Victorian Bushfires Appeals
Musicians Celebrities Rally to Help Fire Victims
Feb 11, 2009 Alison Stieven-Taylor
In true Australian spirit the music industry has rallied to aid those who have been devastated by the Victorian bushfires that have raged over this past week.
The fires, some deliberately lit, have claimed more than 180 lives and wiped out in excess of 400,000 hectares, destroyed 1000 houses and left more than 7000 homeless.
Firestorm Ravages Melbourne Countryside
On Saturday 7th February Melbourne recorded its highest temperature of nearly 47 degrees Celsius, the highest of any Australian capital city since records began – that’s more than 115 degrees Fahrenheit.
The heat was exacerbated by gale force northerly winds that whipped up the already burning forests 60km from Melbourne turning the bushfires into a wall of flame 80km high travelling at speeds likened to the winds of a cyclone.
The firestorm that ensued and which has been described by Prime Minister Rudd as “hell on earth” consumed properties and more tragically took numerous lives as it burned out of control.
Worst Bushfires in Australian History
Australia is a land of contrast. At one end of the country we have flooding rains and this week the people of far North Queensland are mopping up the aftermath of a deluge that broke river banks, cut off towns and brought communities to a standstill.
In Victoria we can only look at the floodwaters with longing. After years of drought the Victorian bush is tinder dry. And as we saw this past weekend the dry scrub and forests have fed these voracious fires, the worst in our nation’s recorded history.
As city dwellers awoke to the tragedy on Sunday morning community services were inundated with offers of help. Donations of food, drinks, clothing and bedding flooded disaster relief centres.
Kylie Minogue Wants to Help
Four days after the fires ripped through small towns literally wiping out communities came announcements that Kylie Minogue, her sister Danni and fellow Australian Natalie Imbruglia are all keen to host a memorial concert for those who perished. These women are just a handful of celebrities who are using their popularity to help those most in need.
Celebrities to Support Bushfires Victims
Australia’s major celebrities showed their support last night for Channel Nine’s Victorian Bushfires Appeal. Nicole Kidman, her husband Keith Urban and Russell Crowe were among the star cast of the TV appeal that raised over $AUD20 million. The fundraising effort has now reached $AUD77 million in five days.
Music Benefits for Bushfires Survivors
The Living End, Jessica Mauboy, Colin Hay from Men At Work, Jimmy Barnes, Lee Kernaghan, Shannon Noll, Kate Ceberano, John Williamson and Angry Anderson are just some of the well known Australian musicians that donated their time to the Channel Nine Victorian Bushfires Appeal. A free live concert held in the bushfire region provided a well needed diversion for the thousands of displaced persons.
Other Benefit gigs:
Sydney
- Valentine’s Day Bushfire Appeal at Annandale Hotel February 14
Melbourne
- Bushfire Benefit Gig at Prince of Wales Bandroom, St Kilda, February 22
- Bushfire Blues Love Bucket Relief at Corner Hotel, Richmond, February 24
Yarra Valley Wineries Damaged by Fire
Many of the bushfire victims have declared they will rebuild their homes and their communities. The fires have severely damaged a region of Victoria that thrived on tourism and is also one of the premiere wine growing areas in the State; the Yarra Valley.
Let’s not forget that long after this tragedy has fallen from the front pages of our newspapers and the nightly television news bulletins the people who are directly affected will continue to pick up their lives and try to move forward. The support we show this week we should be prepared to show well into the future.
Donations can be made through the Australian Red Cross.
Deadly Bushfires
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