Millicent author revisits Ash Wednesday bushfire disaster

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Millicent author revisits Ash Wednesday bushfire disaster

Retired Millicent educator Moira Neagle is writing a book about the devastating impact on this region of the Ash Wednesday bushfires of 1983.


As part of her research to date, Ms Neagle has interviewed 26 local residents about their memories of this day.


Ms Neagle was teaching at Millicent High School 42 years ago and has her own vivid recollections of the tragic events.


She told The SE Voice that her book would be published later this year and launched at a local venue.


According to Ms Neagle, a number of persons she approached decided against sharing their memories as they were too painful or they preferred not to recall them.


“I have obtained the experiences of several locals of that day,” Ms Neagle said.


“They include three people who were students at Kangaroo Inn Area School, a number of CFS personnel, farmers and a school bus driver.


“I have three more interviews to do.”


She said her book would include a number of photographs.


Now retired after 40 years as a teacher and school principal, Ms Neagle works on the family mixed farming operation and volunteers with Millicent Shares a Plate, Millicent Business Community Association and various arts-related groups.


The Ash Wednesday bushfires hit South Australia and Victoria on February 16, 1983 and coincided with that date on the Christian calendar.


The total death toll was 75 (47 in Victoria, 28 in South Australia), around 2500 homes were destroyed, hundreds of thousands of livestock lost, and an estimated half a million hectares were burnt out.


Both Victoria and South Australia declared a State of Disaster.


The worst affected areas were the Mount Lofty Ranges and Lower South East in South Australia and the Macedon area and Dandenong Ranges of Victoria.


Around the Lower South East. fire burnt grassland at an average speed of 17km.


Known as the Clay Wells fire due to its ignition point, it was the biggest single fire and burnt more than 120,000 hectares including large areas of pine plantations.


Among the hardest hit places were Furner, Mount Burr, Kalangadoo, Mount McIntyre and Tarpeena.


The total cost of loss or damage to private property in South Australia was estimated at over $200m.


An earlier book about this fateful day was published in 1993 by Mount Gambier couple by Pam and Brian O’Connor (both now deceased).

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