Coaches replace trains on the Ballarat Line

As part of Victoria’s Big Build, we’re building Melbourne Airport Rail. Connecting Victorians to Melbourne Airport for the first time with a new rail service.

Coaches replace trains in both directions on the Ballarat Line

At night, 3 and 4 February Southern Cross to Ballarat or Wendouree

Check before you travel at bigbuild.vic.gov.au radio silence after repeated efforts to contact them both.

John Nankervis instructed Kevin Noonan and Owen Matheson to take a portable radio and go on foot across Dales Creek and follow the dozer trail to find Alan and Des. Bob Dobinson drove them as far as the drop-off and waited to relay radio messages. John Nankervis anxiously checked every five minutes or so on their progress.

Tragically, about 40 minutes later, Kevin contacted John Nankervis to say he had found the machine, and the two men were dead.

The deaths of both men, Des Collins, aged 37, and Alan Lynch, aged 36, was the first loss of Forests Commission firefighters since 1939.

The fire was eventually declared safe 55 days later, on 4 March 1983.

A plaque to commemorate Des and Alan was later unveiled at the Daylesford FCV office on 5 November 1983 by the Minister Rod Mackenzie.

The Greendale Rural Fire Brigade took the opportunity on 7 January 2023 to honour the outstanding work of the Forestry Commission and CFA volunteers to protect property and life during that fire, and honour the sacrifice made by Des and Alan.

This information was sourced from Victoria’s Forests & Bushfire Heritage – for a more in-depth account on the Greendale Fire in 1983, visit victoriasforestsbushfireheritage. com and search ‘Greendale’.