Aerial photographs, day after Ash Wednesday
Maker
Unknown
Production date
1983
See full details
Object Detail
Production date
1983
Description
Two aerial photographs taken the day after Ash Wednesday, 1983, showing burnt areas of Harkaway and Upper Beaconsfield.
A handwritten label below the top photograph reads "ROWALLAN AVE. HARKAWAY/ LOOKING EAST - HARKAWAY RD./ IN FOREGROUND 17TH FEB 1983/ AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY".
A handwritten label below the lower photograph reads "ST. GEORGES RD. BRENNAN AVE./ UPPER BEACONSFIELD LOOKING/ SOUTH DOWN CARDINIA CREEK/ 17TH FEB 1983 AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY"
The Ash Wednesday Bushfires were a series of bushfires that occurred in Victoria and South Australia on 16 February 1983. Years of drought and extreme weather combined to cause one of the most devastating bushfires in Australia’s history. 2,080 square kilometres (513,979 acres) were burnt in South Australia, and 9,954 square kilometres (2,459,687 acres) in Victoria on one day. 75 lives were lost, 47 in Victoria and 28 in South Australia, making it Australia’s deadliest bush fire prior to the Black Saturday fires in Victoria in 2009. The Belgrave Heights and Upper Beaconsfield areas alone saw the loss of 21 lives, 238 properties and destruction of 92 square kilometres.
A handwritten label below the top photograph reads "ROWALLAN AVE. HARKAWAY/ LOOKING EAST - HARKAWAY RD./ IN FOREGROUND 17TH FEB 1983/ AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY".
A handwritten label below the lower photograph reads "ST. GEORGES RD. BRENNAN AVE./ UPPER BEACONSFIELD LOOKING/ SOUTH DOWN CARDINIA CREEK/ 17TH FEB 1983 AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY"
The Ash Wednesday Bushfires were a series of bushfires that occurred in Victoria and South Australia on 16 February 1983. Years of drought and extreme weather combined to cause one of the most devastating bushfires in Australia’s history. 2,080 square kilometres (513,979 acres) were burnt in South Australia, and 9,954 square kilometres (2,459,687 acres) in Victoria on one day. 75 lives were lost, 47 in Victoria and 28 in South Australia, making it Australia’s deadliest bush fire prior to the Black Saturday fires in Victoria in 2009. The Belgrave Heights and Upper Beaconsfield areas alone saw the loss of 21 lives, 238 properties and destruction of 92 square kilometres.
Artist/Maker and role
Unknown
Associated event
Media/Materials description
colour photographs
Measurements
27.0 x 37.2 cm (sight, upper photograph), 26.9 x 37.1 cm (sight, lower photograph), 71.5 x 47.5 x 1.5 cm (frame)
Signature & date
Inscribed on verso of frame "PRESENTED MY MAX PAWSEY/ FOLLOWING THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY/ OF ASH WEDNESDAY"
Photography credit (first image)
Photograph: Viki Petherbridge
System ID
868
Subject Auto Tags
Water
Water resources
Ecoregion
Sky
World
Natural landscape
Nature
Azure
Rectangle
Coastal and oceanic landforms