OUR FAMILY have owned a farm at Hydes Creek for over 111 years and we have seen a number of bad fires in that time.
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The worst in our family memory was in September 1948. From family folklore, the fire started somewhere in the Thora North area and a fierce dry westerly wind with over 40 degree heat pushed it across the valley towards the east at what we now call 'Catastrophic' conditions.
At the time there were many farms in the path of the fire and it swept across the landscape at frightening speed, spreading burning embers ahead of it for miles.
My grandfather was helping a neighbour save his property which was lost to the fire, a mile to the east of our farm. He rode back at full gallop to our home and fought the embers that were landing around the house and cow bails.
The biggest threat at the time was from burning pieces of cow manure that the wind was rolling along the grassed paddock, and lodging under the buildings. These were put out with buckets of water.
The house and bails were saved, but the fences and bush were destroyed.
Wattle trees regenerated from the fire and years of work restored the fences, all of which were split bloodwood posts and barbed wire.
The fire went on through Pine Creek State Forest and was only stopped by the Pacific Ocean.