Rhett Burnie
A BOOK recording the accounts of local residents and volunteers of Black Saturday will be compiled by local historians, Heather Knight and Catherine Turnbull.
The book will focus on the areas of Reedy Creek, Broadford, Clonbinane, Wandong, Kilmore East, Heathcote Junction and Upper Plenty.
“Black Saturday is probably the most significant day in the history of this district and it is important that first-hand accounts are recorded,” Catherine said.
“If those involved don't tell their stories, people not affected will not know what it was like.
“Future generations, including the families of those affected, will want to read about it one day.
“This book will be a record of history on so many levels: Australian, Victorian, local and family history.
“There are stories of great courage, luck, generosity and kindness and we’d like to have as many as possible.
“We’ve heard some very harrowing stories but we’ve also heard some very funny accounts too – they weren’t funny then, but in hindsight they are very amusing.
“We’ve seen people cry with laughter at some of the things that were said or done at the time.”
“We’ve also found that individual stories are just a small piece of the jigsaw.
“It was a day of extreme chaos, where people were concerned for the welfare of their friends and neighbours.
“We find that the more pieces of the jigsaw we get, the more complete the whole picture becomes,” Heather said.
The book will also cover the recovery and rebuilding period and the problems people had with accepting help and donations, as well as issues around rebuilding both lives and homes.
The role of the volunteers, both on and after Black Saturday, was an important one and will also be recorded.
Black Saturday brought out the best in the people and rallied the community.
Catherine and Heather would like to hear from anyone who volunteered or assisted friends and family at the time or had a volunteer or friend make a difference to them.
“It’s not always easy getting started on writing your story,” Heather said.
“But we find that once most people get started they are surprised at what they remember and how easily it flows.
“We stress that people should not worry about spelling, punctuation or grammar as we can correct any errors.
“We can also give some prompts as to the sorts of things to write about to get the process started.”
Photographs taken on Black Saturday and on the days and months following are also sought for the book.
“We have some brilliant photographs,” Heather said.
“But we know there are more out there and they keep trickling in.
“We’d like to obtain photographs that were taken from vantage points like Pretty Sally and Monument Hill; the night-time shots are brilliant.
“Photographs taken before and after the fire are a good way of demonstrating the impact of the fire but of course we’d like any photographs taken on the day.” She said.
The book, which is yet to be titled, will be in full colour.
The printing costs will be funded by a grant from Mitchell Community Recovery Action Group (MCRAG).
Time is short as there is a deadline for the funding to be used and stories are required by the end of February but exceptions can be made, Heather said.
Catherine and Heather can tape record anyone who feels they cannot write their story but find it easier to tell it.
This usually takes about ½ to one hour and involves an informal chat.
All written contributions and photographs used will be acknowledged.
Once the book has been completed, accounts and all photographs will be deposited with the Kilmore Historical Society for preservation.
The authors will derive no profit from the book.
To get involved email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or phone Heather Knight on (03) 5784 2126 or 0418 37 11 47 or Catherine Turnbull on 0400 687 771.
