News
Neighbourhood Safer Places are Places of Last Resort
Places of Last Resort are identified buildings or spaces within the community that may afford some protection from radiant heat, the biggest killer during bushfire. They are a place of last resort in emergencies only.Neighbourhood Safer Places are Places of Last Resort
Places of Last Resort have been assessed by CFA in some towns across Victoria. The table below displays the Places of Last Resort that have been assessed as compliant against CFA's Neighbourhood Safer Places Assessment Guidelines - pdf 00k. Designated fire refuges are also listed below.
Category: Community Information
Posted on: 07 Dec 2009
| Please note: The places of last resort listed as compliant below are subject to further assessment by municipalities as required by new State Legislation before their approval can be provided. Approval from property owners will be obtained before designating locations on private property. As such these locations are NOT YET designated as formal Places of Last Resort. This web page will be updated as councils make designation decisions. Locations on private land assessed as compliant with the guidelines have not been included in the list below. Local municipalities must reach agreement with 39 land owners before such sites can be designated and communicated. |
Important Information
Places of Last Resort may afford some protection from radiant heat, the biggest killer during bushfire. However, the degree of safety afforded by the location will depend on a number of factors, including the intensity of the bushfire. Please be aware of the following risks associated with Places of Last Resort:
- Going to a Place of Last Resort is an option of last resort when other plans have failed.
- Places of Last Resort are not an alternative to planning to either leaving early or staying and actively defend your property.
- They are not inherently "safe" places during a bushfire.
- Many houses will provide more effective protection than Places of Last Resort.
- Travelling to a Places of Last Resort may be dangerous. Traffic congestion, fire activity, heavy smoke, accidents or fallen trees may block the route there.
- There is no guarantee that you will not be injured or killed by fire or radiant heat when travelling to or sheltering at a Place of Last Resort.
- While emergency services will make every effort to protect people sheltering at Places of Last Resort, there is no guarantee that emergency services will be present.
- There will be no provision for pets.
- There will generally be limited parking. Large numbers of vehicles may further compromise what little protection the area affords.
- No amenities (eg. food, drinks, toilets) will be provided.
Places of Last Resort are not designed to replace a personal bushfire survival plan. CFA advises that everyone should have a written Bushfire Survival Plan that includes the actions in the Understanding Fire Danger Ratings brochure - pdf 310k.
Places of Last Resort will not exist in all communities. In some instances there may not be a Place of Last Resort identified in your local area or close to your home.
Please visit this page regularly to ensure that you have the latest information on Places of Last Resort.
Places of Last Resort – Compliant with CFA Guidelines
These places of last resort have been assessed by CFA and are compliant with CFA’s Guidelines.
| Municipality | Township | Location | Address |
| Ararat | Pomonal | Pomonal Recreation Reserve | |
| Ballarat | Ballarat | Ballarat CBD | Sturt St |
| Ballarat | Bunninyong | Buninyong South Football Ground | Warrenheip St, Buninyong |
| Ballarat | Mt.Clear/Mt Helen | Canadian Lakes Boulevard | Canadian Lakes Boulevard, Mt.Clear |
| Bass Coast | Inverloch | CBD location | 3 Riley St |
| Cardinia | Cockatoo | Sports Ground building only | Lot 2 Mountain Rd |
| Cardinia | Gembrook | Community Hall | 1 Beenak East Rd |
| Cardinia | Upper Beaconsfield | In the street | Valley Drive |
| Cardinia | Upper Beaconsfield | In the street | Rosebank Lane |
| City of Greater Geelong | Steiglitz (Maude) | Anakie Reserve | De Motts Rd, Anakie |
| East Gippsland | Cann River | Cann River P12 School | 18 Tamboon Rd |
| East Gippsland | Mallacoota | Mallacoota Foreshore | Coull's Point to Captain's Point |
| Glenelg | Bolwarra | Portland Civic Hall Car Park | 38 Bentinck St, Portland |
| Golden Plains Shire | Rokewood | Rokewood Shopping Strip | Ferrars Street |
| Greater Bendigo | Bendigo | Queen Elizabeth Oval | View St, Bendigo |
| Greater Bendigo | Bendigo | Strath Village | Condon St, Kennington |
| Greater Bendigo | Bendigo | Strathfieldsaye Primary School | Uxbridge St, Strathfieldsaye |
| Greater Bendigo | Eaglehawk | Canterbury Park Eaglehawk | Simpsons Rd, Eaglehawk |
| Greater Bendigo | Kangaroo Flat | Dower Park | Station St, Kangaroo Flat |
| Greater Bendigo | Maiden Gully | Maiden Gully Primary School | Carolyn Way, Maiden Gully |
| Hepburn | Creswick | Creswick Visitor Information Centre | Ballarat Rd, Creswick |
| Hepburn | Creswick | Lindsay Park | Luttet St, Creswick |
| Hepburn | Daylesford | Daylesford Secondary College | Smith St, Daylesford |
| Hepburn | Daylesford | Daylesford Town Hall | Vincent St., Daylesford |
| Hepburn | Trentham | Trentham CBD | Bridge St, Trentham |
| Macedon Ranges | Macedon/Mt.Macedon | Tony Clark Recreation Reserve | Waterfalls Rd, Macedon |
| Macedon Ranges | Woodend | Buffalo Stadium | Tylden Rd, Woodend |
| Manningham | Warrandyte / North Warrandyte | Domeney Reserve Pavilion | Knees Rd, Park Orchards |
| Manningham | Warrandyte / North Warrandyte | Mullum Mullum Reserve Hockey Pavilion | Cnr Reynolds and Springvale Rds, Donvale |
| Manningham | Warrandyte / North Warrandyte | Warrandyte Main Street Shopping Strip | Heidelberg – Warrandyte Rd |
| Manningham | Warrandyte / North Warrandyte | Warrandyte Reserve Building | Taroona Ave, Warrandyte |
| Moorabool | Greendale | Greendale Recreation Reserve | High St, Greendale |
| Mornington Peninsula | St.Andrews/Rye | Fairways South West of St Andrews Golf Club | Fairways South West of St Andrews Golf Club |
| Mornington Peninsula | St.Andrews/Rye | Rye Shopping Strip and foreshore | Rye Township east of Dundas St |
| Moyne | Peterborough | Peterborough Monument Carpark & golf course | Irvine St, Peterborough |
| Mt.Alexandra | Castlemaine | Campbells Creek Primary School | Midland Highway, Campbells Creek |
| Mt.Alexandra | Castlemaine | Castlemaine Secondary College | Castlemaine Secondary College Junior Campus |
| Mt.Alexandra | Castlemaine | Western Reserve Castlemaine | Wheeler Street, Castlemaine |
| Northern Grampians | Halls Gap | Halls Gap Tourist Centre | Grampians Rd, Halls Gap |
| Northern Grampians | St.Arnaud | King Georges Park St Arnaud | |
| Northern Grampians | St.Arnaud | Lord Nelson Park | Charlton Rd, St.Arnaud |
| South Gippsland | Andersons Inlet Townships (Waratah Bay) | Foreshore | |
| Southern Grampians | Dunkeld | Dunkeld Bowling Club & Dunkeld Tennis Courts | Sterling St, Dunkeld. |
| Surf Coast Shire | Anglesea | Anglesea River Bank | Great Ocean Rd, Anglesea |
| Surf Coast Shire | Anglesea | Anglesea Shopping Strip | Great Ocean Rd, Anglesea |
| Surf Coast Shire | Lorne | Point Grey | Great Ocean Rd, Lorne |
| Yarra Ranges | Dandenong Ranges | Belgrave Main Street Shopping Strip | Main Street Belgrave |
| Yarra Ranges | Dandenong Ranges | Belgrave Public Library | Reynolds Lane, Belgrave |
| Yarra Ranges | Dandenong Ranges | Belgrave Recreation Reserve | Reserve Road, Belgrave |
| Yarra Ranges | Dandenong Ranges | Ferny Creek Primary School | School Road, Ferny Creek |
| Yarra Ranges | Dandenong Ranges | Monbulk Shopping Strip | Main Rd, Monbulk |
| Yarra Ranges | Dandenong Ranges | Monbulk Soccer, Football and Bowling Club | Moores Rd, Monbulk |
| Yarra Ranges | Dandenong Ranges | Olinda Main Street Shopping Strip | Olinda-Monbulk Rd |
| Yarra Ranges | Dandenong Ranges | Olinda Rear Of Shops | Parsons Lane, Olinda |
| Yarra Ranges | Dandenong Ranges | Upwey DRCCC "Burinja" Complex | Matson Drive, Upwey |
| Yarra Ranges | Dandenong Ranges | Upwey Main Street Shopping Strip | Burwood Hwy, Upwey |
| Yarra Ranges | Dandenong Ranges | Upwey Primary School Building | Burwood Hwy, Upwey |
| Yarra Ranges | Dandenong Ranges | Upwey Recreation Reserve | Chosen Avenue, Upwey |
| Yarra Ranges | Lilydale | Lilydale Reserve | Maroondah Highway |
| Yarra Ranges | Powelltown | Powelltown Grounds Dugout | Surry Road, Poweltown |
| Yarra Ranges | Reefton | Upper Yarra Dam Visitors Centre | Twenty Two Road |
| Yarra Ranges | Warburton | Warburton Sports Ground | Warburton Highway |
| Yarra Ranges | Yarra Junction | Yarra Junction Recreation Reserve | Park Road |
Fire Refuges
A fire refuge is defined as a place designated for public use where people may seek short term shelter from the fire-front during a bushfire.
The table below lists the designated fire refuges.
| Municipality | Township | Location | Address |
| Mansfield | Woods Point | The Addit | Bridge Street, Woods |