<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>337118</docID> <postdate>2025-01-28 11:50:54</postdate> <headline>‘Just exploded’ property gone in national park bushfire</headline> <body><p><img class=" wp-image-337119" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/victorian-bushfires-e1738018298321.jpg" alt="" width="901" height="600" /></p> <caption>A bushfire sparked by dry lightning is burning out of control in western Victoria. Photo: State Control Centre</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Rachael Ward</strong> in Melbourne</span></p> <p><strong>An out-of-control bushfire has destroyed a popular wedding venue and conference centre in western Victoria, as another dangerous blaze threatens holidaymakers at a major national park.</strong></p> <p>Firefighters are battling two uncontrolled bushfires, one at Dimboola and Wail near the South Australian border and the other in the southwestern part of the Grampians National Park.</p> <p>The Dimboola fire was sparked by dry lightning at Little Desert National Park on Monday and has already grown to 63,000 hectares, State Control Centre spokesperson Luke Heagerty said.</p> <p>It's too late for residents to leave, with anyone left in the town urged to take shelter immediately.</p> <p>"The fire grew to such a size and was carrying such energy with it yesterday that it made it quite difficult for any containment to occur," Mr Heagerty told AAP.</p> <p>Popular wedding and conference centre Little Desert Nature Lodge was destroyed in the blaze, Hindmarsh Shire Council mayor Ron Ismay confirmed.</p> <p>He's been told a firefighter on the ground said the venue and some surrounding accommodation in the wildlife reserve went up very quickly.</p> <p>"The lodge just exploded, it's totally gone," Mr Ismay said.</p> <p>"It's very sad, it was a great venue for people of the area and it was used for weddings and conferences and meetings and all sorts of stuff.</p> <p>"So it's a big loss to the community".</p> <p>Premier Jacinta Allan said there have been no deaths in the fires, but confirmed the property losses at the Little Desert Nature Lodge.</p> <p>"The commissioner advised me that the main building and a number of cabins have been lost at that facility," Ms Allan told reporters in Werribee.</p> <p>Mr Heagerty said it appears the fire spread from public land to private property near the Wimmera River, close to the Dimboola Golf Course.</p> <p>It's believed most residents had evacuated to Horsham while it was still safe and it's not yet known if any homes were lost.</p> <p>"Assessments for property impacts will start today once there's some better light in the area and it's safe for our crews to do so," he said.</p> <p>An additional 25 fire trucks were sent to attack that fire, with embers sparking small blazes ahead of the main blaze.</p> <p>A second emergency warning has been issued for Strachans, Victoria Point and Victoria Valley in the Grampians National Park, in an area that has a mix of private property and campsites.</p> <p>The area was not impacted by fires at the Grampians earlier this summer, with holidaymakers and residents now told to evacuate while it's still safe to do so.</p> <p>Mr Heagerty said it's expected crews would be battling the fires for several weeks and authorities are concerned there may be other fires they do not yet know about.</p> <p>"We can also have scenarios where dry lightning starts a fire in a tree stump, for example, it might not show up for another week or two," he said.</p> <p>A cool change swept through Victoria after Monday's dry, gusty conditions however Mr Heagerty said crews are still expecting "variable" conditions for the rest of Tuesday.</p> <p>Fires have been burning across the Grampians region since mid-December.</p> <p>Ms Allan said there were up to 150 fires across the state as high heat and winds brought dangerous conditions and fire bans.</p> </body>