A personal new documentary Harcourt Fires by local writer and photographer, Katherine Seppings, has been selected for the LOCALS program at this year’s Castlemaine Documentary Festival (CDoc) June 26-28.
On January 9, 2026, as the Fogarty’s Gap Road fire approached, Katherine evacuated from Harcourt town to North Harcourt, experiencing the fire twice. She captured the terror and devastation on the day, and the following weeks of recovery and renewal.
Katherine has extensive knowledge of bushfires. She contributed to The Complete Bushfire Safety Book, written by her mother, Joan Webster OAM; has organised local Community Fireguards, and has documented the aftermath of major bushfires in Victoria since Ash Wednesday, 1983.
“Living in Harcourt, and documenting the fires here on January 9 was deeply personal. It felt imperative to share what I witnessed, and to honour the impact on our whole region,” Katherine said.
LOCALS, one of the highlights of the festival, returns for its fifth year to celebrate homegrown storytelling and champion grassroots creative voices from across the region.
From heartfelt to hilarious, this vibrant collection of short-form documentaries offers a window into the people, places, and stories that make our community unlike any other.
For tickets to this special event visit https://events.humanitix.com/locals-2026-after-party-at-theatre-royal
For more on the festival program visit https://cdocff.com.au/