The Weekly Advertiser - Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

www.theweeklyadvertiser.com.au

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Leave and Live.

Auction raises money for CFA A

percentage of proceeds from an auction of one of the region’s largest eclectic private collections of sporting and historical memorabilia next month will go to the Country Fire Authority in Horsham.

Former Horsham mayor, businessman, sporting administrator and collector Gary Bird and his wife Karen will donate 10 percent of what they make from the auction to the cause.

Gary Bird has spent a lifetime collecting memorabilia and his collection includes mainly rare sporting or unique items.

Mr Bird said it was with a high degree of nostalgia and mixed feelings that he was auctioning his collection as part of a ‘down-sizing’ shift from Haven into Horsham.

FIRE FUNDRAISER: PRD Nationalwide auctioneer Rob Dolan, Mathew Walsh from Horsham fire brigade and Gary Bird with some of the sporting memorabilia that will be “The party days are pretty much over and it’s time to settle down to a auctioned on March 7 at the Victoria Hotel, Horsham. Picture: MICK SHANNON life that is not too hectic. While the

Fire under control

Firefighters have finally brought a tures to control this fire.” major fire burning in the northern Mr Manning said smoke from the fire Grampians for several weeks under might still be evident during the week as wind shifted in direction and strength. control.

In an ironic twist, as the status of the Grampians Northern Complex Fire status went from ‘contained’ to ‘controlled’ despite hazardous weather conditions during the weekend, fires in other parts of the state took hold.

The fire, the result of a convergence of blazes started by lightning strikes, burnt about 55,100 hectares. It had a 257-kilometre perimeter, burnt through or threatened Brimpaen, Laharum, Wartook, Roses Gap, St Helens Plains and Dadswells Bridge areas, and consumed 135 structures including 32 dwellings.

Incident controller Russell Manning said the definition of ‘controlled’ was based on fire crews securing a complete perimeter around the fire.

“Fire crews have been working on various areas of the fire and will continue to patrol control lines around the perimeter of the fire in coming days and weeks,” he said.

“These fire fighters have worked in very difficult terrain and under arduous conditions, including days of extreme tempera-

Mr Manning also congratulated firefighters and support agencies.

“It is rare that a fire of this size and duration is controlled without weather assistance. We did not receive any rain during the fire campaign and it was the effort of the on-ground firefighters from Department of Environment and Primary Industries, Parks Victoria and Country Fire Authority who have eventually controlled the fire,” he said.

“Thank you also to the communities around the fire perimeter for their support and understanding.”

During the fire’s peak more than 500 personnel from various agencies were involved in the fight. There were 81 tankers, 38 slip-on units, seven dozers, four fixedwing aircraft, six helicopters and many graders, excavators and support vehicles.

At one stage support agencies were also providing more than 1500 meals to firefighters daily.

Call to rally for Red Balloon Day People keen to get behind National Red Balloon Day to celebrate the efforts of fire-fighters on February 28 can join the cause by buying and displaying special balloons and ribbons.

Dimboola’s Kylie Castleman, Red Balloon Day representative for much of the Wimmera, said people could order their balloons online for $1 each or $25 for 50.

“We’re trying to build awareness of what fire-

fighters do and urge everyone to hang balloons on their mail boxes, fences, windows and other prominent places on February 28,” she said.

“We’re selling balloons with the words ‘Thank you Fireys’ on them and money will go back into state fire-fighting services but people can also hang up their own balloons up to recognise the occasion.”

People can buy the special balloons by following

details on website nationalredballoonday.com.

National Red Balloon Day started in Geelong and gained national momentum through Jody Hardiman from Bendigo who promoted the idea on social media.

Ms Castleman said anyone seeking more information could go to the website or call her on 0429 944306.

bar room where the collection has been has provided a lot of great times, we simply don’t have the room,” he said.

Mr Bird said he had little hesitation in nominating the Country Fire Authority as somewhere to donate money considering the work that had gone into fighting fires across the Wimmera-Mallee.

“The poor buggers have been flat and I’ve been talking to a fireman who was still out there. What we often forget is that when the main fire passes it doesn’t stop there. There is months of controlling the situation and cleaning up,” he said.

PRD Nationwide, in charge of the auction at 7pm on March 7 at Horsham’s Victoria Hotel, is right behind occasion and invited anyone else keen to sell memorabilia at the event to get in touch with Tyler Neville on 0439 034 298 for more information and to

register details.

Mr Tyler said a large and impressive list of items were set to go under the hammer.

“I’m really looking forward to this auction, it’s going to be great,” he said.

Some of the goods include a extremely rare ‘mini’ collection of memorabilia from the 1969 Lionel Rose and Alan Rudkin boxing worldtitle bout, a Donald Bradman-signed image from the Bradman Museum and a cap signed by the owner, trainer and jockey of Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva.

Items cover sports from cricket, boxing, football and swimming to motor sport from national, international and regional levels. Auction patrons can pay with cash or cheque on the night.

Grassfires

25 can sUrGe Up to

kilometres an hoUr on risky fire days.

Grassfires can be as dangerous as bushfires. Know what to do.

Listen to local radio and check for warnings.

do yoU knoW What to do? visit emergency.vic.gov.au call 1800 240 667 download the fireready app