Melbourne History Workshop contracted with DELWP to undertake historical research to identify officers or field service workers or other employees or contractors of the department and its precursor organisations who had suffered a workplace fatality. Utilising digitised newspapers through Trove, as well as archival series including inquest deposition files (State Coroner’s Office, Public Record Office Victoria VPRS 24 1840-1985), the team was able to add to the list of workers and contractors who paid the ultimate price protecting homes, communities, landscapes and other vital assets.

For an update on the project, see:

Dr Roland Wettenhall, “Our savage history of fighting bushfires” in Pursuit, 13 February 2020.