On Friday 9 January, during a day with a Catastrophic Fire Rating, a grassfire started between 2 and 3pm at Fogartys Gap Road in Ravenswood and by 5pm it had crossed Calder Freeway. Emergency warnings to ‘Leave Immediately’ were issued at 7pm for Harcourt and areas to the east towards Sutton Grange.

The fire burned through the Harcourt township and travelled up Mount Alexander/Leanganook. Communications towers were damaged, causing TV and radio to go offline and adding to the uncertainty in the emergency.

Hundreds of trucks and crew turned out from the various firefighting agencies, including all the local CFA teams, working in shifts to fight the blaze (that – as the TT [Tarrangower Times] is sent off to print on Wednesday – is not yet under control.)

During the days following the fire, locals were unable to immediately return due to safety hazards, including spot fires, damaged power poles and burnt-out trees.

Updates and steps to relief and recovery were provided by Incident Controller Michael Masters during community meetings at Castlemaine Town Hall and online. Assessment of the extent of the damage was slow, but Mr Masters stated on Sunday 11 January that 46 houses and several outbuildings were destroyed, with six damaged.

Important community buildings that have been saved by “good luck and the actions of the firefighters” include: Harcourt Primary School, the Harcourt Valley Community House and the Recreation Reserve. A number of businesses were significantly impacted, but the General Store, Rodilesea Nursery, Charcoal Chicken and the Post Office are still standing, while the newly opened Victorian Miniature Railway is damaged but intact.

This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 16 January 2026.