‘Absolutely heartbroken’: Gippsland footy club’s history goes up in flames

Members of a Gippsland footy and netball club are reeling after a suspicious blaze destroyed its clubrooms and all of its memorabilia and team photos just days after it was vandalised.

The Fish Creek footy netball club rooms have been burnt down in a suspicious blaze on Saturday morning. Pictures: Supplied

Almost $20,000 has been raised for the Fish Creek Football Netball Club after an early morning blaze destroyed the club’s rooms and more than 100 years of memorabilia.

The club started a GoFundMe on Saturday, which saw hundreds of kind-hearted locals donate their hard-earned in just a few hours.

“Our club and community are gutted by this senseless act of violence,” it read.

“It has been the hub of the Fish Creek community for so very many years.

“It will take years for us to rebuild and we need to have something in place, even if temporary, to get us moving again for the next season.

“Any help will be so gratefully received.”

At 6pm on Saturday, $18,530 had been raised.

The fire broke out about 5am on Saturday and took firefighters over an hour to extinguish.

Firefighters have deemed the fire suspicious and arson squad investigators attended the scene on Saturday morning.

A Fire Rescue Victoria spokesperson said the blaze “completely destroyed” the football and netball clubrooms.

The Fish Creek Football Netball Club has lost everything in the blaze.

The Fish Creek Kangaroos’ president Ray Stefani said the fire was “absolutely heartbreaking”.

He said it was a sad day for the club.

The club owns the building that was destroyed, with more than 130 years of “priceless” memories and trophies destroyed in the blaze.

“It’s devastating for the whole community the place will need a total rebuild,” he said.

“There was so much history lost as well.

“You can rebuild the building but we’ll never be able to replace those physical memories like the trophy cabinets and honour boards, they’re all gone.

“Steal alcohol and TVs but why burn it down?”

Fish Creek is regarded as the state’s most successful regional football team, having won 37 senior premierships including the 2023 flag.

Arson squad investigators will attend the scene on Saturday.

The club has described the fire as “absolutely heartbreaking”.

Crews were still at the scene at 7.30am.

The cause of the blaze is yet to be determined.

Three days ago the clubrooms were broken into and the canteen vandalised.

But Mr Stefani said club officials would not give up and had already started planning for life without their clubrooms and social club next year.

“We’ll keep the place going, there are a lot of determined people at this club and we’ve already received a lot of support”.

The clubrooms are a popular community event space, with the local primary school using the venue for its annual Christmas lunch.

Fish Creek Mayor Nathan Hersey said the community would be devastated at the loss.

“In any small town, sports at the heart of the town and in Fish Creek there is no exception,” he said.

“They have lost a meeting place and a place with so much history.

“I know there will be a lot of very upset people.

“The council will look at emergency options for change rooms for next season and ways to support the Fish Creek community.”

Fish Creek locals took to Facebook to support the local football club following the incidents.

“Thinking of every person who has put so much time and love into this great club,” one post read.

“I’m so sorry this happened, there are so many things that can’t be replaced, it is just devastating,” said another.

“This is just shattering for the club and the community,” said a third.

Fish Creek has produced its fair share of VFL/AFL footballers, including Footscray’s Barry Standfield, Adelaide’s Wayne Weidemann, Collingwood’s Graeme Dunstan and Gold Coast’s Sam Flanders.