Blackburn Football Club pre-season camp at East Gippsland to support bushfire-ravaged region
A Blackburn footy club’s senior coach is helping keep bushfire-ravaged Victorian businesses afloat by moving his club’s pre-season training camp to Lakes Entrance — and he is urging others to “get in their cars and get up there”.
East
Don't miss out on the headlines from East . Followed categories will be added to My News.
A suburban footy club is heading to Lakes Entrance for its pre-season training camp in support of the bushfire-devastated town.
Blackburn Football Club senior coach Brendan Allen urged people to visit Victorian tourist towns affected by the state’s devastating bushfires, saying businesses “will fall over” in the aftermath of the crisis.
The club mentor backed his call-out by organising for players to head to East Gippsland for the three-day trip from February 14.
Allen, who hails from Lakes Entrance, said the fires had torn through the community right at the peak of its most important time of year.
“Come winter you can shoot a cannon up the main street. They really rely on 10 weeks of business a year to keep them afloat for the other 42,” he said.
“There will be businesses fall over on the back of this so they need as many people to get in their cars and get up there as they can.”
Allen will put the Burners through their paces in a training session, but the trip will also include a hit of minigolf, a cruise on the Gippsland Lakes and a night out at a local restaurant.
The Lakes Entrance Football Club and coaches of other nearby clubs will also be invited to participate in the training session.
“There are past players who have lost everything and footy clubs can really do great things to support those in need,” Allen said.
MORE: TRIPLE-0 OPERATOR FEELS HEAT
MESSAGES OF SUPPORT FOR FIRE TOWNS
PROPERTY OWNERS GET FIRE NOTICES
Allen said he was grateful to a Phillip Island business for allowing the club to change the plans for its camp.
“We were booked in down there but he was gracious enough to say, ‘No, go and spend some money up (at Lakes Entrance)’,” he said.
“He could have charged us a cancellation fee but didn’t so it was a fantastic gesture.”