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Fleeing Flock of Roseate Cockatoos

God's messengers foretell the inevitable

Ash began falling over Halls Gap Victoria (23.1.06) as firefighters reported embers on the outskirts of the township.

Then came God's messengers

dozens of screeching cockatoos

Fleeing what looked like impending doom as the sky darkened and then suddenly brightened as the sun pierced the smoke.

The cockatoos were followed by the thump, thump of two helicopter waterbombers, swooping low over the Baptist Church Camp, adding another layer of anxiety in the small valley flanked by the Mt William Range to the east and Wonderland Range to the west. "It's time to go," CFA staging area manager Peter Todd said. With that went anyone who didn't have to be in Halls Gap to save property or lives.

As it was, the threat from just a few kilometres away appeared to abate within half an hour. But only for now.

The CFA is braced for the heatwave to return and the inevitability of further threats to the Grampians, which have been devastated by a series of summer fires.

The damage is not limited to one of Victoria's most stunning and significant parks.

Up to eight houses are feared destroyed beyond the Mt William Range, east and southeast of Halls Gap. The worst hit areas are Pomonal and Moyston, while Stawell and Ararat, more than two hours west of Melbourne, continue to be under threat of fire.

To add to confusion, much of western Victoria was blanketed by at times impenetrable smoke, masking the damage and making it difficult for aerial craft to assess the progress of the fire.

Bushfires

Changes to patterns of bushfires in eastern Australia since European settlement have also contributed to the loss of habitat for the Glossy Black cockatoo. Casuarina trees are very fire sensitive, and are easily killed in an intense fire. Large dead trees where the birds nest may also be destroyed in a fire.

Glossy Black Cockatoo

The impact on fauna and flora will be immense.

Up to 50,000 head of stock and hundreds of kilometres of fences are feared destroyed. A small farm between Halls Gap and Stawell suffered dearly. Almost all the internal fencing and nearly all the pasture (480ha in total).

Luckily sheep and cattle were saved."It's pretty hard to handle," quoted the farmer,"but it's not as bad as many others."It makes you very upset." ©Herald Sun 24 January 2006

For further information on Australia's wonderful fauna visit::

Australian Fauna