Bendigo miner Brendan Helmore sentenced for starting a bushfire

A Bendigo miner has heard his fate in court after he lit more than 30 fires at a popular camping spot in the state’s north while he “feared for his life”.

A Bendigo miner lit than 30 fires while camping at Ulupna island on the Easter weekend of 2024.

A Bendigo miner who lit more than 30 fires at a popular camping spot in the state’s north has avoided jail despite a magistrate calling it serious offending.

Brendan Helmore, 45, was sentenced in Shepparton County Court on Thursday having earlier pleaded guilty for intentionally causing a bushfire and possessing methylamphetamine.

On the Easter weekend of 2024, Helmore was camping at Ulupna island, along with about 2000 others.

After consuming methylamphetamine the night before, Helmore went for a walk in the bush, became distressed and delusional that he was dehydrated and when he couldn’t find water he “feared for his life”.

The court heard he lit the fires to get the attention of an aircraft he saw fly overhead and when it did not work he continued to light more.

The court heard his psychosis meant he could not reason that his actions were wrong and could have been caused by schizophrenia or a significant head injury he suffered in 2017.

Helmore was on personal leave from his job at a West Australian-based mining company, where he worked as an underground operator at the time.

Brendan Helmore, 45, was sentenced in Shepparton County Court on Thursday for intentionally causing a bushfire and possessing methylamphetamine.

Judge Robyn Harper said it was serious offending due to the “sheer number of fires and large number of campers”.

She said it was fortunate there was little wind that day and witnesses were able to call emergency services quickly.

It took four hours for the fires to be brought under control by 30 CFA units, and a further seven days for the area to be deemed safe.

Judge Harper said Helmore accepted responsibility for his actions and co-operated with police by making full admissions.

She said the community was best protected if Helmore ensured his mental health remained stable.

He was sentenced to 236 days in prison, reckoned as time served and handed an 18-month community corrections order which included requirements for drug use and mental health treatment and programs to reduce reoffending.