Australia wildfires damage tourist sites

Australia’s worst-ever brush fires, which have killed more than 170 people in areas north of Melbourne, have also devastated at least two tourist towns, shut a wildlife sanctuary and affected roads in the region.

Tourists today were being advised to avoid Healesville, Yarra Glen and nearby areas. The fires continue to burn, and the situation changes rapidly.

For updates, visit the websites of Tourism Victoria, the Country Fire Authority, VicRoads (for road closures), Parks Victoria (parks closures) and local radio and TV news.

Among sites affected:

Healesville Sanctuary: About an hour’s drive from Melbourne, this well-known wildlife haven and tourist attraction cares for hundreds of animals, including rarely seen species such as the Tasmanian devil. Closed down by the fires, it is expected to reopen Wednesday, according to its website.

Marysville: Largely destroyed according to news reports, this small resort town near Healesville has served as a base for cross-country skiers and hikers on Lake Mountain.

Kinglake: Also devastated, this small township is in the Kinglake National Park area in the Great Dividing Range mountains.

— Jane Engle, assistant Los Angeles Times Travel editor

[Photo: Tree burns near a home destroyed by the brush fire in Kinglake, Australia. Credit: William West / AFP/Getty Images]

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This entry was posted on Monday, February 9, 2009 at 3:37 pm by Jane Engle and is filed under Asia, Business Travel, Eco-Travel, Frequent Flier, News, Tips & Advice, Outdoors & Adventure, Pacific & Australia. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.