Business Victoria has offered an online Tourism Business Fire Ready Kit in the hope that a written plan may save lives and preparation can help businesses return to operation quicker after the threat of fire has passed.  

Mount Franklin Chocolate Mill owner Nicki Straton said their business’ fire plan was put to test when a grass fire on the Midland Highway in February last year came within one kilometre of the property. 

“We were on a watch and act alert,” Ms Straton said. 

“At the time we advised our customers that we were aware of the issue and let them know the meeting point was in car park.”

Ms Straton said she had recently checked to ensure their sprinkler system was in working order at the edge of their property and on their roof. 

Popular garden getaway Garden of St Erth is located in the middle of the forest near Blackwood. 

Head gardener and chief fire warden Julian Blackhirst said the business would not open on a code red or extreme fire day because of their dense forest location. Visitors are registered as they enter the property on total fire ban days so the team can account for all on site if evacuation is required.

“If there is any kind of bushfire threat to Daylesford or Macedon, as it is not that far through the bush, we preemptively evacuate,” Mr Blackhirst said.  

“Our main goal is to not be there if we can if there is any kind of threat. We have had to do that a couple of times. Certainly when Black Saturday happened and there was a bushfire in Musk we evacuated.”

Daylesford’s Lake House said it had been at least five years since the team had to put their bushfire plan into practice, but staff monitored the Vic Emergency website on days of high fire danger. 

“The guests would be communicated to via phone and we would give guests due to arrive an advance call,” rooms division manager Edward Cole said. 

Creswick Woollen Mills owner Boaz Herszfeld said their bushfire plan accounted for the large number of Chinese visitors who may have a limited understanding of English. 

“For Chinese groups, we have very good communication with the tour bus operators, so we are able to help those groups even before they arrive with forward information,” Mr Herszfeld said.

“We have a large number of Chinese speaking staff and the third part is social media on our Weechat page (Chinese version of Facebook) where we will put out Chinese language warnings.”

Fire restrictions are now in force. The fire danger period will continue until May 1, 2018. Types of fires, certain types of work and use of certain machinery face strict conditions.

Visit http://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/warnings-restrictions/can/ for more information about fire restrictions. 

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