General News
21 December, 2022
Blazeaid job well done
GRAEME Allen has been in Bridgewater for eight weeks co-ordinating Blazeaid volunteers from across Australia as they rebuild fences damaged in the October flood emergency. More than 125 volunteers have cleared 62km of fences and rebuilt or stood up...
GRAEME Allen has been in Bridgewater for eight weeks co-ordinating Blazeaid volunteers from across Australia as they rebuild fences damaged in the October flood emergency.
More than 125 volunteers have cleared 62km of fences and rebuilt or stood up another 45km.
They have camped in caravans and tents at Bridgewater recreation reserve, amassing 800 volunteer days across 66 properties in the Loddon Shire and neighbouring areas.
This week, the final projects are being completed as Graeme winds up the Loddon base and volunteers move to new camps in other communities where recovery and rebuilding efforts enter a new phase.
Graeme had been returning to his home in Woodend at weekends but last Saturday was busily allocating volunteers for those last jobs.
Among them were five members of the Namdhari Sikh Society Australia who had travelled from Melbourne.
It was not their first visit to the area - when the emergency was at its height, members delivered meals to local towns.
Graeme said the Sikh community had joined with many local organisations to provide food for volunteers at Bridgewater.
“We have constantly had slices, casseroles, cakes and soup dropped off,” he said.
Graeme pointed to a list on the wall of donations from organisations and businesses - Inglewood’s kindergarten and football club, Raywood CFA, Bendigo CWA and local businesses the Bridgewater Hotel and Bridgewater Bakehouse, Steve’s Empire State Hotel and Cafe 3517.
Graeme will take a break over Christmas before his skills in project management are again called on by Blazeaid.
The retired civil engineer and airport project manager had his first experience with Blazeaid in the Black Summer fires of 2019-2020.
He ended up in Buchan, planning to stay a week but with COVID lockdowns and restrictions, was part of the effort in Gippsland for almost six months managing teams that included backpackers by then stranded in Australia.
“I don’t mind the co-ordinators role but I am just as happy to be volunteering out in the paddocks,” he said.
Graeme said the 2011 Bridgewater Blazeaid camp was the organisation’s first after it was formed in the aftermath of 2009’s Black Saturday.
“We have a special association with Bridgewater,” Graeme said as pack-up continued.