After almost four years of planning, construction of Whittlesea’s 2009 bushfire memorial is under way at the corner of Coombs, Humevale and Yea roads.
Work is due to be completed before the end of the year. The site will honour 12 people in the area who lost their lives on Black Saturday.
Construction of the Toorourrong Reservoir Park Bushfire Memorial – Whittlesea’s primary memorial site – is expected to begin early next year. The council’s plans coincide with Parks Victoria’s redevelopment of the park, which is now awaiting permits from Heritage Victoria and Whittlesea council, and is expected to go to tender in March.
A change to the park’s car park layout pushed out construction dates from early next year to spring. Kinglake Parks Victoria’s ranger in charge, Ion Maher, says the detailed design work, documentation and toilet wastewater plans have been finalised.
The Toorourrong Reservoir Memorial will consist of two granite stone walls carved in the shape of a seed pod to signify renewal. The granite used will be stone salvaged from the original Toorourrong Reservoir, replaced in 2009 after it was damaged in the bushfires. The council sought community input to develop a narrative to feature on one of the walls. Whittlesea’s bushfire recovery officer, Emma Bennett, worked with the Whittlesea Word Weavers, the Whittlesea Bushfire Memorial Working Group and the broader community to develop a final product that represents their collective stories.
“Part of the process was working out what a memorial really means to the people involved and where it should be built,” Ms Bennett said. The wall tells a story through images, text and colour. “It moves through three themes, from fire to loss and community spirit.”
The second wall will display the names of 35 people who died in the bushfires and who had a strong connection to the Whittlesea area. Ms Bennett said of her role in creating the memorial: “it’s much more than a job.”
“I lost friends, my children’s school, and my community was severely impacted so I have a good understanding of the issues the Whittlesea community continue to face.
“It will be very significant to many people when a physical memorial for the Whittlesea area finally commences construction as we head into the sixth year since the fires.”
