Zoe Moffatt
The Gisborne Golf Club has been completely destroyed by a fire in the early hours of Wednesday morning, also destroying Gisborne RSL’s home just days away from Anzac Day.
A Country Fire Authority (CFA) spokesperson said 17 units were on the scene about 2.35am, alongside Fire Rescue Victoria, to respond to the incident which is not deemed suspicious.
Investigations are underway with CFA and Victoria Police, but it could take some days for the cause to be known.
Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria and Powercor were also on scene, with the incident was deemed under control at 4.22am.
The spokesperson said an advice message was issued to the community and CFA units remained on scene.
Gisborne RSL secretary Daniel Hall said the fire was devastating for members, especially right before Anzac Day.
“It’s a big loss, it’s devastating for members to lose a lot of the stuff that was there [including] a lot of our memorabilia and our complete library,” Mr Hall said.
“Also [in] saying that, it’s a huge loss with the golf club, because the golf club was our home. They accommodated us to have our meetings [and] we also have a welfare lunch monthly.
“So, we need to find somewhere else temporarily, but it’s pretty devastating. Right before Anzac Day, it’s hard for a lot of the members as well.”
With the Anzac Day service set to be held at the Gisborne Cenotaph, Mr Hall said there is nothing that will stop the RSL from putting on the event.
“Anzac Day represents a lot for the RSL. Everybody comes together and that’s the point of the community.
“The community we’re hoping will stand behind the Gisborne RSL and support us at the Cenotaph on April 25 at 10.30am and be there for the service because it’s going ahead, we will make it happen.”
Mr Hall said Gisborne and the Macedon Ranges have a fantastic community, and a lot of community members have reached out to offer their support.
“It’s actually very humbling and we’re very honoured to have such a very good community spirit around us.”
Still on the scene, RSL president Darren Grevis-James agreed there has been a lot of community support, as well as support from other RSL sub-branches.
“I’m looking at the building at the moment, I’m up here and it’s completely destroyed,” Mr Grevis-James said.
“We haven’t been able to get near the building or in the building …. Because the police are still here and the CFA still have hoses on it.
“All that said, we’ll push on as a sub-branch. The key thing for us now is Anzac Day and once we’re through that, we’ll look to the immediate future of where we conduct our meetings.”
As one of the main function spaces in the town, it’s hard to miss the sense of loss felt in the community. Through an outpouring of messages on Facebook, community members have rallied together to show their support.
This sense of community spirit has also reached Gisborne Golf Club manager Brett Cambell, who said his phone has not stopped ringing.
“It’s pretty devastating because we lost 100 years of memorabilia … [and] we’re probably the biggest room in the area [which] had a lot of use within the community,” he said.
Among the upcoming events, Mr Cambell said there was a memorial planned for Friday and a cancer fundraiser.
He said the golf club will continue to operate, and as soon as power is returned the course will be back up and running.
“Then we will just go through the process to rebuild the club house over the next 12 to 18 months.”
