FRYERS RIDGE

	Lat / Long GDA	-37.117793, 144.308004
	Department	FCV...etc...DEECA
	Work Depot	Castlemaine
	Region	North West
	Grading	Secondary
	Elevation (ASL)	544m
	Height	18m
	Construction	Steel
	Cabin size	2m x 2m
	Public access to site	Yes
	In use since	19?? - 19?? 1979 - current
	CFA Region	2 - North Western

In December 2021, we were contacted by Tim Fitzgerald. Tim supplied 2 enhanched and colourised photos of the original Fryers Ridge fire tower, see below.

Please click on thumbnails for enlargements

The date of the photo is unknown and the men in the photo are believed to be members of Elphinstone Fire Brigade.

Tim also posted on Facebook on 19th Dec 2021, here is a transcript of the post: "The first fire tower at Fryers Ridge near Elphinstone. Minimal facilities. It may have been the replacement tower for a tower at Malones Hill between Elphinstone and Sutton Grange, now on the north side of the Calder Fwy. Malones Hill was staffed for about 10 years prior to WW2 by local fire brigade volunteers. I have enhanced and colourised this photo.
Photo source - Central Victorian Fire Service Preservation Society"

.

Tower and solar panel	Cabin	interior	footings

Above photos (taken in 2006) supplied by Andre Belterman
Note the date in the footings (1979) The correct construction date is still being investigated.

Fryers Ridge received a new cabin in 2014. Photos (2016) supplied by Andre Belterman

We received the message below in April 2018. It confirms the construction year as 1997, thanks Mark.

"I can confirm the tower was erected on or about 9 May 1979. Obviously construction took more than one day. My late father, District Forester at Castlemaine, Mark Stump, took me to the tower after school in May. It was very cold and a strong breeze was blowing adding chill factor. My fathers initials MS are on the north eastern leg of the tower although he said he did not put them there.
The skilled crew who bolted the tower together had also erected the new tower at Blue Mount a few weeks prior to coming to Fryers Ridge.
Later that month we returned to the tower one evening in order to commence the calibration of the tower using the lookout at Mt Tarrengower as the main point of reference. A colleague at Mt Tarrengower shone a powerful light in our direction and we marked the position of the light on the scale board.
Later that year I had opportunity to stand the first watch on the tower and for a few summers after that year.
Regards, Mark Stump"

Fryers Ridge fire tower featured on TV in March 2018. Please click here to view the 9min clip. The link was still active in June 2025.

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