Summary

Burnt remains of an insulator used on an electric fence on Graeme and Wendy Heiner's dairy farm, Running Creek, Kiewa Valley, north east Victoria. The insulator is part of a collection of four insulators that were recovered from the 13 kms of fences burnt on the Heiner's property during the February 2009 bushfires.

Graeme Heiner's grandparents first purchased this dairy property in 1943, initially establishing a herd of 40 cows on 28 hectares (70 acres). Since then the Heiner's have expanded the property to 136 hectares (337 acres) and over 180 cows. In 2002/3 the drought compelled the Heiner's to reduce their herd to 140 cows. Their property has river frontage with Running Creek and Kiewa River and is able to draw water these courses.

The Black Saturday bushfire destroyed much of the Heiner's pasture, burnt 12-13 kms of fences, and destroyed 70 bales of silage. The potential impact of the fires was minimized by the fortunate, but unplanned, arrival of five NSW tankers who had been redirected off the Hume Highway on their way down to assist with the Kilmore fire.

This insulator forms part of the Victorian Bushfires Collection which also includes photographs and an oral and video interview with Graeme and Wendy Heiner.

Physical Description

Melted black plastic insulator.

Significance

Over 10,000kms of fencing was destroyed by the February 2009 bushfires. Fencing became a major issue facing landowners following the bushfires, especially for those whose boundary fences abutted public land. While neighbours shared the cost of replacement for shared fencing, those fences abutting public land were to be replaced by the landowner at their cost. The Heiner's lost approximately 13 kms of fencing, pasture and 70 bales of silage to these fires.

This item relates to the Beechworth bushfires, which started in public land four kilometres south of Beechworth at approximately 6pm on 7th February. The fire was contained after nine days (16th February). The fire caused the deaths of two people, destroyed or damaged 29 properties and burnt approximately 31,000 hectares, including 20,000 hectares of forest and state park.

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