As the residents of Harcourt, Ravenswood and surrounds enter the recovery stage, insurance claims begin to take centre stage, and they are being cautioned to beware of ‘disaster chasers’.
The Insurance Council of Australia estimates that claims related to the bushfires across Victoria have reached more than $200 million, across 3123 claims. A large number of these claims are from the Harcourt, Ravenswood fire.
Insurance Council Australia CEO Andrew Hall, who visited the region earlier this week, said they had seen a huge uptick in disaster chasers recently.
Known as claims managers or handlers, ‘disaster chasers’ will door-knock areas following natural disasters, offering to help residents deal with their insurance company and get their home rebuilt.
Mr Hall said they would often masquerade as builders and go door to door offering to help settle residents’ claims.
“It’s an enticing offer, and I can understand why people would sign up to it,” he said.
“It can be quite appealing because you’ve been through hell and back and the last thing you want to do is go through the process of doing an insurance assessment.
“But they are not a charity. They will take a chunk of your sum insured to pay for their services [up to 30-40 per cent] and they will often do work that may not be warranted by the insurer,” Mr Hall said.
While ‘disaster chasers’ operate legally, the Insurance Council CEO encourages people to exhaust all options with their insurance company before signing anything.
“Make sure you call your insurance policy. You may be entitled to a range of things under your policy, such as free accommodation or a rental car.”
According to Mr Hall, bushfires are more likely to result in a total loss of homes, compared to floods or storm events. This often results in a cash settlement with the insurer.
“Post-bushfires, we often see a range of emotional decisions. People will want to rebuild, but to a higher standard, so they never have to go through it again. Others want to just take a cash settlement and leave the area because they don’t want to experience that trauma again,” he said.
Mr Hall said financial counsellors were critically important during natural disasters, and he encouraged residents to access a local service.
“And if you’re having a problem with your insurer, make a complaint to the insurance company,” he said.
“There are regulations around how your complaint will be handled. If you’re not satisfied with your insurer and how they are handling your complaint, you can go to the AFCA (Australian Financial Complaints Authority), which is the financial complaints ombudsmen. It is a free service, and their decision is binding on the insurer if they are not meeting their obligations.”
Throughout regional Australia, particularly in acute fire-prone areas, the ICA has noticed that under-insuring is becoming a big problem, as new bushfire mitigation requirements have come into effect (BAL – Bushfire Attack Level).
“People are often not fully aware when they are insuring their homes, what the true cost of replacing their home is, if the worst happens,” Mr Hall said.
“People will often insure the home for about what they pay for it, and in regional areas, with building inflation costs, which have been going up significantly year on year, and the lack of trades, and extra requirements through BAL, you can often see a home costing twice what its market value is.”
Mr Hall said no two events were the same, but a noticeable difference in the Harcourt, Ravenswood fires, was the high number of small business claims.
“It shows the impact was not just on residential but also on commercial properties. Commercial insurance operates a bit differently from residential and retail insurance, it’s usually through a broker, and you decide what you want to cover and what you don’t.
“We’re tracking that with interest to see how fast claims are assessed and closed.”
ICA wants residents to take photos or videos of damage to their property and contents to help support their claim. They urge residents to speak to their insurer before undertaking any clean-up activities.
For more information, visit insurancecouncil.com.au/consumers/help-in-disasters
Nalderun Education Aboriginal Corporation has transformed a shipping container at its Me-Mandook Galk Indigenous Education and Bush Tucker Place on Djaara Country in Moonlight Flat (Chewton) with a new painted artwork.
The installation is part of a bigger project, supported by the University of Melbourne’s Bower Studio, continuing a partnership that delivered a new verandah at the bush tucker shed back in 2024.
Grace Coff, a proud Yorta Yorta woman who works as Co-Manager at Me Mandook Galk Bush Tucker Place said this summer students from Melbourne Uni once again spent three weeks in the region putting their architectural and design skills to the test as part of the hands-on project.
“They built a ramp and deck to provide improved accessibility at the site, a roof over the shipping container to make the space cooler and more functional, and assisted to bring the mural to life,” she said.
Grace led the design and painting of the mural.
“We wanted to move away from the industrial feel and make the new space more beautiful and earth toned and part of the surrounding landscape. Therefore we have adopted a ‘Mountainesque’ theme,” she said.
“I took inspiration from the colours of the surrounding bushlands and created the design on my iPad and then we colour-matched this to the paints in store,” she said.
The project has been made possible through the Dulux Community Project, which donated paint to support the transformation of the container into a culturally meaningful and welcoming space.
The latest project forms part of Nalderun’s long-term vision to create an ‘on Country’ education facility, bush tucker farm and men’s shed for community use. With the announcement in November of major BIG Project funding from Community Bank Maldon & District (CBMD) to build the long-imagined Me-Mandook Galk Indigenous Education Place – a dream more than a decade in the making for Nalderun.
Grace said the space is already a thriving cultural education hub regularly hosting visits from First Nations primary and secondary students, and Tafe students studying Landcare, Permaculture and Horticulture programs, and fostering learning and employment opportunities for First Nations young people.
“The latest collaboration will make the space a lot more functional and workable. We are really delighted with the final result and thank Melbourne Uni and Dulux for their support,” Grace said.
Castlemaine First Nations arts advocate and broadcaster Pete Dawson and friends are rallying together to organise a ‘Share The Love’ bushfire benefit fair on Saturday February 14.
Global Village Learning have made their soon to be new campus at the Old Castlemaine Gaol available to host the event, and the fair organising team met there Tuesday to hit the ground running on planning for the event.
Pete told the Mail the benefit was kick-started by his desire to help friends impacted by the January 9 fire event.
“On the afternoon of Firey Friday, a fire began at Ravenswood South and quickly converged on the neighbouring apple-growing town of Harcourt at the foot of Leanganook-Alexander Mount.
“Knowing my mate Julie McHale lived on Coolstore Road at Harcourt I was most concerned! Seeing a post from Julie on social media that she, her husband, sister Wendy Oates and her old friend and housemate Barry Murphy had evacuated to Bendigo, I initially felt relieved,” Pete said.
However, in the aftermath of the fire that had raced along Coolstore Road, Julie and Wendy, returned to find their late mother’s home, in which Wendy and Barry lived, was razed to the ground. Julie’s neighbouring home was singed but all okay.
“Sadly, Wendy’s house was completely destroyed. She didn’t have it insured. She has nothing,” Pete said.
“I felt galvanised into organising a benefit concert to raise, not only funds for Wendy and mate Barry Murphy, but also to raise the spirits of the community. It soon became a monster with dozens of singers and bands offering to play,” he said.
“Then artists, craft makers, caterers, market stall holders, children’s activities leaders offered goods and services. So it was decided to create a family fair, starting at midday and going until late.”
However, Wendy, or ‘Oatsie’ as she is affectionately known to her students at Winter’s Flat Primary School, and First Nations activist, Julie have requested that the benefit fair should be “for all Harcourt district not just us.”
Harcourt musician, Loz Lawrey has put his hand up to coordinate the concert aspect.
“Like others in my situation I’m experiencing a degree of ‘survivor’s guilt’ and I want to do what I can to help. I believe that Harcourt’s community spirit will prevail and we will ‘rise from the ashes’,” he said.
Pete agrees, “this is a ‘benefit’ not just to raise money, but also wrap our love and support around those affected,” he said.
Global Village Learning Chief Learning Architect, Pip Cleaves and the Campus Lead, Reuben Cahill opened the Old Gaol on January 9 as a safe haven for local people and their pets. Many took advantage of the invitation, gathering outside the building to watch Leanganook-Mount Alexander go up in flames. They wanted to help with the benefit and healing moving forward.
Others who have come onboard include Ben Laycock of CASPA who will coordinate the art display and auction; and Anwyn Stekahofs and Fiona Brand are getting the marketplace together with stalls and food vans.
With support from community radio MainFM, Castlemaine Mail, Mount Alexander Shire Council and the generosity of Global Village Learning, the Harcourt Bushfire Benefit Fair is set for Valentine’s Day on Saturday February 14 and will run from midday until late.
There will be a mammoth music component featuring dozens of local musicians across three stages including Kavisha Mazzell OAM, Trudy Fatnowna, Loz Lawrey, and Jan ‘Yarn’ Wositzky just to name a few.
There will also be children’s activities, a Jirrahlinga Wildlife display, a market, food vans, an art auction, sound healing and more. Stay tuned for more details shortly.
It is with a heavy heart that Newstead Live organisers announced the cancellation of the 2026 festival earlier this week. Given the forecast of very high temperatures over the entire weekend, the team has decided not to take the risk presented by the heat.
“We want to keep both our festival community and our Newstead community safe, and ensure that we are back in 2027,” a spokesperson said.
NOTE: Ticket holders will receive information via email about refunds, which will be processed in the next day or two
If you’ve been on Facebook recently, you’ve likely come across one of Jodie Parker’s posts. A firefighter with the Taradale Fire Brigade, Jodie started the series of educational videos as a way to update the community on the fires.
Her videos began getting shared across Facebook, and locally she’s become somewhat of a household name, with people referencing her information and getting a mention on MainFM’s Retronauts. Suzanne Donisthorpe gave her a shout out saying she is a great communicator, in a human, kind and considered way and Business Mount Alexander Chair Jacqueline Brodie Hanns said, “Every CFA needs a Jodie”.
Jodie describes her newfound fame as “a bit weird” and said she normally does not like being in front of the camera.
“But I didn’t have time to worry about that on Thursday. Our content is not polished, just filming it on a phone, and that’s what people respond to,” she said.
Jodie said she had not encountered a catastrophic day since moving here.
“As the brigade’s community safety officer I was trying to figure out the best way to prepare the Taradale community, which is closely connected with the Mount Alexander Group.”
Born in Lilydale, Jodie spent her early years on the road with her parents. After travelling around Australia and living in Brisbane for a few years, they moved back to Melbourne.
Jodie went on to study a Bachelor of Arts and International Studies at uni. Unsure of her future path, she moved to Gippsland with her mum and got a job working in retail.
She traveled overseas for a year and spent time working the UK as an au pair on an army base in Thorny Island and helping an older couple on a farm.
“They had six border collies, donkeys, goats, ducks and chickens. They were the kindest, most kind, generous people. I finished my travels and came back to the city.”
Returning to Melbourne, she got a temp job at V/Line. One role led to another and then another until she wound up working as the Customer Operations Training Manager, responsible for training all of the conductors and station staff.
“I ended up being there 12 years!”
In 2022, she took long service leave and used the time to think about her next step.
“I knew it was time for me to go I was fatigued and drained from that job; it was all-consuming,” she said.
With a desire to move back to the country, Jodie moved to Woodend and, after awhile started looking for a place to buy.
“I chatted to a real estate agent, who told me about a property in Taradale. I said, ‘Where’s Taradale?’
“I came to the first open for inspection and I said, ‘This is my home,’ and a week later it was! Luckily, there was a long settlement.”
She now owns and runs Five-Acre Farm selling products from things grown on the farm – jams, herbal teas, syrups, and bath soaps.
Her website gives an insight into life as a single woman running a property.
“I have a focus on biodiversity and sustainability, proving that you don’t need a huge property, showing what you can do, and that you can still have a lot of biodiversity in a small space,” she said.
“A lot of people in this area like to keep things local and keep those food kilometres low, as well as knowing where your food comes from, how it’s grown, and who’s grown it.
“I’ve just expanded my growing area to try and move to the next level of the farm, which is market style garden, maybe supplying a few restaurants and hopefully getting to the point of some subscription produce boxes. And I have plans of running different workshops in the space,” she said.
“The challenge is, it’s just me here, and trying to coordinate casual, part-time employment and my other business, while trying to get stuff done on the farm.”
The second installment of Jodie’s interview will be published in the next edition of the Castlemaine Mail on Friday January 30.
The community-led recovery efforts in Harcourt are a testament to its residents, motivated by the desire to see the thriving community back on its feet.
As such, the Harcourt Leisure Centre was overflowing with people attending Wednesday’s community meeting, where it was announced that the town’s annual Applefest will go ahead in March.
Chair of the Harcourt Progress Association, Remy Snowman, said the festival will be bigger and better than ever.
Remy acknowledged the other Victorian communities affected by fires, especially in the neighbouring towns of Ravenswood, Sutton Grange, North Harcourt and Walmer and thanked the community and volunteers.
“The way you have pulled together and helped each other through so far, it’s inspiring,” he said.
“It’s a privilege to be part of such a great community.”
Harcourt CFA Captain Andrew Wilson, who was the initial incident controller when the fire started on Friday, January 9, said 150 appliances responded to the fire on the first day.
“That is an amazing effort for the machine that the CFA is to get those appliances. But no matter how many appliances we had on the day, I don’t think we would have stopped this fire,” he said.
“As happens, the wind changed. The wind is what bites us, and it bit pretty bloody hard.”
He said by January 16, there were 50 strike teams (a Ute and five tankers) on the ground, with teams coming from far and wide.
“That’s 250 tankers, plus 60 tankers on the day from direct response to the fire,” he said.
The local CFA captain said that whilst the fire (which is now 4,500 hectares) had the smallest footprint of all the big fires on the day, it had the biggest impact in terms of property loss.
“53 houses were lost, with the majority in Harcourt, one in Sutton Grange and two in Walmer. That’s a big hit for the community,” he said.
“The fire is listed as under control at the moment, and until Mother Nature does her thing its going to stay that way – we need some rain across the fire ground.”
He said their biggest issue at the moment is the unburnt pockets of grass within the fire area.
“But the fire is tracked, and we are confident it will remain within the current fire footprint,” he said.
DEECA Forest Fire Management crews also continue to patrol and monitor the fire, and extra crews are on standby this weekend to respond and assist if needed.
The Recovery Centre at the Harcourt Leisure Centre will continue throughout February, but will scale back to operating on Wednesday and Friday only.
The community-led GoFundMe organised by the Harcourt Progress Association has raised over $200,000 to date. The money will go directly to the fire-affected community to help rebuild. If you’re able to donate visit www.gofundme.com/f/harcourt-progress-relief-fund
The Red Box Veterinary and Wildlife Shelter at Elphinstone has been working around the clock to care for injured wildlife impacted by the fire which ravaged the region on January 9.
Red Box shelter operator Nikki Medwell said after the initial fear that the shelter may be impacted by the fire abated they have thrown themselves into response.
“We can see Mount Alexander from our yard, we could see the fire glowing, and I think I can speak for every wildlife carer when I say that you are going to stay on and protect the innocent animals in your care. It was quite a scary night,” Nikki said.
Their incredible team of volunteers has been working tirelessly in aftermath.
“Our team has been working to triage each roo or creature as local wildlife rescuers bring them in to be assessed. From there they are sedated and treated in our vet clinic with ointments to soothe their burns. They are then given 24 hours to convalesce and recover from their ordeal and shock before being transported to fellow shelters across the region and beyond who have made space to house and care for them,” Nikki said.
“After the Black Saturday fires were were well prepared for the next major emergency, and it has been working like a well oiled machine thanks to the support of our dedicated rescuers, small but ever reliable pool of volunteers, the expert advice of our vet Dr Mark Sayer, and extra support from friend and neighbour Sam who literally did the heavy lifting, rescuer Sam Brand from neighbouring Animal Abbey, team members from the Humane World for Animals Australia and Animals Australia,” she said.
Nikki said that the worst patients remain in their care and bandages are removed and replaced every two days to monitor the burns and healing and prevent infection.
“Despite our preparation for such an event we have spent $3900 on additional medicine alone,” Nikki said.
Those who want to assist the local shelter’s work can make a donation to support them via the donation link on their website at www.redboxwildlifeshelter.com.au/sponsorship-programs, create a Pay It Forward direct debit of $2 a week to support their ongoing efforts, or make a donation in person at Petstock Castlemaine towards feed and other essentials.
“We have been overwhelmed with the outpouring of support we have already received from the local community. We don’t receive any government funding. We are all volunteers so every dollar donated is crucial and goes directly to caring for the injured animals in our care,” Nikki said.
While the initial rush has slowed animals continue to be rescued and brought in for treatment.
“Many animals go into shock and hiding following such an event and are only starting to emerge. We found one mum with two young male joeys at foot who was sheltering under a bush. The mum and oldest son were quite aggressive protecting the smaller boy, but we soon discovered she also had another pinkie in her pouch that she was protecting. Her milk was drying up due to the shock. But they are now recovering well and hopefully the pinkie will thrive,” Nikki said.
Remember, if you see injured or orphaned wildlife, please phone your local rescuer direct or WRIN for Central Vic: 0419 356 433.
Wildlife carers, rescuers or those traumatised by assisting with the rescue of injured animals are also urged to reach out to WildTalk – 1300 945 382 counselling service for support.
