Victorians will gather for a commemoration service in February to acknowledge the significant impact of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires.
The anniversary will be a time for reflection as Victorians remember the catastrophic bushfires and the loss of 173 lives.
Many more were injured and lost their homes, with the memories of these events having long lasting impacts on a number of communities.
A State anniversary commemoration will be held on Monday 4 February 2019 at the Royal Exhibition Building in Carlton Gardens. The event is being held on this date to allow for communities to hold their own events during the week or spend time with themselves during what will be a difficult time.
This will be in addition to a number of community commemoration services organised locally.
Consultations have been undertaken with survivors and the bereaved community about the State anniversary commemoration, and full details about the event will be released shortly.
For updates about the State anniversary event, please visit https://www.vic.gov.au/2009-bushfires
Further details will be updated in the coming weeks.