Kingborough Council, in collaboration with the Channel Museum, has announced a call for community contributions to a significant exhibition commemorating the 60th anniversary of the devastating 1967 Tasmanian bushfires. The exhibition aims to gather and share personal stories, photographs, and artefacts from those who experienced the catastrophic event, or have family connections to it.
The initiative seeks to preserve the memories and impact of the “Black Tuesday” bushfires, which occurred on 7 February 1967. These fires remain the deadliest in Tasmania’s recorded history, claiming 64 lives and injuring 900 people. The widespread destruction saw 1,293 homes and over 1,700 other buildings destroyed across southern Tasmania within a mere five hours. Areas from near Hamilton and Bothwell to the D’Entrecasteaux Channel, including Snug, were severely impacted, with extensive damage to agricultural properties in the Channel, Derwent Valley, and Huon Valley. The fires also ravaged forests, public infrastructure, and properties around Mount Wellington, as well as numerous small towns east of Hobart and along the Derwent estuary. The Kingborough municipality itself saw large-scale fruit production virtually cease due to the fires, with many orchards never re-established.
Acting Mayor Christian Street noted the importance of the exhibition in honouring the past and ensuring these memories are shared with the wider community, according to Kingborough Council’s announcement. The exhibition is scheduled to run throughout February 2027 and will be displayed across Kingborough.
Community members are encouraged to contribute their experiences, photographs, memorabilia, or artefacts that help tell this crucial story. Selected stories may be respectfully filmed for inclusion in the exhibition. The Channel Museum, located in Margate, holds historical significance in relation to the 1967 bushfires, with its history noting the formation of local clubs after the fires.
Those wishing to contribute can contact Kingborough Council directly. Further details regarding submissions are available through the Council, with enquiries able to be directed via phone at 6211 8229 or email at kc@kingborough.tas.gov.au. This collaborative effort between Kingborough Council and the Channel Museum provides a vital opportunity to reflect on, share, and remember the profound impact of the 1967 bushfires on the Tasmanian community.