Lisa Neville, Police and Emergency Services Minister

The State Government will create a new bushfire museum and education centre to raise awareness of the history, stories and lessons of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires as well as other fires.

Location of the museum will be the subject of public consultation.

The Bushfire Anniversary Advisory Group has recommended creating a bushfire museum with a reflective space to commemorate the past and educate generations into the future.

The advisory group is chaired by the John Brumby and includes former Deputy Premier and Minister for Emergency Services Pat McNamara, Susan Pascoe and Ben Hubbard.

The public input will help inform future planning and design work – a process that will be led by Creative Victoria in consultation with the Office for the Victorian Government Architect.

The museum will also raise awareness of bushfires that have impacted Victoria, including the Ash Wednesday bushfires, the 1969 Lara fire and the 1939 Black Friday bushfires which burned around 20,000 square kilometres of land.

“This is about remembering those lives lost a decade ago and sharing the stories of those communities affected by the 2009 Victorian bushfires,” said Lisa Neville, Emergency Services Minister.