16th December 2024 Lightning strikes started fires at Yarram Gap and spread north towards Halls Gap. Soon the whole Mt William range, Mt Rosea and Sundial area was on fire. This fire extended south towards Walker Swamp and west into the Wannon River valley and east towards Pomonal and Moyston.
Halls Gap and surrounding towns were evacuated several times. Christmas was a very unsettling time for many.
Over 76000 hectares of National Park and farmland was burnt, the fire had a perimeter of 427km. Including farmland around Pomonal and Moyston. Pomonal had burnt recently in February 2024 and once again the town had to be evacuated. Several homes were lost and many fences and out buildings.
On the 6th January this fire was contained, but blacking out operations continued and the fire was monitored to ensure that it did not break out again.
Halls Gap reopened on 8th January and the northern unburnt area of the National Park opened on 10th January.
Many roads were still closed including the Halls Gap Dunkeld road. Overnight hiking was closed.
On the 15th January work began on the Grampians Peak Trailhead in Halls Gap with several trees removed and part of the car park closed.
Between the 20th and 24th January aerial shooting operations began to control pest animals and support the recovery of the park and its native species. These operations have continued targeting foxes, cats, deer and goat.
On the 19th January a fire started at Boroka lookout, this was started by an illegal campfire on the rocks near the lookout. This began in the evening and fire crews worked overnight to contain the fire and the next morning helicopters were able to assist. This fire was under control on 21st January. It had burnt out about 7 hectares on the side of the hill below Boroka lookout. This area was pink for many days.
On January 21st FOGG were invited to help with food preparation for Brush tailed rock wallabies, their habitat had been burnt out in the Yarram Gap fire and they needed food. This activity has continued and been adapted and modified since then.
Parks Victoria held a Halls Gap Fire safety day was held on January 25th to assist residents and visitors with fire safety.
On Monday 27th January lightning strikes again ignited multiple fires in the Grampians. Two fires in the north at Wallabies Rocks and Taylors Track and a fire at Bullawin Road in the southern Victoria valley.
On Tuesday afternoon 28th January a team of volunteers helped Parks staff assemble habitat pods for use in the field as shelters for animals without homes. Several groups of these pods will be put into the park to assist recovery of the native critters.
These fires continued to burn and Wartook and Mirranatwa were evacuated.
On 29th January the Grampians National Park was closed and then partially reopened.
On 6th February the Wallabies Rocks fire was not yet under control and was 59,000 ha in size with a perimeter of nearly 300km. This fire threatened Wartook, Glenisla and other townships to the west. The Henty highway was partly closed between Horsham and Cavendish.
On 8th February this fire was contained due to favourable weather conditions and fire fighting efforts. The Bullawin fire had travelled north and merged with the Wallabies Rocks fire and had burnt the whole of the Victoria range including Mt Thackeray, Chimney Pots and Fortress area.
On 14th February many unburnt areas of the park reopened.
On 16th February the Wallabies Rocks – Bullawin Road fire was under control. Campgrounds and walking tracks started to open again in the unburnt parts of the park. The Grampians Tourist Road between Halls Gap and Dunkeld opened on the 20th February.
26th February DEECA started a Rapid Response Assessment Team who worked over the week and weekend to compile a report for the State Government to respond to the Wallabies Rocks fires.