Photo gallery: 55 years since Hobart’s blackest day

On the 55th anniversary of Hobart’s deadly Black Tuesday bushfires, firefighters are warning residents to stay on top of their bushfire survival plans.

The Mercury

less than 2 min read

February 7, 2022 - 2:35PM

Mercury

1/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ). 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. G5122/4 Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part Three "Derwent Valley and Northern Suburbs" page 3 A Bridgewater house and outbuildings fully engulfed by flames.

2/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ). 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. G5122/41 Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part One "Hobart and Suburbs" page 5 Witnesses said fire went through these Forest Rd homes “like a saw”, razing 16 houses in the West Hobart street.

3/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ). 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. G5122/40 Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part Two "Channel and Huon" page 10 The scene of devastation on the Channel Hwy at Kingston where the losses included the two-storey Masonic Lodge building.

4/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ). 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. G5122/12 Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part Two "Channel and Huon" page 2 When these three cars were parked near the carbide factory at Electrona on the morning of February 7, 1967, there had been a house there to shelter them.

5/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ). 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. G5122 Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part Three "Derwent Valley and Northern Suburbs" page 3 Volunteers trying to save houses at Bridgewater used a wheelchair to evacuate Mrs L. Barwick from her home before it was destroyed.

6/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ). 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. G5122/14 Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part Three "Derwent Valley and Northern Suburbs" page 4 A house and car destroyed in Riverview Parade, Rosetta.

7/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ). 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. G5122/13 Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part Two "Channel and Huon" page 10 The remains of a house and car on Roslyn Ave, Kingston.

8/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ). 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. G5122/11 Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part Two "Channel and Huon" page 5 The carbide factory at Electrona resembled a war zone and was still on fire when the Mercury’s photographer captured this image.

9/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ). 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. G5122/ Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part One "Hobart and Suburbs" page 7 Another home in Forest Road, West Hobart. "At least I'm lucky to be alive" said the owner after surveying the damage.

10/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ). 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. G5122/ Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part One "Hobart and Suburbs" page 7 Forest Rd in West Hobart came to represent the destruction that was visited upon the capital city.

Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ) disaster. 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. Mercury Archive Historical Fire Disaster 1967 Tasmanian Bushfires G5126_ Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part One

11/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ) disaster. 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. Mercury Archive Historical Fire Disaster 1967 Tasmanian Bushfires G5126_ Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part One "Hobart and Suburbs" page 15 Volunteers helped to sort the thousands of donated items.

12/30Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part One "Hobart and Suburbs" page 4 50th anniversary of the 1967 Tasmanian bushfire disaster. The smoky haze in Brisbane St, central Hobart, on Black Tuesday. Picture: Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.

Devastation on Summerleas Rd, Fern Tree, near Hobart, after the Black Tuesday bushfire disaster of February 7, 1967. Supplied photo - must credit Don Stephens. Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part On

13/30Devastation on Summerleas Rd, Fern Tree, near Hobart, after the Black Tuesday bushfire disaster of February 7, 1967. Supplied photo - must credit Don Stephens. Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part On "Hobart and Suburbs" page 12 Burnt-out cars and chimney stacks along Summerleas Rd. Picture: Don Stephens

Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ). Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. G9690/ Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part Five

14/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ). Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. G9690/ Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part Five "Aftermath and Recovery" page 012 The day before the first anniversary of Black Tuesday, firefighters were tackling a scrub fire at Glenorchy.

Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ) disaster. Prince Phillip visits Hobart in the aftermath of the fires. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. Mercury Archive Historical Fire Disaster 1967 Tasmanian Bushfires G5396/ Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part Five

15/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ) disaster. Prince Phillip visits Hobart in the aftermath of the fires. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. Mercury Archive Historical Fire Disaster 1967 Tasmanian Bushfires G5396/ Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part Five "Aftermath and Recovery" page 010 Prince Philip was mobbed every time he stepped out of his car during his four-hour tour of fire-affected areas of southern Tasmania, especially at Snug.

16/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ) disaster. 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. Mercury Archive Historical Fire Disaster 1967 Tasmanian Bushfires G5185 Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part Two "Channel and Huon" page 3 This sign was all that remained of St Mary’s Catholic Church at Snug.

17/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ) disaster. 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. Mercury Archive Historical Fire Disaster 1967 Tasmanian Bushfires G5235/7 Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part Two "Channel and Huon" page 13 The happy face of a child unaware of the horrors experienced at Snug in February 1967.

18/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ) disaster. 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. Mercury Archive Historical Fire Disaster 1967 Tasmanian Bushfires G5144/17 Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part One "Hobart and Suburbs" page 11 A band of workers cleaning up a home in Waterworks Rd, which was one of the badly-hit districts.

19/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ) disaster. 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. Mercury Archive Historical Fire Disaster 1967 Tasmanian Bushfires G5144/14 Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part One "Hobart and Suburbs" page 7 The Tasman Bridge and the remains of the original floating bridge emerging from the smoke that engulfed much of Hobart.

20/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ) disaster. 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. Mercury Archive Historical Fire Disaster 1967 Tasmanian Bushfires G5143/3 Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part Five "Aftermath and Recovery" page 002 Citizens Military Force Private (Army Reservist) Lorraine Whittaker, of Moonah, reading to children evacuated to the Brighton Army Camp, from left, Margaret Miller, 10, of South Hobart, Ursula Kasch, 8, of Fern Tree, and Raelee Fewkes, 4, from Lenah Valley.

21/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ) disaster. 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. Mercury Archive Historical Fire Disaster 1967 Tasmanian Bushfires G5128_ Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part One "Hobart and Suburbs" page 4 A pall of smoke hung over central Hobart at the height of the blaze.

22/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ) disaster. 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. Mercury Archive Historical Fire Disaster 1967 Tasmanian Bushfires G512/_7 Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part Four "South-East and The Volunteer Army" page 5 The charred eastern side of the Sorell township

23/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ) disaster. 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. Mercury Archive Historical Fire Disaster 1967 Tasmanian Bushfires G5127/24 Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part Three "Derwent Valley and Northern Suburbs" page 4 Otto Darko, of Collinsvale, raised a faint smile at the survival of a fire insurance agency sign from his big shed, destroyed alongside a new dinghy and valuable equipment.

24/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ) disaster. 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. Mercury Archive Historical Fire Disaster 1967 Tasmanian Bushfires G5127/10 Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part One "Hobart and Suburbs" page 15 A notice posted in front of the destroyed medical centre gave details of a temporary location for future medical clinics.

25/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ) disaster. 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. Mercury Archive Historical Fire Disaster 1967 Tasmanian Bushfires G5127_ Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part One "Hobart and Suburbs" page 3 The Taroona medical centre was left in ruins.

Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ) disaster. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. Mercury Archive Historical Fire Disaster 1967 Tasmanian Bushfires G5381/8 Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part Four South-East and the Volunteer Army

26/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ) disaster. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. Mercury Archive Historical Fire Disaster 1967 Tasmanian Bushfires G5381/8 Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part Four South-East and the Volunteer Army" page 10 The Royal Hobart Hospital reported that some of the Black Tuesday burns victims owed their lives to the Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service.

Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ). Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. G5273/1 Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part Three

27/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ). Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. G5273/1 Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part Three "Derwent Valley and Northern Suburbs" page 4 A bulldozer dumps the final scoop of rubble from what had been the last house on Barossa Rd at Glenorchy, the home of Mr and Mrs L.F. Isles and family.

28/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ) disaster. 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. Mercury Archive Historical Fire Disaster 1967 Tasmanian Bushfires G5267/1 Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part Four South-East and the Volunteer Army" page 11 Permission was given for the supply of beer to hospitalised bushfire victims. Ian Young, of North Bruny, who was burnt while trying to outrun the bushfire on a tractor, received his ration from Red Cross worker Mrs D. Hughes.

29/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ) disaster. 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. Mercury Archive Historical Fire Disaster 1967 Tasmanian Bushfires G5209/06 Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part One "Hobart and Suburbs" page 12 Eighty-year-old Bill McDermott singlehandedly saved his house and his faithful dog called Brandy Shamrock McShane, but lost his barn, stable and milking shed on his isolated property off the Ridgeway Rd.

30/30Mercury Historical Archive image. 1967 ( nineteen sixty seven ) Hobart bushfire ( bush fire ) disaster. 7 February 1967. Historical / Hobart / Mercury / film scan. Mercury Archive Historical Fire Disaster 1967 Tasmanian Bushfires G5136_03 Published Black Tuesday 50th Anniversary Part One "Hobart and Suburbs" page 11 Elizabeth High School art teacher Mr J. McDonald’s clay self-portrait was practically the only thing left of his Strickland Ave home.

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