Point Grey bushfire refuge to close from Monday

Lorne will lose one of its designated Bushfire Places of Last Resort on Monday, as the Point Grey precinct closes for redevelopment.

The site will be unavailable as a bushfire refuge while the Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority (GORCAPA) undertakes construction works on the long-awaited Point Grey redevelopment, which at this stage is expected to take about six months.

The Lorne foreshore, in Mountjoy Parade, will remain as the town’s designated Place of Last Resort.

As the township prepares for the site’s closure, the Surf Coast Shire is reminding residents and visitors that Bushfire Places of Last Resort do not replace a well-thought-out plan and should only be used when all other bushfire plans have failed.

The shire’s general manager of community life, Damian Waight, urged the community not to rely on such sites for safety.

“I cannot stress enough that Bushfire Places of Last Resort are just that – a last resort when all your plans have failed. We urge everyone to have a solid fire action plan and leave early,” he said.

“While Point Grey is a construction site as part of GORCAPA’s redevelopment, it won’t meet the requirements for a Bushfire Place of Last Resort.

 

 

“It’s really important that you adjust your bushfire survival plan to include this change – and also inform any guests you are hosting in the south Lorne area.

“Once the works are finished – which is expected to be later this year – the site will be assessed for suitability before council can recommission it as a Place of Last Resort. We will let the community know when this happens.”

Following the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires and recommendations from the Royal Commission, Victorian councils are required to identify and maintain Bushfire Places of Last Resort.

These sites may provide some protection from direct flame and radiant heat but do not guarantee safety.

The Point Grey site’s closure comes as an out-of-control bushfire continues to rage in the Otway Ranges.

Emergency warnings for the Carlisle River blaze were downgraded on Wednesday, after it destroyed three homes and 16 structures, but authorities have warned the risk of flare-up on the fire grounds remains.