Philip McGuire reports Bluff Hut destroyed by fire

JUST received the sad news that The Bluff Hut has been burned down.

The Bluff joins Westons Hut and Craigs Hut as victims of this terrible summer. No doubt the greens and the Victorian National Parks Association will be jumping for joy but one thing is certain - all these icons of Australia's bush heritage will be rebuilt with or without the consent of Parks Victoria and the Department of Sustainability and Environment.

The Bluff Hut was originally built by Eadley Stoney but has been maintained for the past 30 or so years by his son, Graeme.

Many good times have spent around its fire, and happy memories created only to be lost in the flames of an unnecessary wildfire.

When almost everything you love has been stolen from you there is no loss in fighting to regain it. Mountain Cattlemen have been pushed beyond breaking point by this government and unless Mr Bracks and Mr Thwaites decide to negotiate it seems that a confrontation is inevitable.

The bush is angry, perhaps more angry than it has ever been.

While Gippsland and the north-east burns DSE is still trying to push country people out of their own territory. Last week DSE told the Barmah Cattlemen to remove their stock from the Barmah Forest by January 31. The order came accompanied by a request that the cattlemen not speak to the media.

Neither the order nor the request is likely to be obeyed.

Push has come to shove and the bush is about to push back hard.

Spare a thought for Graeme Stoney and for the Weston/Goldsworthy family

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