Bellbrae fire brigade left without mains water despite critical role

THE Bellbrae Volunteer Fire Brigade serves as a key staging area for catastrophic bushfires in the Otway Ranges, yet it remains without a mains water connection, a situation locals say is unacceptable.

Volunteer firefighter Darcy Dunstan said he was shocked to learn that while the Bellbrae Primary School, Town Hall and Recreation Reserve are all connected to mains water, the fire brigade is not.

“When I first learned that the brigade doesn’t have access to mains water, I thought it was a joke.

“Right now, volunteers must drive to Torquay just to fill their fire trucks for training, let alone for emergencies. This is simply unacceptable.”

Bellbrae Fire Brigade is a designated CFA staging area for major bushfires in the Otways, including events such as Ash Wednesday.

Local resident Barrie Sutherland, who lives across the road from the station, said the lack of a water connection put the community at risk.

“Any northwest wind and a fire front, and we are gone. Bang.”

He has signed the petition calling for a mains connection, and said the brigade needed proper resources to protect the area.

 

 

Dunstan, who launched the petition, said that while the region had not faced a major fire in recent years, emergency preparedness should not be an afterthought.

“Fire preparedness is about being ready before disaster strikes,” he said.

“If our volunteers are dedicating their time to protect our community, the least we can do is make their job easier by ensuring they have access to mains water.”

Bellbrae resident Timothy Wilson, another supporter of the petition, said the issue was a matter of basic firefighting capability.

“You can’t fight a fire without water,” he said.

“The CFA is the organisation protecting all of us. To not have a water supply here when an access point is so close is just disappointing.”

Dunstan, who is also the Liberal Party’s candidate for Corangamite in the coming federal election, hopes to use his profile to influence decision-makers at the council and state government.

“There’s no excuse for delaying this any longer,” he said.

“Community support and advocacy can make a real difference, which is why I encourage residents to back my petition and help secure mains water for the Bellbrae Volunteer Fire Brigade.

“The devastating fires in California have shown how quickly wildfires can escalate when conditions are right.

“Victoria, and particularly the Otways, face similar risks with extreme heat, dry conditions, and strong winds.”

The petition can be found on social media or at parliament.vic.gov.au/get-involved/petitions/water-service-for-bellbrae-cfa-station