From the Heart: Remembering the 2009 Victorian Bushfires at Melbourne Museum

Melbourne Museum to open From the Heart: Remembering the 2009 Victorian Bushfires activation, on February 5

Young kangaroos at the Wildhaven Wildlife Shelter on 13 October 2009. All of the animals at Wildhaven perished on Black Saturday, 7 February, 2009. These kangaroos were the first wildlife brought to Wildhaven following the fires. Source – Museums Victoria. Photographer – Stella Reid."

February 2019 marks the 10 Year Anniversary of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires, one of the most significant natural disasters Victoria has experienced. Museums Victoria will respectfully commemorate the 2009 Victorian Bushfires with a poignant new installation at Melbourne Museum.

From the Heart, developed in collaboration with the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), focuses on processes of ecological recovery and regeneration. Large photographs of Victorian environments affected by fire which have since returned to health convey overtones of hope. They sit alongside photographs of DELWP initiatives focused on staff and community wellbeing.

Complementing these images, select objects from Museums Victoria’s Victorian Bushfires Collection will be displayed. They include artworks, written communications, photographs and damaged objects. Seen together, they signify connection, hope, community, love, and dedication. They are but a small part of a rich contemporary and cross-disciplinary collection that continues to grow as communities and environment regenerate.

Visitors are invited to reflect when moving about the space, and to contribute to an interactive Tree of Remembrance by writing a message of hope.

From the Heart sits alongside commemorations presented by the Victorian State Government, Victorian Police Museum, Parks Victoria, DELWP, and community-led commemorations.

Free entry for those impacted by the 2009 Victorian Bushfires. Please request at the Melbourne Museum ticketing desk.

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Media and Communications Team
Museums Victoria
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