ACT Heritage Library Manuscript Collection
HMSS 0358 Sarah Sowry 2003 Bushfires Diary
Call Number | HMSS 0358 |
---|---|
Collection | Sarah Sowry 2003 Bushfires Diary |
Date Range | 2003 |
Quantity | 0.01m (1 wallet) |
Access Conditions | open |
Copying conditions | orphan work |
Related Collections | HMSS 0238 Wrap Up Canberra Records |
The Canberra bushfires of 2003 caused severe damage to the outskirts of Canberra. Almost 70% of the Australian Capital Territory’s pasture, forests (pine plantations) and nature parks were severely damaged. After burning for a week around the edges of the ACT, the fires entered the suburbs of Canberra on 18 January 2003. Over the next ten hours, four people died and more than 500 homes were destroyed or severely damaged, requiring a significant relief and reconstruction effort.
This collection consists of a single project by a primary school student. Sarah Sowry was a pupil at St Francis of Assisi Primary School, Calwell. The project is in the form of a diary from 16 January - 20 January 2003 and concentrates on the experience of the bushfires. The diary contains short typed daily entries pasted into a project book, with an illustration for each day. The illustrations are original photographs, clippings from newspapers and maps. She refers to the experience of living in Curtin in this period.