Melbourne, Thursday 2 February 1939

The Commission's policy of conserving undergrowth is definitely suicidal. While submitting that even light fires destroy a small percentage of young trees, is it not better to definitely conserve, say, 70 per cent of the forest at the expense of 30 per cent destroyed in the destruction of fire breaks and burning off rather than to hopelessly attempt to save 100 per cent and ultimately to lose 90 per cent for all time.

There was scrub country to the west which was on the lease of Yelland's area. Possibly undergrowth had been hoarded up for 20 years.

[The Commissioner]: What settlement existed there?
Apart from the brick house, there were 5 four-roomed cottages and a boarding house. There were double huts and two single huts. They were single rooms.

They were grouped around the mill?
Yes.

Timber came practically up to the dwellings?
Yes.

Did any petrol drums explode in the fire?
There were petrol drums and they added to the heat. Considerable damage was done through them.

We were in the brick house and petrol fumes were coming in. The drums were about a chain away from the brick house. Some were stacked within a few yards of the brick house but they were rolled away as fast as possible.

I understand that the roof got on fire and collapsed?
Yes.

Where did you shelter?
We took shelter in the brick house. We got the women there. There were 19 men, 5 women and 3 children. They were not all mill employees. Two of the men were employed by the Forests Commission.

About 6 or 8 of us remained outside to delay the destruction of the house as long as we could. We realised that the brick house would be destroyed. We had every tin filled with water and had beaters. Every one had a wet towel or handkerchief and that was the only hope of existing.

The strongest physically remained outside. Sparks were igniting the verandah and the tank stand. There was a cottage on the eastern side. We delayed the destruction of that as long as we could.

Ultimately it became ignited and the windows cracked with the heat. The window sashes ignited and the glass broke and the doors burst into flames. The people's belongings were put into two rooms but these became ignited.

They were a sitting room and a bedroom. When the smoke became too intense, and everybody was gasping for breath, the windows were forced up. They were smashed in one instance.

The occupants escaped to the west of the mill from the burning building and stood in groups on the burnt ground. I was the last one to go out of the brick house. I have been in fires before although not in as serious a fire as that.

While I have water, I can survive, but I could not understand what feeling was coming over me. I seemed to have a sort of sleepy feeling and was slowly losing my strength. I ultimately collapsed but I realised that my condition was due to the gases from the exploded drums and petrol and Dieseline.

At Fitzpatrick's mill where the fatality occurred, I would say there was more cleared [area] there than at Yelland's mill. They have a large log yard to the east and north-east of the mill. …I understand that immediately before the fire a full gang of men were engaged in clearing work on the western and north-western sides. They had horses hauling away logs.

[Mr. Gowans] Is there any other place where people could have taken shelter?
No, as regards shelter. I would say that their only hope of escape was in the log yard because it was bare ground.

Do you know why they did not take shelter there?
From what I have observed since the fire, it appears that everybody was too intent on saving his personal belongings at the expense of his life. Blankets and clothing were stacked in the log yard. They became ignited, and the intensity of the smoke from the clothing forced people away.

Where had [George] Sellars taken refuge?
On the south western side of the mill.

What experience have you had of saw-milling?
Since about 18 months ago.

How long have you been in the bush?
All my life bar about 3 years.

How old are you?
30 years.

[Mr. Lawrence]: Up to the time of this fire, had you any acute appreciation of the intense fire danger at Yelland's mill?
Yes.

Was that shared by other employees at the mill?
Definitely, no. They told me I did not know what I was talking about.

Read more about the Matlock deaths in the Map Section