FIRES AT WINCHELSEA

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 21, 20 January 1863, Page 3

FIRES AT WINCHELSEA

>e.<>t c learn, from the Geelong Advertiser of ek o rdav, that on Wednesday, last frightful fires >ut 1 place in this district. One appears to have 'ula! na * e & m *^ c neighborhood of Jnverleigh, as t twelve o'clock an immense body of smoke seen in that direction. In less than one hour v w^ a * a PP earec l *° be the first outbreak, nearly gold w i! O i e o f the grass upon the Bar won Park taki te was completely destroyed. Crossing the ixtn (j road, about a mile from this place, tlie fire liea ied the Lambing Hill Paddock. This paddock bee 5 the bush or forest. It was here that the dat t'ful grandeur of a bush fire was to be seen imat ' sun pl e words " bush fire " are far too indoili ua ' e *° convcv c meaning of such a whole(j "j conflagration. With considerable difficulty : ), cattle, and horses were saved. In this one "v nee alone from seven to eight thousand acres re ~ od grass, the property of T. Maidment, Esq., "> ? been burnt. In its leeward course the fire lie ? still more destructive, swallowing up in its sroti fd career whole farms. The following persons ruil been losers to a fearful extent — Mr Richard r ani ..Mr John Wood, Mr Robert Simmons, Mr t0 V-- r Leek, and Mr Mathieson. There are ; ■ everal others, the names of whom are not yet ' q o ~ nd. A black charred patch of about a thousand ; >• is visible near Lake Murdeduke, the property K5 n °p kins ;