Middle Hut Road roadside photographs 28 January 2026

<p dir="ltr">These photographs show the roadside vegetation in Middle Hut Road Doreen on 28 January 2026. </p><p dir="ltr">The images show rank (dry, ready to burn), Phalaris grass up to two metres high. </p><p dir="ltr">This roadside is designated a strategic fire management road<a href="#_ftn1" target="_blank">[1]</a> by Nillumbik council. </p><p dir="ltr">At this point more than two months after the commencement of the Fire Danger period<a href="#_ftn1" target="_blank">[2]</a> there had been a series of major fire incidents throughout Victoria.

During the fire season which occurred mostly prior to this point, a person had been killed, 440,000 hectares burned across the state including 130,000 hectares in the Longwood complex likely ignited in roadside vegetation, 451 homes and 1,110 outbuildings had been lost, and 45,000 livestock deaths recorded<a href="#_ftn2" target="_blank">[3]</a>.</p><p dir="ltr">In response to a complaint I made to Nillumbik council in regard to the fire hazard of the council maintained roadsides in Middle Hut Road, the Mayor of Nillumbik Naomi Joiner highlighted the difficulty for the council of managing Middle Hut Road vegetation fire safety due to "significant environmental value" and need for special management given the presence of indigenous grasses<a href="#_ftn3" target="_blank">[4]</a>. </p><p dir="ltr">Middle Hut Road Doreen is now proposed as the location for a Battery Energy Storage Facility.