VPRS 16681 2009 Victorian Bushfires Fire Recovery Photo Point Library

Full description

The photographs in this series were created to document the recovery of fire-affected threatened species and ecosystems following the 2009 Victorian Black Saturday bushfires. They are from the Kilmore-Murrindindi fire area, which includes Kinglake and Marysville townships. The photographs are in digital format.

A total of 31 photo points were established throughout the fire area soon after the fires by staff of the then Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE). The aim was to create a series of time-sequenced images for future research and reference. Coverage varies from point to point but overall the aim was to photograph the surrounding area at each point looking North, South, East and West, at 1.5m above ground level in a horizontal plane and from a downward facing angle of 45 degrees (Note that the elevation for point 17 was set to 1.7m to overcome thick vegetation). The first photographs were taken in April 2009 and the last in March 2011. At the time it was envisaged that volunteers might continue to take photographs and add to those taken by DSE but it's not known if this has occurred or not.

Information recorded against each photograph includes perspective, date, location, and geo-spatial coordinates.

The project was number 13 of thirty-one established by DSE relating to natural values recovery in the period following the Black Saturday fires. The projects were funded as part of the 'Rebuilding Together' state-wide recovery plan. DSE planned to publish a report titled Project No 13: Development of a Photo Point Library and Image Collection to Record Nature's Response to a Bushfire; Black Saturday, Victoria 2009- Natural Values Fire Recovery Program. Expert commentary was also compiled to accompany the photos. Neither the report nor commentary has been transferred to Public Record Office Victoria at this stage.