Posts Tagged ‘bushfire’

Bushfire Tragedy and Heritage Lost

Marylands Country House in 1950

Marylands Country House in 1950. The building was completely destroyed in the 2009 Marysville fires

In a sad day for Victoria in which many lives have been lost to bushfires.

The fires have virtually wiped out the picturesque towns of Marysville and Kinglake and some continue to burn, threatening towns across Victoria.

My thoughts go out to the victims, the survivors, families and communities of this terrible tragedy.

And like the Ash Wednesday fires, these disasters have a massive toll on heritage as well.   Some historic homes will no doubt have been lost.  Many of these homes lived to tell the story of and carried with them the memories and tragedies of previous bushfires.

Some landmark buildings too are now gone forever, including the Tudor Lodge, a distinctive  landmark mock tudor motel/ser

Tudor Lodge Motel

Tudor Lodge Motel - a well known landmark now gone

vice station in the bush on the drive north east of Melbourne known to many Victorians.   This building will be sadly missed.  Some churches are also now gone.  The heritage listed Marylands Country House, a large boutique tudor style 1920s bungalow hotel at 22 Falls Rd was also completely destroyed.

Let us hope that the remaining fires can be contained and more lives can be saved, as well as their homes and buildings to leave a legacy for them and also future generations.

Bearbrass: Imagining Early MelbourneThe Railways of Victoria 1854-2004Britain's Lost Cities: A Chronicle of Architectural Destruction


Recent Comments
  • graham: this building is beyond repair- its structure is completely unsound – being subject to concrete cancer....
  • Russell Cox: Has anyone any information about the old Victorian building on the island lot at 657-660 Spencer Street...
  • David Wilson: Albeit a lovely old Art Deco building the proposed one is *really* a nifty alternative! I was waiting...
  • melissa: Rather than destroy our past lets build it into our community
  • justin: It was a lovely, historic, landmark building in Surrey Hills – and presented a great opportunity to...