time. I have to keep believing that.
June 4th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
Hi Kath, No offense taken. I agree with you about the lack of information forthcoming, it really appears that the ‘in charge’ group could care less about discussing any of their plans with anyone. We have to keep believing that Marysville will be ‘good’ again despite some current misguided efforts.
June 4th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
I found this interesting. The Waverley Garden Club has a meeting on Friday night (05 June) and listed is Sue Hoffman, “co-ordinator for vegetation at Marysville” who will be giving a talk on her work (?)
Does this mean that the WGC is collecting plants to donate to Marysville or is there some other role here?
June 4th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Vicki thankyou for your best wishes.We are enjoying married life and really looking forward to the commencement of building(to start soon we hope!!!).
A huge thanks to Jeff and Carol from Scoresby who donated some lovely banksias to us whilst we were working on our block last weekend.The generosity of fellow Australians in general has been truly heart warming!!!! Thankyou so much
June 4th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
Organised a meeting onsite with Grocon today before they were to start the clean up of our site. The meeting was arranged because of the concerns we expressed over the likely effect on our driveway. We were told that access to our house site from neighboring properties was not possible short of permission from the owners and our willingness to provide compensation. Fair enough we thought as no one wants earth moving equipment over their properties especially now that we have had some rain. “Trust me” we were told by the Grocon rep …our driveway would handle the trucks needed to take the waste away. Alarm bells rang and warning lights flashed at those words but we were only days away from the clean-up and a 7am today meeting was organised onsite before the clean up of our site was to commence. We had also previously strung up warning tape demarking those areas (all garden areas) we did not want them to access. This included the narrow garden areas between our property and our neighbors.
We arrived at 6.45am only to find that major damage had been done to our driveway, huge furrows and gouges from gutters as well as an embankment bulldozed between our property and the next. This is a vulnerable area as the neighboring property has a cut out below our driveway. And…would you believe not one kilo of debris had yet been removed from our property! All this damage had occurred in the course of cleaning up of our neighbors property and protecting our neighbors concrete driveway. Our driveway was seen as expendable! Our block is steep, our driveway over 55 metres up to the house site. It had a nicely cambered crushed rock driveway that had twice been sealed with asphalt. The seal is now broken and guttered. It cost us a small fortune 13 years ago. Regardless to say, I was totally distraught, still am!!
The upshot of this…Grocon tells us that the damage will be restored. Hard to see how this can be done but we will have to wait until Saturday to see if they can deliver on that promise. It had better be restored to our satisfaction. We feel that we have been badly conned.
For all of you who have not yet been cleared please learn from our experience. 20/20 hindsight is a wonderful thing…I just wish I had had Madeleine’s forethought and not allowed them anywhere near our block! I suspect that private contractors would have been a much less expensive option for us.
June 5th, 2009 at 11:36 am
Oh MarilynS “Trust me, I’m a demolisher” I wouldn’t credit me with foresight. After that police lockout I just don’t want uninvited people on my property.
And.. oh dear, oh dear, oh dear…. Neighbourly relations had been very good before the lockout…
But yesterday, “T” next door took to his chainsaw in his Victoria Police overalls to get the ones that Grocon missed.
With the expertise of the Victoria Police and he dropped a tree on our block - While I Was There! And instead of that friendly “Yoohoo good neighbourino! - Oops! - mind if I pop over this aggressive piece of boundary tape to pick up that tree?” he seemed to think he’d be able to duck over in his overalls and haul it back before I noticed.
Oh dear… “A” came from across the road to console, and the other “A” gave me a bearded kiss on the cheek (quite interesting really). But almost before the embrace had finished a log-picking-up vehicle turned up at the back ‘tape’ to pick up logs that had been pushed onto our property… HOLD YOUR HORSES! We had interests in those logs because we’d cared for them for many years before they were accidentally cut down.
There was a benefit though, because after many phone calls Jeff Latter the aborist turned up and I learnt all about the ‘tree situation’, which was one of the purposes of that visit to Marysville (see next post).
June 5th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Aborist employed (?) by Shire, Jeff Latter. jeff@treedenvirons.com.au 0419 899 446
Prior to the fire European trees of a certain size were protected in Marysville. We would’ve needed permits to cut them down.
To facilitate quick and easy rebuilding, the requirements to get planning permits were dropped - somehow this meant that the requirement to get permits to remove trees (for rebuilding only) were also dropped.
So, whether intentionally or otherwise, trees on private property which may have survived have been able to be felled at the will of the property owner.
In case it was unintentional, Jeff Latter expresses a regret that their group hadn’t been able to mark the trees likely to survive. However I think it seems more likely to be intentional, because if you liked the trees you’d wait and carry a hope for Spring.
It seems that people felled trees onto their rubble so that Grocon would have to remove them.
He also said that in the general confusion there had been mistakes and misunderstandings about the felling of trees. There had also been illegal actions.
I think I read correctly that he was personally disappointed that the massive heritage redwood at Kooringa had been cut down (redwoods are fire hardy and survive).
I raised the issue of ‘waiting till Spring to see what happened’. He said Peter Cownley at the Shire was the person to make that call. He said he had been employed to do a job. I gather that doing the job meant a ‘yes/no’ decision, and I don’t know at what tolerance levels there was a ‘wait and see’ decision.
On the Shire tree issue, I gathered they were nearly finished - but more were likely to go from the Caravan Park. On the riverbank issue, Jeff said they were caught between two different bodies - apparantly the Catchment Management Authority was pushing to get everything off the river (water is such a fought over commodity these days) - don’t know the other body.
I asked Jeff about our very important tulip tree, and he reckoned that the bark would probably fall off in spring. I hope he’s wrong. He gave a poor prognosis for most of the others.
We have an oak that’s ‘a little bit alive’ but will be patchy. We may nurture it, but I would imagine that a street tree (other than the real heritage stuff) might get the chop if it wasn’t going to be perfect.
I think Jeff would like to show you what trees may survive on your property.
June 6th, 2009 at 9:07 am
And on the Falls and river, the DSE are organising ‘tours’ for residents/property owners so we can hear about the task and see where all the works are going. The reinstatement of the Falls was a high priority for tourist access. I heard the insurance doesn’t cover the cost of recovery, and they’re waiting for some more money to come through from Govt. There’s quite a lot of silting in the Beauty Spot even though there haven’t been any works there because the vegetation and humus etc has been burnt off and there’s ash. Anyway, if you want to see what’s happening, you know who to contact.
June 6th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Thanks for the info, Madeleine.
June 9th, 2009 at 1:22 am
We had a tour of the Falls today. We heard a lot about everything that had happened or had been done. The DSE are very happy to provide tours and discuss what has been done - they stress not to stay at a distance if you are worried, want to know more, or have questions answered.
Lachlan had an article and photos of the falls soon after the fire on this website. I’d seen the falls soon after we got back in - unbelievable - trees down and snapped off everywhere in major firestorm patterns and the main tracks destroyed - the falls themselves were white amidst black. It was the first time John had seen them and he was shocked.
I thought it was looking a lot better - manna gums regenerating, heaps of seedlings well-up - ash, messmates and peppermints (apparantly). Track to the Falls cleared again.
Some urgent actions… fallen trees across the river with potential to create dams had to be removed - machinery went into the river. Because it’s a public liability area dangerous trees had to be removed. Mountain Ash dies in fire and it was decided to remove those within falling distance of tracks now rather than in years and disrupt the regrowth again.
Treefern gully walking track had crossed the river at the generator and crossed back again, but I think they’ve decided not to reinstate this double-crossing - from memory some other body had paid for it last time. There were trees down across the track on the other side of the river.
Fallen trees had been used to support banks below the road/walking track between the generator and the weir - I’m no engineer - someone else should comment - it’s probably not what VicRoads is required to do but for most of the time it will be a walking track rather than used by vehicles. The whole river was typically covered in decaying fallen trees so I thought it would come back to looking like it usually does in the end, once things grow bacl. Someone who uses the water down river might have liked everything immediately meshed or hessioned - but that can’t happen all the way up the river.
But hear this… there were pre-fire plans for changes that haven’t quite been scoped yet - apparently something public/private may be introduced at the falls - such as a coffee house. What do you think about that concept??
June 9th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Hi Madeleine, you are doing a wonderful job of being a *roving reporter* and keeping us informed, as we know the tourists will come if they can go somewhere, I believe the falls are beautiful so they will go there anyway, why not build something for them to spend time looking at nature, I am sure we are all on a mailing list somewhere and I just wish we had a chance to vote on the future of Marysville so we can feel if we come back and that is *if* we have had a big say in the type of place we want to live in, from the time of the lockout (which I understand was needed with the lives lost) it has not been handed in a sensitive way, personal contact by mail would have been appreciated, telling us and asking us about our future Marysville, we would all have had our mail redirected and I for one would like to have had a chance.
One other aspect that concerns me is how noisy Marysville will be in the future with the rebuilding, don’t get me wrong, rebuilding is necessary but the peace will be shattered daily and sound travels in the country and this will go on for years, I realise now how lucky we all were to live in this magic place, but we lost everything and we still seem to have no meaning to anyone, just an attitude of well if you don’t like it go away. I was astounded at the trees they had taken out on the way to Alexandra on the sides of the road, we had not travelled on that road since February 7th, I know if you plant trees to replace, in time they will grow but not in my time.
June 9th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Lovely to see from Madeleine’s posting that beautification of the falls is proceeding. The photos certainly showed the devestation. Personally I’m hanging out to get back to the Beeches, which I believe are in better shape than the Falls.
In relation to trees- this issue was discussed at the MATDG as promised last week. But not so simple! It seems Council, DSE, Grocon, SP AusNet, Vic Roads and individuals have all been taking out trees for various reasons, mainly safety related. (Is this a complete list??). So it is very hard to monitor who is doing what and why. It was good to see in the Murrindindi Recovery news today that the council at least have notified they have almost finished with the tree removal. And good on the people who have been raising this issue!
There has also been a posting about who is doing what. When the term “they” is used I hope who is doing what can become clearer. There are a number of important meetings and opportunities coming up:
- MATDG elections this Saturday. Committee nominations are closed, but memberships are still open so you can have a say. Forms on the website- lodge prior to Thursdays MATDG meeting.
- MATDG advisory groups are still recruiting. A convenor for Innovation/Sustainability is still required as Tony Richardson has just notified his work commitments won’t allow him to convene this group. Have a look at the groups and contact the convenors to get involved!
- The “Phoenix” workshop looks like being weekend of 26-28 of June with a mix of community meetings and workshops This is also chance to get involved in planning for the future of the town.
Having said this, you are all owners of your individual spaces and have the right to do what you want - within current regulations and BAL restrictions. However, wouldn’t it be good if we could make the town a showcase for what is possible, and work together doing it.
I don’t usually get on the soapbox, but this is a chance to stop “them” doing it to us, and do it ourselves!
Vicki
June 9th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
hello to all,
there will be bulb planting with students from timbertop co-ordinated by lana, judy and a couple others this thurs and fri. we’re also aiming at getting the pub roundabout ready for planting and beautification over the next few days. vbrra are looking into fixing retaining walls. we will need soil and volunteers. if you can help plse contact judy jans. any extra volunteers to help with organising and planting would be terrific. contact judy jans via matdg.
busy busy w/e in “the marysville big top” was enjoyed by all. well done everyone involved. thank you to all those who “passed the baby” - christine and gilli - so i could help out with food and coffee orders! she had a lovely time. fraga’s open there again next w/e. call in for a look and a coffee. hope to catch up with some of you there. happy planting to all, jane.
June 9th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
Thanks to Goulburn valley Water for the letter posted on the main page regarding the works at the falls - now we know what’s going on up there and why. Good to see that one of the town’s best assets is receiving some much needed TLC, and that the pipeline is being repaired promptly.
I think kudos to GVW are appropriate.
June 10th, 2009 at 9:27 am
Hear hear Kath, It was good to get a letter from GVW. I know that DSE are now aware of this site and hopefully we’ll get something official from them soon too.
June 11th, 2009 at 10:15 am
I have been looking around nurseries and have come across Treetop Nursery Wholesale Direct at Monbulk which has Camellias, Azaleas and other plants at a very good prices. For example Camellias (1.6m+) are $10 and slightly smaller ones are $7. (These are cash pick up prices) They have a sale on the first Sunday in July at 59 Macclesfield Rd Monbulk. Steve’s number is 03 9752 1726.
June 11th, 2009 at 10:32 am
I have been looking around nurseries and have come across Treetop Nursery Wholesale Direct at Monbulk which has Camellias, Azaleas and other plants at very good prices. For example Camellias (1.6m+) are $10 and slightly smaller ones are $7. (These are cash pick up prices) They have a sale on the first Sunday in July at 59 Macclesfield Rd Monbulk. Steve’s number is 03 9752 1726.
June 11th, 2009 at 10:47 am
I have been in contact with friends who were permanent residents of Marysvile yesterday, and not one of them have received money from the fund.This is appalling!How on earth can they “move on”or make decisions about the future?Money was promised to them all 6 weeks after the fires and it is now JUNE!So much for the RED CROSS! I am so angry and bewildered by the ludicrous explanations that have been offered– complete nonsense! It is just so cruel.
June 12th, 2009 at 11:36 am
Jane
That’s interesting you should say that about perment residents and funding, cos I work with a girl who lost her primary home in Flowerdale and she only just received her funding a couple of weeks ago.
June 12th, 2009 at 9:13 pm
It was fantastic to see three (I think) snow shops open and hiring - husband and daughters hired toboggans and headed up - said the snow was fantastic. We camped on the block (on recently melted snow) and our youngest daughter was worried that the tent and grass might catch on fire. I asked where she thought the fire might come from. She said ‘the sky’. We have to work on the cold and wet concept.
June 14th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
Hi all,
Troubling news tonight re the “Community Advisory Centre” that VBRRA is gifting Marysville.
“What the hell is that and where do they plan to put it?” I hear you ask.
Its a massive triangle shaped building planned for the info centre sight, running from the kinda to the police station sights with the point towards the main road. Its a glass and colour bond construction straight from central Melbourne and plonked right in the middle of our town. It will be VBRRAs head office offering advice on rebuilding, psych services, and other support services.
“But I’ve heard nothing about this.” you say.
Damn right you haven’t, neither had I or anyone else I know but Kristen Nixion herself announced it on 3LO radio today. Lets not fool yourselves, I am reliably informed the plans are in council as we speak, being pushed through.
“But what happened to community consultation?” you cry!
Now that I don’t have an answer for……….
Please contact me by email ( joshazz@yahoo.com.au )or mobile (0433246316) if you demand better consultation for all Marysville projects and if there enough support I’ll draft a petition.
June 14th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
Actually found a reference to the building from Premier Bumble’s page.
http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/premier/new-one-stop-shop-bushfire-rebuilding-services.html
Notice that the announcement was made in Kinglake! Is it closer to Spring St or maybe Kinglake is just the flavour of the month (still!!!!)
Hope everyone approves of the design -
“The fixed Rebuilding Advisory Centres will be built to new Bushfire minimum Attack Level 29 standards and will be handed to the Kinglake and Marysville communities for community use once the rebuilding process is complete”
I might add that I was a bit disgusted by the tasteless Herald Sun article June 11 (by Kelly Ryan) that said
“A dusting of pure white snow has turned the Black Saturday graveyard that was Marysville into a picturesque winter wonderland”
June 14th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
hi to all,
re. sharon bourke’s message above. please mail your thoughts to the following address: christine.nixon@dpc.vic.gov.au.
70 people+ work in the vbrra offices. one of the ones that i spoke to hasn’t even ever visited marysville. incidentally she was rude to me and then told me that i shouldn’t be upset. i told her that considering i’ve lost several good friends and neighours, my home, my parent’s home, our business, my husand’s job, my children’s kinder and school and much of my community, i felt that i have the right to perhaps be a little upset and frustrated. at which point she told me that she wasn’t a psychiatrist! i kid u not! these r the people rebuilding our lives? how can they hope to know what our community want or need if they’ve not even visited our town, let alone live in it or come for w/ends. mail them your opinions on what we want. also on what we don’t want. cheers!
June 14th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
What a classic Jane F! Can’t wait to send them a letter. There’s a blog running on ABC at the moment - the lady who wrote the source article was from Kinglake. She’d openly said she’d decided to write an angry article - plenty of material to work with. But some of the “bloggers” (I’m familiar with their usual work) took umbridge that she was being angry. It seemed that because she was angry, they decided they had the right to assume the ‘moral high ground’. It was as though anger was a disallowed emotion. Some people work like that. I hate it. This was an international disaster. There were something like 864 news items on the topic from round the world with multiple repeats of the same items. You have been through the biggest ordeal, recognised around the world as a huge disaster. And she said ‘you shouldn’t feel upset’? Good stuff. Must incorporate some lines from the Herald Sun in my letter.
I know people get annoyed with things at the Shire from time to time, but from a personal perspective I have to write a letter to them to thank them for their kindness and patience on so many emotional moments.
June 15th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
I sent my letter on Sharon’s item to Max Beck of the Beck Corporation which is referred in Premier’s media release as co-ordinating these buildings (see John P’s item above for link). Max Beck is chairman of the VBRRA board.
I copied in Christine Nixon, the Shire, the Premier, Mr Ben Hardman MP (State member) and The Hon Fran Bailey MP (Federal member). Fran Bailey has offered the only reply so far, being…
“Thanks for copying me into this email. Could you please let me know if you receive a response from the Beck Corporation. I will again remind Ms. Nixon of the importance of working WITH communities.
Kind regards, Fran
Hon Fran Bailey MP
Member for McEwen”
June 15th, 2009 at 7:58 pm
I read your comments daily and feel for the people in Marysville trying to move on with their lives, rebuild and re-establish the community of Marysville. We want to support your efforts but not really sure the best way to do this….. Please keep insisting on your right to be consulted by the VBRRA and Government departments.
The community in Marysville is what drew us to the town initially and made us want to be part of it.
June 15th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
hello everyone!
wanted to let you all know that there will be a working bee on the pub roundabout and kinder carpark planter boxes this wednesday. everyone welcome to volunteer. just turn up and ask for adam - he’ll let u know how u can help. hope to see some of you there, jane.
June 17th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Hi Everyone
Could anyone with experience of a claim on a rebuilding or reinstatement insurance policy let me know if they had any problems with having their claim cover the extra cost of rebuilding associated with the changes in building regulations, particularly the introduction of a BAL? The product disclosure statement of our insurance company says that total building replacement cover will pay for any additional costs which are necessary to comply with government and local authority by laws and regulations. We assume this means the extra costs of complying with the BAL.
The policy is not restricted to the cash amount of our cover, but clearly says that they will pay more. Presumably they build it into the premiums.
We don’t yet have an offer from the insurance company but it seems to be getting close. They almost (finally) have two building quotes and they will offer us the lower of the two quotes. However, apparently neither quote contains an assessment of our BAL and the insurance company is now saying that they don’t have to pay extra to cover that.
Another query we have is whether the quotes obtained by the insurance company will cover the costs of rebuilding in Marysville as opposed to a town or suburb with plentiful accommodation. We assume that the building costs will be higher in Marysville now than they were before. Has anyone had any experience of this?
We have not yet decided whether or not to rebuild. We have told the insurance company this whenever they have asked. Whether or not we rebuild depends upon the insurance company’s offer, and weighing up a lot of other things. The insurance company is now saying that if we rebuild and want the insurance company to do the rebuilding it has to go off for a third quote.
We expect we may have to go to an insurance lawyer or the ombudsman to sort it out, although we would love to avoid this and get it all sorted quickly. If others are further through the system than us it would be helpful to know how you fared.
Thanks in advance for any help
Jacky
June 17th, 2009 at 7:02 pm
This brilliant phrase is necessary just by the way
June 17th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
The upcoming Marysville and Triangle “Pheonix Workshop” (builds on the May 3 statements of pride and aspiration) goes for two days (26/27) June. The outcomes are to be presented to the community on 28 June (10:30 - 1:30pm) for discussion and feedback.
I’m very grateful to a kind nominator for a place at the Workshop - the numbers have been limited. I was desperate to be there and have the contact email addresses if anyone feels the same (mclove@dodo.com.au).
If you’re not going but want something particularly noted, protected, recognised, attended to before the feedback day I can make it heard (5762 1250, 044 776 2284)
Helen F - the rebuilding will be noisy (we can hear workers talking near the bakery from up at our place), but it’s more a positive sound to me than crashing tin and chainsaws. I felt wishful hearing rebuilding sounds very soon after the lockout not far down the road. We worked out it must’ve been the Boyles enclosing their survivor shed! Our latest currawong count went over 60.
Cheryl - Turn up and join in - I heard there was a lady coming up from Brighton every day to volunteer in the Bakery - very gratefully received I think. A resident was very pleased to receive a crocheted hand towel from someone driving by.
June 17th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
Hi Jacky, I cannot believe you are still waiting on your insurance company, please contact the Ombudsman, and if you wanted to warn everyone please name them on this site so we can all spread the word not to insure with them, or at least get legal advice, that is one thing Christine Nixon said at one of the meetings, any trouble with your insurance company there is help at hand.
Hi Madeleine, when I visited our land the other week after the house had been removed I went down the back and the currawongs flew to the top of the trees, I had an old friend with me and I think she thought grief has overcome this woman, I start whistling and calling them darlings but they over hovered high up, still they stayed until I left.
I am so frightened that Marysville will become a place of *thrown together houses*, never easy to sell at Marysville but that was good because you knew the type of people it would attract, people who cared about Marysville and wanted to keep it pure, two fire affected blocks of land have sold in the past three weeks, price up near the $168,000, there are another eight new ones for sale and they are cheaper, will that tempt a different market to buy, these are my worries, because you would never be able to sell quickly and you would be as unhappy as you are now deciding………thinking out loud here.
June 18th, 2009 at 8:35 am
roundabout retaining walls fixed. anyone who has time or inclination to prepare the area for planting it would be appreciated. if you have the time, just do it. let everyone know through this blog if u can. we need to get rid of old beer bottle rubbish etc and dig in some good soil ready for planting.
June 18th, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Link to an article in the Heraldsun, following up on Bill Shorten’s visit to Marysville yesterday.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25652374-2862,00.html
June 18th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
Jacky,
I have accepted a payout from RACV that did not include the extra costs of new regulations. My policy wording included “meeting the requirements of a statutory authority” but this was “under buldings insurance”. I argued that this should have been over and above the insured value, but had to concede when I compared the policy wording on other items that clearly spelt out “this payment is over and above the buildings sum insured”. Without this wording on the cost of rebuilding, I had to concede. It all depends on the fie print. Overall, I was happy with response from RACV Insurance.
Bruce
June 18th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
Hi Jacky, I was very interested to hear that you are yet to get an offer from your insurance company. We are also still waiting for a firm offer from our insurance company and so far have found them very difficult to deal with. My sister is handling our negotiations. If you would like to email me I can put you in touch with her. I imagine that we are dealing with the same company. My email address is jackman@iinet.net.au
Regards
Robyn
June 19th, 2009 at 11:43 am
thanks for the herald sun link peter. what a miserable opinion john ferguson has of our town! interesting viewpoint.
June 19th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
That very miserable Herald Sun picture that doesn’t reflect the reality at all. There’s a one page draft summary (in colour) of our wonderful day on May 3. It tells a story of our love for the place and region (water, landscape, seasons, history, village, sanctuary, community, culture) and of our excitement for a positive new story for the town and region. This will be going forward in the media soon.
I suppose John Ferguson was feeling sad, but so much of what I love about the place is still there in spades.
So much to report… another post!
June 20th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Further to the issue raised by Sharon Bourke’s post June 14th, 2009 at 3:25 pm on the Rebuilding Advisory Centre.
Sam Beck came to Marysville yesterday to speak with a number of people from the community who were concerned about the siting of the building. He has the task at VBRRA of ‘making building happen’.
VBRRA’s community engagement person for Marysville (Megan Lancaster megan.lancaster@dpc.vic.gov.au) was also there. Megan will be spending 3-4 days in Marysville each week.
The people who spoke at the meeting liked the building design (as did others who emailed their response), and purpose, as well as future possible uses, and were very grateful for it.
However, the building is to be ‘fixed’ for two years on the Visitor’s Information Centre (VIC) site but cannot accommodate a VIC. There was general agreement that the siting of the building would challenge the rebuilding of the VIC, which was regarded as being an integral part of Marysville’s Tourism and Economic recovery. Marysville people have been staffing an irregular but very popular VIC at the site already, out of their car boots on occasions.
It was decided to ask for a delay in building commencement for a week to allow the determination of a better site at the Pheonix Workshop next weekend, assuming the agreement between the Shire and VBRRA can be altered.
A letter to the Shire on behalf of the people attending the meeting has been drafted, offering an alternative siting proposal.
June 22nd, 2009 at 7:24 pm
Hi all , my understanding of this site is to connect with people, it has taken me a while as like all it has been a very difficult time.There has been some very good information,but a great loss that should all be acknowledged. I am wondering if anyone who grew up in Marysville as I did 1961 until now is reading this site. The Ridgways are still at Kerami Crescent and as we all grew up there and have lost our Health Centre, Kinder , School and Gallipoli Park our history .It would be great to hear from you. We all look forward to Marysville again and hope that all who are part of our community are welcomed and encouraged to rebuild.
June 23rd, 2009 at 12:07 am
regarding the comments of where the VBRRA building should be and the VIC. As far as I am aware (as secretary of Mystic Mountain Tourism) there has not been any discussions on the future of the VIC. The car was used only during the Easter Long weekend. The VIC is now situated in Marysville Central and we are quite comfortable there for awhile. MMT have decided to just concentrate on the VIC for the next three months. If the Museum became available we may even consider going into that. We are however interested in the VBRRA building if it becomes available in 2 years as a VIC. And from the plans it could be quite suitable. But if it is to far of the main street then it obviously will not be of any use.
As an add on - we are desperate for volunteers to man the VIC at Marysville Central. Weekends and school holidays 10am - 4pm. Please let me know if you can help. Believe me the tourists very much appreciate your assistance and chat. Christine 59633247
June 23rd, 2009 at 10:21 am
Congratulations and best wishes to Christine and Ken, on becoming the new owners of the Marysville Caravan Park! That is what I call real progress.This dynamic duo have performed minor miracles to pull this rabbit out of a hat, and I salute them !
June 23rd, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Thanks for the information about the VIC, Christine. I can’t remember who made the car boot comment. I felt confident in the information because I’d done it over the Easter period days - I thought it must be continuing to operate in that way. Sorry to misinform.
I understand the main street/s (and location of VIC etc) will be discussed at the Pheonix Workshop this weekend. See first item in 20th June news.
“You can send a written submission on your ideas to the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority (VBRRA) by email to kerry.o’neill@dpc.vic.gov.au or post to GPO Box 4912 Melbourne 3001.”
I don’t have any views about the main street, except that it ends up being what people are happy with. I can talk though, and if you have views you want heard, send them here: mclove@dodo.com.au or 5762 1250
June 25th, 2009 at 7:36 am
Thanks Madeleine for keeping us in touch with what’s happening. I am concerned about the main street as you know. Some people seem to want to take the opportunity to create a grand plan for the town centre - I am of the view that it’s appeal lay in the diversity of buildings and styles (some good, some not so good). I am sending a submission to this effect in the hope that we don’t end up with a pedestrian shopping mall - type development.
If anyone else has feelings about this one way or the other, do send a submission as I think this weekend will be the foundation of the final plan. Like Madeleine, I want it to be what people want (even if it’s not what I’d like), not what they got because they didn’t speak up
June 25th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Link to an article in the Maroondah Leader Re; payments from Bushfire Appeal Fund, to those who lost their “non -primary” place of residence.
http://maroondah-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/bushfire-appeal-fund-to-offer-payments-for-lost-holiday-homes/
June 25th, 2009 at 11:19 am
Peter,
I am trying to get an interpretation on the following:
“Means-tested payments will be available to people whose property was destroyed or damaged in the fires, unless it was a corporate entity like an investment property”
It seems that if your house was either rented as a holiday home, was in a Family Trust or owned by a company or part of a Super Fund then you may be ineligible for any assistance by the fund. I am awaiting an explanation from the Relief Fund regarding this issue.
Similarly for the statement:
” ….. some people who rented in Melbourne owned a holiday house in a bushfire-affected area which was their only asset. Those people were now eligible for the same payments as people whose primary residence was affected in the fires – a universal payment of $50,000 and a means-tested payment of up to $40,000″
Maybe these houses were rented out as holiday rentals and wouldn’t be eligible for help either?
(What’s to stop a holiday house, once re-built then reverting to a holiday rental to take advantage of the lack of beds in the town?)
It’s good that the holiday houses have been recognised but I find it confusing that this hasn’t been extrapolated to holiday rentals. Perhaps I am wrong. The Fund are looking into it. I suspect that it has something to do with the philanthropic status of the Red Cross.
Business Victoria aid is not an option either.
Without the rebuilding of the holiday rentals and the guest houses, Marysville will not be able to prosper as employment options will be greatly diminished. No jobs, no people.
June 25th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Peter,
I am also trying to find some encouragement in the article. We lost a house in Marysville but were not lucky enough to own it outright or to be able to have it as a holiday house. In order to help pay the mortgage so that one day we could retire to Marysville, we had a full time tennant.
It would seem that now our lost home will come under the banner of Investment Property. It was not and was never going to be sold in order to make a profit, but was regarded by us as our future home that would ,
allow us to live in a place we both have lived in before and never really left.
It is looking more and more unlikely that people in our situation will be able to rebuild in Marysville and from a lot of what I have read and heard at lot of the permanent residents there do not regard us as being a part of their community anyway.
If we do not go back, it is unlikely that our children and grandchildren will stay connected. I think there will be a whole influx of new people buying up blocks that people cannot afford to rebuild on.
Marysville will be not only a brand new town but when it does get back on its feet it will have a predominatly brand new population as well.
June 25th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Hi Anonymous, I wonder how I would be thinking if I was in your shoes, part of me would say you are lucky you still have a home to live in, I would then say I hope you had your home at Marysville adequately insured which should have paid off your mortgage, now you still have your land and your tenant has over the time paid off your mortgage for you, this to me would be an investment property, unless you are prepared to elaborate and change my thinking on this.
If I invested in shares and with the recent events lost my money, no one would give me my money back on my investment, this is a business way of looking at things, of course a house chosen by you for maybe your retirement while you tenant it out is chosen from the heart, so you should feel the pain of loss more, but you still have part of that investment and your insurance money.
Unlike the permanents that don’t get talked about a lot and lost everything, have you wondered where they have gone, they cannot sleep on their land, so they have had to move from the place they love, like us, and we are renting someone else’s house and paying it off for them, meanwhile in a quandary about whether to rebuild, which means our land will be sitting there for a very long time and we will have to compromise and start all over again, or build and that will take a good 18 months, which in turn will make our landlord richer.
I believe you should get tax concessions from the Government for your insurance money, and I believe that you should be given some money and I cannot put a figure on that, but certainly no where near what a permanent would get, you are investors, superannuation is an investment, a trust is set up for investing and channeling money, there is no way around this and no way you could make a permanent feel you are entitled to the same, although I speak only for myself.
Marysville will always have tourism it is God’s part of the world and in time the investors will come back depends how patience you are prepared to be, I have to be patient, but if anything was done for investors it should be on the condition you rebuild, signed and sealed, and if you don’t then you should give the money back.
June 25th, 2009 at 8:33 pm
ANYONE who had property is hurting whether it is emotional, financial or most probably both ( and of course to varying degrees.)
Please dont make it worse with this “”us and them” type of talk…. it does no one any good at all
June 25th, 2009 at 9:19 pm
Anne I wholeheartedly agree.
The differentiation by the Fund between holiday houses and holiday rentals (if this is true) has done the town a gross disservice. I for one will be reassessing my future now.
June 25th, 2009 at 9:54 pm
Well said, Anne.
We all love Marysville, and in times like this we need to stand together to make the town good again, not make divisions between us.
As for speculation as to any differentiation between holiday houses and rentals - I would hate to think that this could cause even more divisions and factions within the town. I just hope that the speculation is wrong, and that those who have lost homes (permanent and part-time) can start to look to the future in Marysville in a positive way.
June 25th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
I’m concerned that many decisions are NOW being made under the new Building code will in hindsight be realised as outright mistakes or far less than ideal options. Some people quite understandably are wanting to rebuild ASAP. But they need immediate support re alternative building materials and interpretation of the codes so they can have the best house for the price they want to pay. The standard building industry (read domestic builders) in this new regime does not have the expertise/experience to do this and also needs expert advice support (read specialised architects)
On another level Bushfire attack levels are open to individual interpretation . Classification of sites inside the town away from the forested area depends on the size of adjacent bush areas , their distances from each other and connection all the way back to the forest. Why cant we get a group of experts to agree on the classification for the whole town. I am worried that live trees are being cut down unnecessarily in the push to lower perceived BAL ratings for given sites.
Does anyone else share these opinions?
June 25th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
I forgot to put in my name in the the 11.19am post today so I am in fact the first anonymous (but not the second!) post today.
As I said in that post I will be getting an interpretation from my case manager and also someone higher up the tree tomorrow. Because the new release from the fund for the holiday houses has not been made in detail there is no definitive answer to the quandary however the opinion was that holiday rentals were not eligible.
In my situation I had a mortgage for a while and had to rent it to subsidise the loan repayments etc and eventually provide an additional source of income for the future.
I feel, like many others must, that I am being disadvantaged because I didn’t have a lazy $100000 - $250000 lying around and I needed to rent it out to weekend holiday makers to help defray the costs.
Remember that there are probably 35+ houses alone managed by Mystic Mts Holiday Cottages not to mention those managed in other ways. None of these may qualify for any assistance and the implications of this are not good.
I guess the means test aspect and the rebuild requirement will affect a successful application for support for many holiday house owners - all this will become clear next week.
June 25th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
Husband John went to the Pheonix Workshop “Setting the Agenda” general community meeting tonight. These are not minutes… just a selection of information for thought. He said the three most important rebuilding considerations chosen by the people present were: sustainability, business and nature.
They broke into groups - John went to the ‘main street’ discussion. The people on the table tonight like variation in the main street - some shops set up near the street, some back, some requiring exploration etc.
Someone gave a story of how planning happened in another town - instead of the business owners being told how they should build their shops, they were told what they couldn’t do (eg colour, building materials) and given free rein from there. A business owner on the table wanted to build their shop as they liked, and get on with it, rather than having all the discussion.
On another topic, that was a lovely retaining wall in the top roundabout for the bulbs - does it still need dirt Jane F?
And I know it’s contentious but, irregardless, the combined efforts of the people who worked very hard to gain financial recognition of non-residential asset losses have been extensive - congratulations. I’m perplexed though.
June 26th, 2009 at 12:00 am
To Murray… Yes, I share some of your opinions.
Someone in the Flame Zone told me they couldn’t rebuild yet because the FZ windows weren’t manufactured yet.
I am worried the desire/need to build as they like will force all the forest around town back 100m, to get away from high BAL ratings. Our house is close to the bush and we want to keep it that way.
People have such different views depending on when they think the next fire is coming. I’d prefer everybody rebuild as they saw fit (many will have a natural aversion to some house styles from the experience). I’d prefer the focus went more on education about risk and escape (would the new building codes protect in a similar circumstance? - doesn’t seem likely without masses of water, good pumps, and extreme courage). The ‘house to house’ fire spread is an issue though with flammable materials.
June 28th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Our Marysville redesign nightmare came true when we saw a plan drafted with the state forest bush around our house cut down.
This includes the trees I call my ‘church’ and half of the Beauty Spot walk gone. Wasn’t it enough to lose the house and almost every other tree in the town?
I noticed this at about 9pm on Friday, hardly slept, and had an emotional morning on Saturday. I left the ‘workshop’ and went into Marysville to talk with our neighbours.
The bush area cut down around the SW border of the town was to be called “the memorial walk” - I believe to be filled with azaleas and rhodies. It covered the steepest terrain (only a game walker would take it on up our way) and would require considerable investment and upkeep.
Cynically I thought it must be a project to reduce the BAL ratings, since such a border would hardly stop the progress of any similar fire into the town. Indeed the town already has a substantial firebreak around it, imminently capable of resisting any little fire (as it has done over these many years).
The money developing this ‘walk’ would be better applied directly in the rebuilding to make homes ember-safe (if we are truly concerned about safe building).
In the safety discussion we learnt from Justin Leonard of CSIRO that the BAL’s only apply to the distance to ‘unmanaged forest’ - if forest is ‘managed’, say to 40m, by keeping the undergrowth down, then this would add 40m to the distance to the ‘unmanaged forest’.
If we have a problem with the BAL’s we should work to have them changed without the government losing face, but if in the short term we need to live with them the CSIRO solution is the way to go. At the May 3 meeting someone said that they liked the natives but that they belong in the bush, and a reversed sentiment could be applied to azaleas - I like them, but they belong in gardens.
I don’t think the deprivation of a particularly fierce azalea walk around town will affect any locals, for whom there are already many fierce walks. Those wanting a gentle walk could access The Beauty Spot (complete with indigeneous trees), which is to developed into a disabled access walk.
June 28th, 2009 at 2:21 pm
I saw so many things happening at that Pheonix Workshop I can’t work out where to begin.
June 28th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
Hi all
I’ve had a go at putting up some information from the workshop-limited to the sessions I went to. Like Madeleine, I had some emotional moments (like when Rita said the beeches had a lot of silt in the riverbeds…small thing, but I was hanging on to that small bit of temperate rainforest being in reasonable shape)
There was a lot of “visioning”, but if only some of the things that were thought of could be done, we are going to have a pretty good town.
Madeleine, I would have been upset too, but I’m having problems with the idea of the DSE tending azaleas…perhaps this was just one of these vision only bits?? Let’s hope so, I’m sure commonsense will prevail with these sorts of ideas. After all, the ideas need to be sustainable.
June 28th, 2009 at 10:50 pm
Hi All,
did anyone see the Shark today (Greg Norman)? And what was his visit all about?
June 29th, 2009 at 8:57 am
By sheer chance, when I was showing my old mother Google maps of Taggerty, I noticed that part of it now has the street view. I don’t recall its being there the last time I looked. I decided to get up Marysville and there is now the street view of it as it was before the fires. I thought maybe you would like to know that there is this record of lovely Marysville as it was.
June 29th, 2009 at 11:43 am
Hi All, I left the Phoenix Workshop feeling very positive! The FINAL drawings and plans focused on the central hub of town and how we could make it a wonderful place for visitors and locals. The emphasis was that the surrounding forested hills gave the town its unique and precious character, views up to the forest should be preserved and considered wherever possible when locating public buildings and roads as this was a major asset. Yes, there was a suggestion that we should remove trees from the town boundary - that would mean that Red Hill would be bald! No-one that I noticed wanted to take the suggestion further than the early “visioning” exercise where it was raised by one person.
June 29th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Is anybody else concerned about the VBBRA bushfire recovery building? Do people realise it is 2 storeys high? I know it can be removed after 2 years, but things have a way of settling in over that period of time.
June 29th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
You’re all making me feel a lot better. And Sue, you made me laugh when you mentioned the VBRRA building - this was THE dynamite contentious issue. No consensus was reached.
After my emotional moment and dash to Marysville I returned, but I didn’t go into any of the discussions - I just watched the ‘in-between action’, wanting to see what was really happening, rather than being locked in a room.
There was a group of men on the far side of the bar. I couldn’t work out who they were and what their role would be in this workshop. It had been a deliberate decision to leave the ‘organisation’ details off the name tags - we were meant to all be ‘equal’, but it was difficult to identify people with roles. These men didn’t look ‘Marysville and Triangle’ at all. I was transfixed by this group - there was no ’softness’ there. One of them said to me “This is secret men’s business”. I said “That’s what it looks like”. The one Marsyville person I could recognise rushed to tell me quietly it was all about money, and provided a little detail. I spent a lot of time in the entrance hallway reflecting on whether such discussions need be kept secret from the stakeholders, as much as the players obviously desired to work ‘ugly’.
While the workshoppers in the retail group were still debating the locations of the VBRRA building, the Russell Crow building and the Information Centre, the ‘final’ plan for presentation was being hastily coloured in and photographed - the VBRRA building seemed to have been shifted up onto the police station site (at least in part). The designers must have decided very early on that there’d be no consensus…
June 30th, 2009 at 8:23 am
Hi Marilyn,
I don’t think you were at the feedback session on Sunday morning. The VBBRA building was placed very securely on what looks like the Police Station site and, although there was no formal time given to questions or comments from the residents, a couple of suggestions that it be located somewhere less prominent were cut off very quickly with comments like - we couldn’t come to a consensus so left it up to the designers and this is where they think it should be. It’s also just occurred to me, I don’t know how flat the site is, and presumably they won’t excavate if it’s a ‘temporary’ building - so one end of it will have to be 2 storeys high plus height of landfall.
June 30th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
Hi , I am sorry if this is the wrong place but I am not sure where to start. Can I ask some basic questions? Do you need a BAL before you talk to a builder? Is anything being organised for the town or do we organize our own assessment?( I just assumed similar blocks in the same street or road would be the same??} Also regarding reconnection to services ,are pipes still there? Is this costly to reconnect plumbing and electricity ? Thankyou.
July 1st, 2009 at 3:06 pm
We have been told by our insurance company that they will not pay out on the cost of demolition and debris removal even though such costs are clearly covered by our policy. The reason we have been given is that the government is paying those costs. I recollect at a community meeting someone from the Bushfire Authority stating that the government clean up would not simply be a subsidy for the insurance companies. Has anyone else come across this issue with their insurance company?
July 1st, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Graeme, I would contact VBBRA. It was clearly stated by CN that this would be paid out by the insurance companies.
The Insurance Council or the Ombudsman might be another avenue for you.
Julia Gillard made some statements re Insurance as well.
July 1st, 2009 at 5:37 pm
Take a look at Bruno”s Sculpture Garden.What a magnificent effort!!The burnt surrounding garden gives the surviving pieces a haunting resonance.
Anonymous, yes it is advisable to have a BAL certificate prior to discussions with a builder. You will have to organise an assessor and the local Triangle News contains names of local assessors.
Graeme, your insurer MUST pay.
July 1st, 2009 at 5:42 pm
I havent checked the website for about 10 days- an interstate conference followed by a chest infection. I was somewhat disappointed with Helen F comments of 25/6 at 4.25pm. I thought the “permanent vs weekenders ” debate had been laid to rest some time ago . But obviously not.
EVERYONE who lost a property has suffered a loss -some more than others. Each person’s circumstances are different (both financially and family)and assumptions should not be made that weekenders are in a better position. Many are not.
My husband and I are still in limbo as to whether we will be able to rebuild and attitudes such as Helen F’s do nothing to encourage our return.
July 1st, 2009 at 8:55 pm
I’m sorry Sharon E but if you wanted to lay to rest the whole “weekenders v permanents” why make a comment and again add fuel to the fire.
You are right in that everyone is suffering from the pain of loss…some their beloved holiday house, some their dream retirement, some their home of many years and many of us have lost our family members. Lets not turn this into a competition between who has suffered the greatest loss and just get on with things as best we can together.
July 1st, 2009 at 9:28 pm
I would like to show my personal appreciation to all those contributing to the workshop and rebuilding efforts, particularly those in a voluntary capacity. As a community we are VERY fortunate to have such high calibre individuals helping our town. I would hate to see their enthusiasm and commitment dented by the negative comments of a few.
In any project (of which I have managed many) it is impossible to please all parties in all areas. The best decision must be taken at a given time. We need to respect and support those who are trying to help us.
There are much bigger issues/opportunities to deal with than the location and style of a temporary advisory building .. we should not let ourselves get distracted from these.
July 1st, 2009 at 10:52 pm
Dear Lord as I pray tonight for the day just lived,
I remember the souls that were lost on February 7th,
I think of the many, many people who will be homeless
and living in temporary accommodation for as long as it takes.
Please Lord give them the courage to get through this time
until the roof over their heads is their own as before.
This was my first post on this website and will be my last, I thought it was a website for communicating with everyone, (even though I only knew a few people in Marysville), and to hear what is going to happen to Marysville whilst living in Melbourne, but I think I am the only *permanent* if I can use that frowned upon word and that obviously makes me different, so I will use other channels to keep up with what is happening and hope that all the right decisions are made for what will be again in time *God’s waiting room” for Helen F and her husband.
July 2nd, 2009 at 8:51 pm
Hi Helen F, please don’t be discouraged by some peoples comments, I to am a permanent resident, Business Owner ‘now located’ in Melbourne. Whilst I agree and disagree with some stuff here, it is important that we all stay in touch. We are about to start rebuilding our accommodation business later this month and will move back to home in Jan 2010…..we need good news stories to encourage everyone back. Congratulations Ken and Christine, we hope to join you again in 6 or so months…..Lets all put our money where our mouths are and rebuild, if possible, this is the best way we will rebuild Marysville
July 3rd, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Merrilyn, when I lived in Marysville I used to do op shop duty with Laurel. She had incredible energy and the widest smile. She lifted me a few months before the fire… It wasn’t much - she smiled her smile, remembered the names of my children and asked how they were. Not big, just reconnection and inclusion - I felt so grateful.
To keep my self-empathy in order a friend of mine keeps reminding me of the devastation of war and of refugees, where people have lost everything, including access to their money, to their country and to their language. But I disagree with the need for this - it’s all relative, we all have to cry for what we have lost, and rebuild.
Helen F, these online forums can be brutal - so different from talking face to face (I’ve been scared to look since my last post). Please keep in touch.
July 3rd, 2009 at 3:33 pm
Hi Simon H, it is so heart-warming to hear that you will be rebuilding in Marysville and I wish you all the best with the business!!Keep us posted on how it all goes.
July 3rd, 2009 at 6:46 pm
Thankyou Madeline for sharing that with me, it reminds me of everything we loved about our Mum. That fact that she could make a difference simply by being kind, generous and interested in peoples lives. You are right that the loss is all relative…we are really only now coming to terms with the loss of our Mum; which naturally is the priority. Next will come the “What are we going to do with the land” question. I’m hopeful that once some of our grief has passed that we may decide to rebuild in Mums memory. Thanks again for making me smile in rememberance. Merrilyn.
July 4th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
I to am about to start to process of re-building. First a shed to house caravan as our principle and only place of residence. We have been very fortunate since the fires to have had the use of a wonderful home in Alexandra that has now been sold.
Thank you Murray for your vote of confidence we all doing our best for Marysville.
I would also like to thank everyone (especially in Alexandra) that have opened their homes, cupboards, pantries, wallets and most especially their hearts. Many more hugs are still needed.
July 5th, 2009 at 9:28 am
Don’t forget that today is the last day for the purchase of the Camellias as mentioned at the MOCA meeting and in News 12 June.
Treetop Nursery Wholesale Direct at Monbulk has Camellias, Azaleas and other plants at very good prices. For example Camellias (1.6m+) are $10 and slightly smaller ones are $7. (These are cash pick up prices) They have a sale on the first Sunday in July at 59 Macclesfield Rd Monbulk. Steve’s number is 03 9752 1726.
These are really good value for such advanced plants!!! (Hope this doesn’t sound like a plug - I stumbled across this place by accident last month)
July 5th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Don’t know who John566 is! seems to have some sort of problem. On a serious note, Matthew Foley came into the visitors centre offering his and his groups help to anyone needing assistance in cleaning up your property in Marysville. The group has just finished around Buxton. If you contact Matthew at matthew.foley@bigpond.com.au or mob 0409966402. home 98407563 I am sure you will be helped.
On a more serious note, we have our shed broken into and I believe a couple of other incidents. The police are not interested unless something is stolen and reported straight away. A bit hard if you aren’t ‘living’ in Marysville. There doesn’t appear to be any real police activity around Marysville anymore.
July 5th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
Hi all
Sorry bout the attack of the Johns. I’ve just had some tips on how to block spam mail from Melbourne IT which didn’t keep buy….buy…cheap…cheap….cheap at bay! I have to ring the technical team tomorrow for more tips!
Lovely to see all the comments about rebuilding, and hope to catch up with you at the various meetings this week. There were some excellent ideas put forward at the workshop last weekend, so lets look forward to getting them to happen!
July 5th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
Thanks for the cleanup numbers Alvin - fantastic! We’re just getting round to looking at options today - I don’t want any more destruction of anything precious (garden etc) so want to find a group that can be very careful.
On the police thing - it was item brought up at the MATDG AGM. What eventuated is so different from the early plans - I thought they intended to set up a temporary police station very early on and rebuild quickly. But they’re all off at Buxton now (last I heard), and (last I saw) the VBRRA building was planned for the police station site. Might be time to send a letter to a Member… Or - call Megan Lancaster who is Marysville’s (I’m going to get her title wrong) VBRRA liaison officer. I don’t know if she can do anything on the police issue (but she could tell Christine Nixon!) - her number is 0400 344 222
And Vicki… at least you know that John 556 loves the site! great feedback! and cheap, cheap, cheap
July 6th, 2009 at 7:47 am
That cheap character needs to be removed…isn’t he boring!
July 6th, 2009 at 9:53 am
Morning
The best way to block the attack of the cheap Johns is to turn on the moderation- which I have done. So apologies if your comments don’t appear instantly
I’m also getting some advice on other ways to block the spam- which may result in setting up a new page and keeping this comments list as an archive. So if there are changes, that will be the reason!
July 6th, 2009 at 10:48 pm
This blogs now getting a bit long and unwieldy- not to mention that “john” is still lurking. So we’ve started another one for you to start adding to. You can still come back and view this at anytime.
October 29th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
ekibastos…
ekibastos…