Bushfire Awareness
We are BUSH FIRE READY
Summer like autumn, is also an ideal time to experience the Dandenong Ranges. The lush greenness and peaceful surrounds of Sassafras welcome your visit.
Monreale Country House was built in 1902 (and remains secure and in tact today as it was a 100 years ago), having been bypassed by past bushfires in the Hills. We are told that one of the many reasons for this is the estates location at the bottom of Sassafras Gully in a rainforest setting.
Experience Summer at Monreale
You can experience the cool shade of our lush rain forests, grand and aged deciduous English trees and our large variety of tree ferns and see our native birds in their natural habitat.
At Monreale we are fire plan ready and have a bushfire survival plan ready to be activated.
However we are also very much aware and mindful that in extreme circumstances, bush fires still have the potential to become a significant problem to safety and property assets.
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The property has a new scanner to monitor Police/CFA hourly reports on all fire activity in Victoria to ensure that the earliest possible information is known about any local fire activity.
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Radio reports will be monitored on ABC 774 during the summer period.
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On all Code Red days for the Dandenongs, Monreale, management, staff and all guests will be evacuated in the morning or ("earlier" if deemed necessary by the authorities.)
Return will be as advised by the authorities when the area is declared safe. |
Code Red days will usually be proclaimed by the authorities many days before the actual fire day.
Under these circumstances, guests that have accommodation booked on "Code Red days" will receive a phone call from Monreale’s management to discuss the various options that are available to guests to deal with the upcoming situation of the code red day. If it is agreed as a result of the red warning code to evacuate the property for the day, an accommodation voucher to an equivalent value will be issued or a date transfer will be arranged, which ever suits the guest? |
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On all days designated as severe, management will decide in the morning about evacuating the property taking into account the location of the actual fire and its likely impact on Sassafras. | Guests will be informed by Monreale (by phone call) of the weather conditions and potential local fire situation prior to their arrival. If under the prevailing circumstances the guest feels it necessary to cancel that days booking, an accommodation voucher to an equivalent value will be issued or a date transfer will be arranged, which ever suits the guest? |
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Enacting our fire plan will be guided by the severity and location of local fires. | Guests will be informed by Monreale (by phone call) of the local weather and fire potential situation prior to their arrival. |
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It is unlikely that the property will need to be evacuated unless the fire danger increases to any of the above levels. | Guests will be informed by Monreale (by phone call) of the local weather and fire potential situation prior to their arrival. |
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Normal conduct at Monreale. | Guests are updated at time of visit. |
BUSH FIRE Advice and Assistance
| Fire, Police, Ambulance | 000 |
| Victorian Bushfire Information Line | 1800 240 667 |
| CFA - Primary source of information | www.cfa.vic.gov.au |
| DSE - Department of Sustainability and Environment | www.dse.vic.gov.au/fire |
| MFB - Metropolitan Fire Brigade | www.mfb.vic.gov.au 1800 240 667 |
| TV | www.abc.net.au |
| Radio | 774 AM |
| DPI - Department of Primary Industries | www.dpi.vic.gov.au 13 61 86 |
| Parks Victoria | http://www.parkweb.gov.vic.au 13 19 63 |
| DHS - Department of Human Services | www.health.vic.gov.au/bushfire |
| Bureau of Meteorology | www.bom.gov.au |
| Interpreter Services | 13 14 50 |
