Charlotte Varcoe
WITH the Blue Lake Golf Club being situated on the side of the Mount Gambier crater, the club’s bar and bistro owner Bill Burley had a front row seat to the fire that burned this week.
Mr Burley was thankful to firefighters from the Country Fire Service (CFS), Metropolitan Fire Service (MFS) and State Emergency Services (SES) who assisted throughout the two-day burn to save infrastructure at the club.
Mr Burley said it was not just the golf club which was in danger from the fire but also the Blue Lake caravan park.
“We were very nervous on Tuesday and felt better on Wednesday but we did have staff who were worried about coming back to work which we completely understood,” Mr Burley said.
“It was serious because there were people there to make sure the fire wouldn’t get any worse.
“We were all just lucky it wasn’t a residential area.”
Mr Burley said after seeing what firefighters and volunteers wore and did during an emergency it opened his eyes to the selflessness of the volunteers.
“I have never had a bad thought about the firefighters and volunteers, and I can’t believe people volunteer their time to fight a fire where they could die,” he said.
“The wind here was swirling so much and the fire kept moving.
“It started near the centenary tower, worked its way downwards and the volunteers fought that back before it went back over the hill to the Devil’s Punch Bowl.”
He said once the sun went down, the entire Crater Lakes area was lit up with spot fires.
“I can’t thank the volunteers enough for putting their lives at risk,” he said.
“It is hard to explain, I only rent the building for the business, but it’s what I work for and it’s a golf club where people enjoy themselves.
“I wasn’t worried about the building or the business but was more concerned about the people fighting the fires.”
He said the huge risk volunteers took was an amazing and congratulated them on their efforts.
“My hat goes off to them, I don’t think people realise how much risk they take on because they are trying to save structures and the fire from getting worse,” Mr Burley said.
“These people helped us and now I think we should all help them.”
Mr Burley provided free food and drinks to volunteers and encouraged the community to participate in fundraising efforts in the future.
In addition to Mr Burley, the Ampol Roadhouse Mount Gambier provided free breakfast, lunch, drinks and coffee for volunteers on Wednesday as a thank you gesture from the community.
