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While bushfires occur every year, some have a devastating impact on communities and landscapes. The most catastrophic of these bushfires have been named after the day of the week in which they occurred;

  • Black Thursday 1851,

  • Black Monday 1865,

  • Black Sunday 1926,

  • Red Tuesday 1898,

  • Black Friday 1939,

  • Ash Wednesday 1983,

  • and now Black Saturday 2009.

 

This page gives an overview of Bushfires in Victoria from 1851 - 1900

 

 

Bushfires in Victoria

6th of February, 1851 - "Black Thursday"


The largest Australian bushfire in European recorded history that burnt an area of approximately 5 million ha. which covered a quarter of Victoria.


The areas affected include Portland, Plenty Ranges, Westernport, the Wimmera and Dandenong districts. Approximately 12 lives, one million sheep and thousands of cattle were lost.The elevation of Port Phillip district into the colony of Victoria, was on the 1st of July 1851.
Source:  1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2004


" The blasts of air were so impregnated with smoke and heat, that the lungs seemed absolutely to collapse under their withering influence;... "
Source:   From the Melbourne "Argus" Newspaper Feb. 8.1851


" The fire kept enlarging its orbit, rolling about like some huge monster, destroying everything it touched, its track marked by charred timber, embers and ashes, cries and lamentations. Not content with dashing along the ground , it ran up the highest trees and the flames leaped in monkey fashion from tree to tree. "
Source:   From the "Melbourne Herald" Newspaper February 1883 

 

 

27th of February 1865 - "Black Monday"

 

" On Black Monday the worst day for heat and smoke we have had since Black Thursday, in 1851 -the destruction of property was very great, and no one who has not seen a fire raging among the stubbles and fences on tilled lands, with a strong north wind blowing, can well imagine what this is. From Geelong to Ballarat was nearly a line of fire, and numerous houses, fences, and crops were either burnt up or with difficulty saved. In the country round Daylesford similar disasters occurred. .... "  
Source:  Perth Gazette & W.A. Times   Friday 21 April 1865

1st of February 1898 - "Red Tuesday"


Fires burnt 260,000 hectares in South Gippsland. Twelve lives and more than 2,000 buildings were destroyed.
"... People however soon began to find that the water caught has an unmistakably smoky flavor, which may easily be accounted for by the fact that the atmosphere during the rain and for a long time before was much thickened by smoke from bushfires ..."   
Source:  The McIvor Times and Rodney Advertiser, 17 February 1898.

Early 1900s


Destructive and widespread fires are reported to have occurred in 1905 and 1906. Fires extended from Gippsland to the Grampians in 1912. In 1914, fires burnt more than 100,000 hectares. In 1919 extensive fires occurred in the Otway Ranges.

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