Ash Wednesday Bushfire Education Centre

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Ash Wednesday Bushfire Education Centre

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The Ash Wednesday Bushfire and Education Centre: place of learning about events during bushfire. Gar

30/10/2026

We’re open tomorrow, Sunday, 11am–3pm. Come and walk through the displays and see how Ash Wednesday 1983 unfolded right here in Cockatoo.

Ash Wednesday Bushfire Education Centre
Open Sundays 11am–3pm
2 McBride St, Cockatoo

29/10/2026

With Fire Danger Periods starting across the state, it’s the perfect time to check your emergency kit — or put one together if you haven’t yet.

Ours would include: a battery or hand-crank radio, torch and spare batteries, first aid kit, bottled water, important documents in a waterproof bag, and a list of emergency contacts.

What would you add? Tell us in the comments — you might remind someone else of something they’ve forgotten. Bonus points if you’ve got a tip that’s genuinely saved you in the past.

Ash Wednesday Bushfire Education Centre
Open Sundays 11am–3pm
2 McBride St, Cockatoo

27/10/2026

The Fire Danger Period hasn’t been announced for Cardinia Shire yet, but it’s worth knowing how it works before it starts, and how it differs from a Total Fire Ban day.

Fire Danger Period: a set period each year (the dates are announced locally and vary by council) during which you need a permit to burn off, and campfires and solid fuel barbecues are restricted to defined circumstances.

Total Fire Ban: declared on individual days of extreme risk. On a Total Fire Ban day, no permits are valid — all burning off is prohibited, including previously approved permits, and even some everyday activities like angle grinding or welding outdoors may be restricted.

Keep an eye on CFA, VicEmergency and Council channels for the Cardinia Shire announcement. And check before lighting anything outdoors, because a permit issued last week doesn’t help you on a Total Fire Ban day.

Ash Wednesday Bushfire Education Centre
Open Sundays 11am–3pm
2 McBride St, Cockatoo

16/10/2026

VOLUNTEERS WELCOME

Spring is here — and we could use a few more hands.
As we head toward another bushfire season, visitor numbers at the Centre tend to pick up, and school groups often book in ahead of the summer anniversaries. If you’ve been thinking about volunteering, now’s a great time to start so you’re settled in before things get busy.

We’re especially keen to hear from people interested in: - Sunday roster support — even one Sunday a month makes a real difference - School and group visits — helping guide groups through the displays - Photography and social media — helping capture and share what we do - General working bees — occasional working bees ahead of the busy season

Come in on a Sunday, say hello, and have a chat about what might suit you.

Ash Wednesday Bushfire Education Centre
Open Sundays 11am–3pm
2 McBride St, Cockatoo

03/10/2026

HISTORY: Waroona–Yarloop, Western Australia, January 2016

On the night of 5 January 2016, lightning sparked a fire in forest near Dwellingup, Western Australia — the same district devastated in 1961. This time, the fire swept west, generating its own bushfire-driven thunderstorms and violent ember showers as it bore down on the historic timber town of Yarloop.

The town was largely destroyed: around 180 homes and buildings were lost, 166 of them in Yarloop alone, and two residents died. It remains one of WA’s most devastating bushfires in living memory, and a stark example of how extreme a fire’s behaviour can become once it starts generating its own weather.

Photo from: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-01-21/yarloop-bushfires-before-and-after/7100968?utm_campaign=abc_news_web&utm_content=link&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_source=abc_news_web

Ash Wednesday Bushfire Education Centre
Open Sundays 11am–3pm
2 McBride St, Cockatoo

19/09/2026

Before you plan anything outdoors this fire season, check the Fire Danger Rating for your area. It’s the single most useful number for deciding what’s safe today.

The ratings, low to extreme: - Moderate — plan and prepare - High — be ready to act - Extreme — take action now to protect your life and property - Catastrophic — for your survival, leaving early is the only safe option

On Catastrophic days, homes are not designed or constructed to withstand a fire in these conditions — even a well-prepared property may not survive, and staying to defend is not recommended by fire services. Check ratings daily via the VicEmergency app or website, especially over summer.

Ash Wednesday Bushfire Education Centre
Open Sundays 11am–3pm
2 McBride St, Cockatoo

06/09/2026

Happy Father's Day to all the dads, grandads, step-dads, and father figures in our AWBEC community! 🎉

Today we're celebrating the men who show up, support, and inspire the people around them every day. Whether you're spending the day with family, taking some well-earned downtime, or just enjoying a quiet moment, we hope it's a great one.

To all the dads out there — thank you for everything you do.

Happy Father's Day!

05/09/2026

AWARENESS: Preparing Your Property

Reducing fuel around your home is one of the most effective things you can do before fire season, and it doesn’t require a fire truck to start.
• Clear gutters of leaves and debris — a major source of ember ignition
• Mow grass short and remove dead vegetation within at least 20 metres of the house where possible
• Move firewood piles and gas bottles away from the house
• Prune trees and shrubs so they don’t overhang the roofline
• Check and maintain any fire pumps, hoses and sprinkler systems well before summer
None of this guarantees safety on a bad day, but it buys time, reduces ember attack risk, and can make the difference for firefighters trying to protect your property.

Ash Wednesday Bushfire Education Centre
2 McBride Street Cockatoo
Open Sundays except Fathers Day- 11am-3pm

22/08/2026

HISTORY: Black Tuesday, Tasmania, 7 February 1967

Not every major Australian bushfire happened in Victoria. On 7 February 1967, “Black Tuesday” struck southern Tasmania, killing 62 people in a matter of hours — the highest bushfire death toll Australia had recorded to that point. More than 100 individual fires, many deliberately or carelessly lit for land clearing, combined under hot, dry, gale-force winds and swept into the outskirts of Hobart itself.
It remains a stark reminder that bushfire risk isn’t confined to remote bush — it can reach right into a capital city when conditions align, a lesson later echoed in Canberra in 2003. (South Australia’s Wangary fire in 2005 was also locally known as “Black Tuesday” — the name has, unfortunately, been earned more than once.)

Ash Wednesday Bushfire Education Centre
2 McBride St Cockatoo
Open Sundays 11am-3pm

25/07/2026

This coming Thursday, 30 July 2026, marks 10 years since the official opening of the Ash Wednesday Bushfire Education Centre in Cockatoo. What began as a determined community effort has grown into an important place of learning, reflection and remembrance.

Many people once believed the Centre would not survive for long, but thanks to the hard work of volunteers and the ongoing support of visitors, schools, community groups and emergency service organisations, it continues to stand strong.

The story began in August 2011, when the Cockatoo community rallied to save the building from demolition. State Heritage listing in 2012 helped secure its future, and after working with the Shire, construction commenced in 2015 and was completed in 2016. With the support of federal and Shire funding, the Centre was officially opened on 30 July 2016.

Over the past decade, the Centre has welcomed many visitors. Some have come to learn about the damage and heartache caused by bushfires, while others have found comfort and closure after the tragic events of 16 February 1983.

Visitors have included secondary and primary schools, Probus clubs, seniors groups, Rotary and Lions clubs, CFA brigades and other community organisations. The building has also been used by the Township Committee/Connecting Cockatoo Communities, Neighbourhood Watch, CRAG 21, Forest Fire Management and the CFA District Office.

As we celebrate this 10th anniversary, we thank everyone who has contributed to the Centre’s journey and invite the community to visit, remember, learn and be part of its continuing history.

Open Sundays from 11am to 3pm. Free entry.

Address

2 McBride Street
Cockatoo, VIC
3781

Opening Hours

11am - 3pm

Telephone

+61419949694

Website

http://awbec.webs.com/

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