The Urban Fringes

"On Melbourne's rural fringes, the fires claimed the life of Frederick Topping and Ernest Shafter at Warrandyte."

On Melbourne's rural fringes, the fires claimed the life of Frederick Topping and Ernest Shafter at Warrandyte. Topping was a pensioner aged 72. He had apparently packed his belongings with the intention of flight. However, the fire took a mere twenty minutes to cross the township, and Topping's body was found in the ruins of his burnt-out home. Albert Dudley Pentreath, a retired journalist of Streatham, was burnt to death on 13 January at the State Electricity Commission Strathewan camp near Doreen in the Whittlesea district. Streatham is now the site of the Country Fire Authority Museum.