Bushfires: Gold Coast’s long history of fires destroying property in the 21st century

The Gold Coast is bracing for a summer of high bushfire risk after facing some of the toughest years and conditions mother nature has thrown at it since the dawn of the 21st century.

The Gold Coast has a long history of bushfires.

This week marks five years since the Hinterland was devastated by bushfires which saw the historic Binna Burra Lodge destroyed and 11 properties consumed by the blaze.

Now the city is bracing for a tough fire season, with tinderbox conditions and already unseasonably warm weather.

A new council report recently revealed nearly 2000 Gold Coast homes are at “intolerable” risk of being destroyed by bushfires.

City leaders insisting the region is better placed than ever to face the onslaught of a serious blaze while Binna Burra Lodge director Steve Noakes warned another major bushfire was inevitable – a matter of “when” rather than “if”.

Binna Burra Lodge's Steve Noakes was left devastated by the destruction of the once picturesque lodge Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

The city and Hinterland have faced several severe bushfires in the past 25 years, which firefighters have battled across the region.

In the year 2000 the Hinterland was swept with flames as bushfires ripped across the southeast.

Dry conditions saw fire erupt in the Tallebudgera Valley as well in bushland near Movie World.

While homes were threatened, there were no deaths.

Fire struck again twice in 2004 when the city saw two major bushfires.

Resident Les Trathen hosing down his home. Picture: David Clark

The first hit in on Saturday, August 14 when blazes broke out in Merrimac as well as at Tallai in the Hinterland.

Early that afternoon the flames tore through brush near Merrimac Primary school, lumping across Gooding Drive and threatening both the school and nearby St Michaels.

Merrimac deputy principal Wayne Jenks was working in his office at the school when he said he heard ‘what sounded like a huge storm’ outside.

Fire at Monaro Street Mudgeeraba. Picture: Ann-Louise Hovey

‘‘I went outside my office, saw smoke everywhere and there were flames underneath the buildings, and obviously knew I had to do something quickly,’’ he told the Bulletin in 2004.

‘‘There is only minor damage, but it looked pretty bad when I first opened the door and it could have been a lot worse if the wind picked up.’’

Although there was no major damage at the school, some pipes melted, the outside of some buildings were slightly burned and a garden recently planted by students was burned. The fire also came close to St Michael’s school oval.

Nearby, the Radisson Resort was briefly evacuated as flames came close. Many people evacuated their homes until the fire was under control.

The second bushfire of that year hit two months later in early October 2004.

Fire at Elevation Dve Wongawallan Picture: Glenn Hampson

At least five houses were destroyed in the Coast Hinterland during the blazes, which occurred between October 8-10 2004, the same weekend as that year’s federal election which saw John Howard’s final re-election.

Bulletin photographer Glenn Hampson captured a stunning image of the shimmering heat haze of the bushfire bearing down on a Wongawallan property, destroying it.

Hundreds of firefighters battled heat, and 60km/h winds, to save threatened homes in Helidon, Wongawallan in the Gold Coast Hinterland.

Gold Rural Fire Service group officer Len Jeavons told the Bulletin at the time the situation was severe.

‘‘The fire situation is still severe,’’ he said.

Bruce Byatt, acting assistant fire commissioner for the southeast region, said: ‘‘We’ve had worse fires, but it was one of the busiest firefighting days we can remember yesterday and unfortunately there is more ahead this weekend, and into the rest of the year,’’ he said.

About half a dozen houses in the Neranwood-Austinville hills came close to being destroyed over that weekend.