Mount Alexander Shire Council is starting to wind down operations at the Recovery Hub at the Castlemaine Town Hall as community needs change.
Demand at the Recovery Hub in Castlemaine has decreased significantly, while affected residents have been seeking more support at the Harcourt Leisure Centre, closer to their homes.
The Town Hall Recovery Hub will remain available for in-person assistance at the following times before closing:
– Thursday January 22: 11am – 5pm
– Friday January 23: 9am – 12pm (final session before closure).
Mount Alexander Shire Mayor Toby Heydon said council remains focused on ensuring residents can access the right support, in the right place, at the right time.
“We’ve seen our community come together with extraordinary care and resilience in response to the January 9 fires.
“As demand at the Town Hall Recovery Hub eases, we’re shifting our efforts to where they’re most needed, which is the Recovery Hub in Harcourt.
“I want to sincerely thank everyone who has supported family, friends and neighbours during this time, and acknowledge the many agencies and volunteers who have worked side-by-side with council to help people navigate recovery.
“If you still need assistance, please reach out – support is very much still available,” Mr Heydon.
Residents can continue to access assistance through participating agencies online and by phone. If you’re unsure where to start, contact us on 03 5471 1700 and we’ll help connect you to the right service. Everyone at Council extends heartfelt thanks to all partner agencies and organisations that have worked at the Recovery Hub.
Harcourt Progress Association’s Harcourt Relief Group has kindly shared an update about what is being done to support those impacted by the fire…
‘In the wake of recent challenges, the true spirit of our community is shining through. Neighbours are helping neighbours, and a central point of support has been established at the Harcourt Leisure Centre, ensuring that everyone has access to a warm meal, essential supplies, and vital connections.
Throughout this week, from Monday, January 19 to Friday, January 23, the Leisure Centre is opening its doors from 12pm to 2pm for free Community Lunches.
All residents of Harcourt, Walmer, Ravenswood, Faraday and Sutton Grange are warmly invited to come together, share a meal, and find fellowship.
Beyond the lunches, the Centre has been transformed into a full-service Community Hub, operating daily from 10am to 4pm.
Here, residents can find a free pantry for food and household essentials, and access shower facilities.
A key feature of the Hub is the direct, on-site presence of support services. Officers from Mount Alexander Shire Council are available to assist with financial aid, welfare support, and other council services. Specialists from Lifeline and Anglicare are also present to provide crisis support and community care.
In a show of direct representation, Bendigo West MP, Maree Edwards, will be at the Centre to meet with and assist constituents.
The generosity of our wider community has been nothing short of astounding. So much so, that the Castlemaine Donation Centre at 5 Johnstone Street is now close to capacity for many household items. To ensure this incredible outpouring of support is managed effectively, we kindly ask that anyone wishing to donate physical goods please contact the Harcourt Relief Centre first at 03 5415 3101 to verify what specific items are currently
needed. This helps us avoid duplication and direct resources where they are most needed.
For those with stockfeed to donate, we are still accepting these crucial supplies. Please call the relief number (03 5415 3101) to receive specific directions on where to deliver the feed for proper storage and distribution to local farmers and animal owners.
Other Important Community Updates:
● Water Safety: Residents using tank water who may have been exposed to bushfire chemicals are advised to take precautions. Divert roof runoff until after the next significant rain. The community relief group is currently coordinating and managing tank cleaning efforts for affected households. Emergency relief drinking water is also available through official channels.
● Community Meeting: A vital community gathering will be held at the Harcourt Leisure Centre this Wednesday, January 21, at 12pm.
● Supporting Our Children: A helpful information session for parents and carers, ‘Helping Kids After Disaster’, is scheduled for Wednesday, January 21, at 4.30pm at the Castlemaine Community House. Childcare will be available.
● How to Help: For those still looking to contribute, financial donations are currently the most effective way to support relief efforts. Details for the official GoFundMe and bank transfers can be found online. Volunteers are also still needed and can register through the CCH website.
The response to this situation has shown the immense strength and compassion at the heart of our community. If you or someone you know needs assistance, please reach out.
Visit the Harcourt Hub, call 5415 3101, or email harcourtrelief@gmail.com. Together, we are navigating this path forward.
For the latest official information, please refer to the VicEmergency newsletter on the VicEmergency – Loddon Mallee Facebook page.’
Kate Templer, Castlemaine
I’m a Castlemaine local and clinical psychologist. I wanted to contribute something that might be helpful to the community at this time, and I have written a resource around coping and wellbeing.
Please see link https://bushfiresandwellbeing.my.canva.site/
Castlemaine Community House is helping to distribute this information also.
Castlemaine Bowling Club held their Charity Day on Wednesday and chose to support the ‘Harcourt Fire Relief Fund’.
There was a great response from bowlers from Castlemaine, Harcourt, Campbells Creek and Marong.
The weather was nice , and Castlemaine BC were very happy to have 56 bowlers all enjoying the facilities at Castlemaine Bowling Club.
It was a lovely atmosphere as Harcourt bowlers felt supported by their friends from surrounding clubs.
After two games of ten ends, bowlers enjoyed a delicious afternoon tea.
Club Director Gary McClure welcomed all players and said their hearts go out to all affected by the events of the past few days, assuring Harcourt members of fellow bowlers’ support.
Harcourt Bowling Club secretary Diane Marsh responded with thanks to Castlemaine bowlers for their support and friendship.
Money raised was in excess of $2500, the final amount is still being counted as donations have been still coming in.
Winners on the day were Pam Fraser and Regina Saville. Runners-up were Rod Phillips and Kathy Harding. Winners nearest the beach ball, Rink 1 Gary McClure. Rink 2 Christine Anderson.
As we went to press Thursday morning, more than 50 homes have been reported lost or damaged in the Harcourt-Ravenswood fire.
A ‘Watch and Act’ message remained in place for the fire for communities at Barkers Creek, Dog Rocks Saddle, Harcourt, Harcourt North, Ravenswood South, Sutton Grange, and Walmer.
The grass fire has burnt out approximately 4,100 hectares.
The spread of fire had slowed and is not travelling outside the current burn area, but authorities warn that this can change at any time, and the situation is still dangerous.
Fire-damaged trees remain a serious hazard in the Harcourt area; until assessments are complete, strong winds may cause trees or limbs to fall without warning.
Restricted access is available to residents as advertised, in specific areas as determined by Victoria Police. Access to non-residents is strictly prohibited.
Smoke will be visible from nearby communities and will continue to show for the next few days.
A Recovery Hub for affected residents is open at the Castlemaine Town Hall, 25 Lyttleton Street, opening hours will be from 11-5pm this week. Many agencies and organisations are available to assist you through the recovery process, including temporary accommodation support.
This is anticipated to move to the Harcourt Leisure Centre when it is deemed safe.
Forest Fire Management are continuing burning out operations within the Mount Alexander Regional Park; this will create additional smoke which may be visible to nearby communities. Aircraft may be visible.
It is important for the community to know that these works are part of the plan and there is no need to be worried.
Powercor has restored power to most customers in the fire-affected community where it is safe to do so. They have replaced 270 poles in four days.
About 36 customers in the Harcourt fire area remain without power due to extensive damage to the electricity infrastructure on Mount Alexander.
V/Line services resumed early Wednesday morning following railway line and bridge repairs in the township.
Coliban Water was still working on repairs in the township and surrounds, with a ‘Do Not Drink Advisory – Harcourt’ still in place.
The fire has impacted communication towers on Mount Alexander, which has impacted radio broadcasting. Temporary measures are in place.
Free-to-air TV remains offline. The towers have been deemed structurally safe, but significant works need to be done to bring these back online and this cannot occur until it is safe to do so.
In addition to the Harcourt fire, 23 tankers attended a fire at Porcupine Ridge near Hepburn Springs on Wednesday evening, but fortunately, this was quickly contained, burning out approximately one hectare.
Community members are urged to keep an eye on the VicEmergency app for updates across the weekend.
Longtime Harcourt CFA member John Jenkin and his wife Jan, are feeling grateful to be among the residents who were able to save their home in Friday’s fire.
John had been in Longwood the night before to give his daughter and her father-in-law some much-needed respite from protecting her home against the Longwood fire.
“With Friday’s forecast of catastrophic conditions, I travelled home in case I was needed. My wife Jan and son David had set up the generator and hoses ready in case we needed them,” John said.
The family felt confident that their very well-mown and maintained four acres was defendable.
John has been to many large fires over his 57 years in the brigade, including Ash Wednesday, so he understands what needs to be done in the lead-up to every fire season, but no one could have foreseen what Friday’s conditions would bring.
Jan evacuated with their other daughter and grandchildren, who were staying in Harcourt with them while their family battled the Longwood fire, leaving John and David to defend their home.
The first tanker to arrive was Chewton, and David directed them to the Kinder, where the fence was already on fire.
Fortunately, the father and son were able to save their home, grateful for the support of two other tankers that assisted.
Their efforts to defend their strip of property are credited with preventing the fire from passing through to houses in Binghams Road and across to Harmony Way.
“It is so important for people to be prepared; keeping property clear and mown can help in making a place defendable. But on a day like Friday, it was also important for people to heed the advice of authorities to leave early and evacuate when emergency services arrive, rather than trying to be a hero. Houses can be replaced, but people can’t,” John said.
At Wednesday’s press conference in Castlemaine, CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan also reiterated the importance of property owners being prepared as we still have a long summer to go and traditionally February is the worst for fire activity.
“Knowing what those conditions were Friday, seeing what those conditions were and what we were up against. I am surprised we have not seen more devastation in communities,” Chief Officer Heffernan said.
“I went to bed Friday night hoping and praying that we would not see much more devastation and loss on the Saturday. I think its down to the hard work of our emergency service personnel, our firefighters, our volunteers. It’s down to the hard work of the community members who heeded the call, got out and ultimately made it easier for our firefighters. Whilst the loss is devastating for these communities, I feel the outcome may have been a lot worse,” he said.
Premier Jacinta Allan, Federal Minister for Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain, Bendigo Federal Member Lisa Chesters and Bendigo West MP Maree Edwards visited fire-affected community members on the ground at Harcourt and at Castlemaine’s Bushfire Recovery Hub at the Castlemaine Town Hall on Wednesday.
Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister are using the Castlemaine visit as an opportunity to announce further funding support for those impacted by the fires burning across the state, including support for farmers and sole-traders.
They were joined by Victoria’s Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch ESM, and CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan, who both gave updates on the fire situation.
The Bluelight Camp on Derby Hill in Maldon has been brought back to life after sitting dormant for years.
On Wednesday, a group of 20 local volunteers dedicated their time to clearing out the cobwebs, piles of dead leaves and debris from the old buildings, fixing plumbing and electrical issues. They were getting it ready for the Blaze Aid volunteers to help with critical bushfire recovery.
Local plumber Marty Mulholland and electrician Kirk Wojniusz volunteered their time to remedy plumbing and electrical issues.
The camp can accommodate 110 people, and while some of the Blaze Aid volunteers will bring their own caravans, they will be able to utilise the facilities and bathrooms at the camp for the next three months.
Leading the clean-up efforts was Maldon Lions Club member Renee Thompson, who has 36 years of experience with the CFA and 12 years with the Red Cross.
Mr Thompson said she is incredibly grateful to Mark Ward, the owner of the property and Noddy Pattern, the caretaker.
“Mostly, the rooms were just dusty and full of cobwebs and needed some love,” she said.
“We rang the shire on Wednesday morning to help with access to the property for the caravans, and within half an hour they turned up.”
Blaze Aid was established by Kilmore East farmers Kevin and Rhonda Butler out of the ashes of Black Saturday 2009. It is a volunteer-based organisation that works with families and individuals in rural Australia after natural disasters such as fires and floods.
Working alongside the rural families, the volunteers help to rebuild fences and other structures that have been damaged or destroyed.
Blaze Aid volunteer coordinator Lyn Rasmussen said they have more than 30 volunteers ready to help.
“We will be making our way to Maldon on Wednesday and are hoping to have the team out by Friday, dependent on the safety of the properties,” she said.
“So far, we have more than 30 jobs lined up, big and small, so when it’s safe to do so, the teams will help remove the damaged fence and put new ones up.
“The biggest problem we will have is with supply, as all of Victoria needs fencing, so if you want to pop down to your local supplier and get packs of steel posts and fencing wire, that would be great.
“And our volunteers will be taking lunches out with them, so slices, biscuits and fruit would be great.”
If you are interested in making donations, email Lyn at Lynrasmussen54@gmail.com
For more information, click here.
As the weather cools and the risk of imminent danger eases, the residents of Harcourt, Walmer, and Ravenswood slowly begin their return home.
Surveying the damage, they are met with the acrid smell of smoke, the sound of helicopters circling, and fire trucks wailing, and the devastating, unfamiliar sights of a once-familiar landscape.
The number of people who have lost their homes and a lifetime of belongings numbers in the hundreds, with over 45 houses lost.
As people rummage through the wreckage to find even a scrap of the familiar, the birds perform an eerie dance of flight above, hunting for easy prey on the blackened ground.
Neighbours bury their exhaustion and fear in feelings of guilt at their gratitude for being spared. They grapple to find a new normal, cleaning the rotting debris from their darkened fridges, wiping soot from the kitchen benches, tending to their animals with care.
Nearby townships, shadowed by the brightly burning mountain, exist in a strange stillness as friends and acquaintances engage in a social dance, carefully inquiring about the impact of the fire.
Forgetting, even for a short time, is nearly impossible as phones beep with constant reminders of emergency warnings and updates, and great columns of smoke rise into the sky.
TV, radio, and the internet are flooded with horrifying stories and images and news of friends and acquaintances who have lost everything.
Tears, embraces, and stories are shared freely as the community collectively wraps its arms around the fire-ravaged townships, offering support, services, shelter, and friendship.
These same feelings, actions, and thoughts ripple across Victoria, replicated in fire-affected townships with different landscapes but the same enduring community spirit, as the stories move slowly to become part of the state’s history of Black Friday 2026.
On January 9, 2026, a catastrophic bushfire rapidly swept through Harcourt and surrounding areas, destroying homes, properties, and treasured parts of the small community.
In a matter of minutes, many families lost everything — their homes, personal belongings, livestock, and sense of security.
The full scale of devastation is still being realised. Dozens of structures were destroyed, livelihoods disrupted, and families displaced. While emergency services worked tirelessly to protect lives, the road to recovery for Harcourt will be long and challenging.
The Harcourt Progress Association, a long-standing local community organisation that supports the wellbeing, development, and resilience of Harcourt, has set up and will manage the Harcourt Progress Relief Fund.
All funds raised through this campaign will be administered by the Harcourt Progress Association and directed back into the Harcourt community to support individuals and families affected by the bushfires.
Funds raised will provide practical, immediate, and community-focused support, including: emergency relief for displaced families, essential household items such as clothing, bedding, and food, short-term accommodation and relocation assistance, support for uninsured or underinsured losses and community recovery initiatives to help Harcourt rebuild and move forwar.
Insurance and government assistance, while essential, will not cover all losses or urgent needs. This fund helps bridge that gap — offering dignity, care, and timely support where it is needed most.
Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a difference. By donating or sharing this fundraiser, you are directly supporting Harcourt’s recovery through a trusted, local organisation.
Thank you for standing with Harcourt during this difficult time.
Together, we can help our town recover, rebuild, and look ahead with hope.
Click here to donate
Local farmer and councillor for the Harcourt ward, Tony Cordy, was one of the first property owners to be impacted by Friday’s devastating fires.
The fire, which started on the East side of Mount Gaspard at around 2.30pm on January 9, resulted in five houses being under threat in the initial stages, including Tony’s. While Tony’s home and two others were spared, sadly, two homes were lost.
“The emergency response from CFA, FRV, local volunteers and two helicopters was on site very early, but the conditions were impossible,” Tony said.
Determined to slow the spread of the fire, Tony jumped on the tractor with the sprayer, which unfortunately rolled. He then took to smothering the flames with the tractor’s bucket and creating fire breaks with the plough.
Despite his efforts, roughly 80 per cent of the 2,000-acre farm was burned as the fire made its way steadily towards Harcourt.
The family farm has been in the family since the 60s, and Tony can vividly recall the ’69 fires that came through when he was just 12-years-old.
“While the ’69 fires didn’t have the same impact on homes and the community, it was a massive fire,” he said.
Tony extended his thanks to all the emergency services people, volunteers and those who offered support across the community.
“For those of you who have lost homes, my heart goes out to you. Many of you I have known all my life. Please look out for each other, and do what you can to assist,” he said.
“I encourage all community members to attend the Castlemaine Recovery Hub at the Town Hall. The resources there are fantastic, and you will see people you know. Connecting and talking about what has happened is important.
