Summary

Burnt metal cloisonné vase. Found in the remains of Lynne Stone's home, destroyed at Marysville by the Murrindindi Bushfire on 7 February, 2009.

This is part of the Victorian Bushfires Collection, which includes an interview with Lynne Stone and other fire affected artefacts from their property.

Physical Description

Fire-damaged urn-shaped metal vase, with a rolled rim around the top opening, and a small raised circular base. Some evidence of the original floral decoration remains, particularly on one side, although all of the copper wire divides have melted, leaving a blue-green tinge over much of the surface. An amount of ash and other debris is embedded into the surface, and a pile of debris remains inside the vase. A large rectangular piece of rusted metal, not original to the vase, is fused on one side near the neck.

Significance

This collection of objects documents one family's experience of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires and the extent of the devastation experienced by both an individual family and an entire community.

The donor's house and all its contents were destroyed in the Marysville fires on 7 February, 2009. The fire which tore through the town, known as the Murrindindi Mill fire, destroyed 95 percent of the town of Narbethong before heading towards Marysville. Only 14 of its 400 buildings were left standing, and 34 residents were killed. As many Victorians had visited Marysville as tourists and its natural beauty was well known, its destruction came to symbolise the devastation caused by the Black Saturday bushfires.

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