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Bushfires 2003

David Scott, 3 Feb 2003 - Namadgi NP Historic Places

The fires have burnt out ~95% of Namadgi (95,000+ ha of 106,000ha). The only unburnt area is a strip between Naas Creek/River and the border inclusive of Sentry Box Hill thru to Mt Clear.

Low intensity fires are still burning on the ridgeline between the Gudgenby Valley and Naas Creek (Bobeyan) Valley, however these are within containment lines and subject to a major deterioration in weather conditions are expected to burn themselves out in the near future.

The following historic sites within Namadgi have been CONFIRMED LOST:

• Franklin Chalet
• Slalom Hut, Mt Franklin
• Arboreta - Stockyard Ck, Snowgum, Picadilly (severely damaged). Reids
  Pinch, Blundells & Blue Range have not been inspected directly but lie
  within heavily burnt out areas.
• Bendora Dam Barracks/office
• Bendora Explosives Store

The following historic sites across Namadgi have been ASCERTAINED AS SAVED
(patchy information thru a range of sources):

• Bendora Hut & Arboretum
• Pryors Hut & Scots Pine plot, Mt Gingera
• Orroral Homestead & Shearing Shed
• Gudgenby Homestead & the Hudson Ready-Cut House
• Brandy Flat Hut
• Rendezvous Creek Hut, Gudgenby
• Frank & Jacks Hut, Gudgenby
• Hospital Creek Hut, Gudgenby
• Horse Gully Hut, Naas River
• Demandering Hut, Naas River
• All structures south of Naas Creek - Left Hand Creek - Mt Clear Summit
  incl Lutons, Waterhole, Westermanns, Brayshaws Huts

The CONDITION IS UNKNOWN for the following historic sites:

• Tennent Homestead (high likelihood of damage)
• McMahons Hut, Bushfold/Tennent area
• Reads Hut, Bushfold/Tennent Area
• Max & Berts Hut, Booth Range (believed to have had a containment line put
  around it earlier on)
• numerous structures such as ruins, brumby traps, border markers, etc

Condition as Follows for the following facilities across Namadgi,
Tidbinbilla & Murrumbidgee River Corridor

CONFIRMED LOST or Badly Damaged:

• Mt Coree Firetower
• Paddys River Slab Building
• Bendora Dam Rangers House
• Glendale Rangers House
• Tidbinbilla NR Facilities - Education Centre, Animal House, Wildlife
  Enclosures & 3 staff cottages
• Rock Valley & Nil Desperandum pise homesteads, Tidbinbilla NR
• Cottages adjoining the Cotter Pumping Station (All but 1)
• Cotter Parks Depot (Casuarina Sands) badly damaged
• Cotter Pub & Adjoining bridge
• Pine Island facilities
• Murrays Corner facilities

SAVED:

• Uriarra Crossing Picnic areas (damaged)
• Cotter Pumping Station (minor damage)
• Casuarina Sands Picnic Area
• Cotter (Murrumbidgee River) Bridge
• Cotter Campground
• Cotter Reserve Picnic Areas (damage incl loss of suspension bridge,
  playground equipment and at least 1 WC block)
• Tidbinbilla Visitor Centre & Depot (minor damage)
• Tidbinbilla Deep Space Communications Complex
• C19th Homesteads incl Congwarra, Booroomba, Braeside, Lambrigg, Lanyon,
  Cuppacumbalong
• Lanyon & DeSalis Cemeteries
• Point Hut Crossing Picnic Area
• Mt Tennent Firetower
• Cotter Hut, Upper Cotter Valley
• Namadgi Campgrounds (Honeysuckle, Orroral, Mt Clear) degrees of damage

UNKNOWN:

• Kambah Pool facilities

Information on the unknown status places will be provided as information comes in.

There are major safety issues from dead and damaged trees overhanging roads throughout the reserves & Forestry lands, and the presence of asbestos and arsenic compounds (from burnt treated pine)around damaged sites. Therefore public access is likely to be restricted for some weeks yet.

David Scott
Environment ACT Recovery Team