Melbourne man Ben Alderson’s new home in Gippsland gets engulfed by flames on settlement date

It was going to be the perfect tree change, but a Melbourne man who bought his dream property in East Gippsland has to start from scratch after it was destroyed by fire.

A Melbourne man who purchased a property in a small Gippsland town is picking up the pieces after it was destroyed by fire on settlement date.

Ben Alderson, who works in the sales department at CASE Victoria, was expected to move into his new Woolenook home — north of Briagolong — on Sunday October 1.

But he never got the chance to move in after it was destroyed on Grand Final weekend.

Mr Alderson told the Herald Sun the fires damaged majority of his 24ha, destroying his home and four of seven cabins.

“Most the cabins out there have been burnt up and people have been telling me my house is gone, some people are telling me it might be OK, but I know I’ve lost a fair bit of it,” Mr Alderson said.

“We got a phone call Sunday morning saying ‘have you guys seen the fires?’ and I didn’t know anything about it as my reception was pretty average in the area.”

Mr Alderson said himself and friends tried to clear trees out from the cabins prior to the fires reaching the town.

Although Mr Alderson's new home was damaged in the Gippsland bushfires, he said you have to “keep on going”. Picture: Jack Colantuono

Mr Alderson returned home a week after the fires destroyed his property.

“While we were down there we decided well, if the fires are coming we are better being safe than sorry and we turned on all the sprinklers around the house and then we pretty much got told to evacuate immediately as the fire was on its way,” he said.

“We ducked out of town and kept an eye on the VicEmergency app and pretty much just watched as the lines (fire) went across the property.

“Luckily for me I have customers that live down that way so they have been able to look at the property and tell me about it and talk to fire brigades.”

The Gippsland blaze engulfed the majority of the property, including a car.

Mr Alderson said he hoped insurance would help with the damage bill.

“It’s pretty devastating — you finally buy a property and then get a chance to move into it — it just really sucks you know,” he said.

“You finally get up there and the weekend you’re there the fire has come along and you’ve just got to hope for the best.

“Unfortunately it is what it is and you just have to keep on going.”

The 24ha property suffered major damage.

A partially destroyed shed on the property.

The damage was widespread across the property.

Mr Alderson’s advice on preparing for bushfire season was to ensure you always keep water around your home and have water in the gutters to prevents leaves from catching fire.

“Make sure you clear all the trees around your house as much as possible, try and keep big gaps so it’s harder for the fire to travel,” he said.

“Do what you can but at the end of the day, your house isn’t worth your life.”