The bushfires that ravaged the coast from Aireys Inlet to Eastern View on Wednesday 16 February 1983 were the most devastating event of the last century in our region. The fires had a profound impact on everyone who lived through them.

Unlike some other communities that experienced Ash Wednesday, the people of Aireys Inlet and district have never been invited to record their stories. On the 40th anniversary of the fires, this project rectifies that silence.