Margaret River turns out to thank volunteers who tackled Calgardup bushfire

Hundreds of residents and their families lined Margaret River’s main street on Thursday night to cheer on emergency service and support workers crucial to this month’s Calgardup bushfire. Organised to coincide with Christmas late-night trading, the street parade saw dozens of volunteer firefighting vehicles, ambulance officers, police and rangers applauded by grateful residents. Well-wishers thanked the workers for containing the blaze, which tore through about 7800ha of dense bush and karri forest around where the fire broke out on December 8 near Mammoth Cave. Although the Shire of Augusta-Margaret River exercised strict controls around the brigade, it didn’t stop dozens of children with their parents offering high-five to volunteer firefighters. The parade was also a test of Margaret River’s redeveloped main strip, with the parade clogging traffic as crowds helped bring the procession of vehicles to a standstill. Wallcliffe Volunteer Bushfire Brigade spokesman Sean Blocksidge noted dozens of personnel from far-flung brigades as well as some Parks and Wildlife and DFES firefighters were also celebrated as part of the parade. “What a truly remarkable turnout from the local community to say thanks to all the emergency services involved in the Calgardup fire,” he said. “Makes ya proud to be a Margies local when you see the entire community pull together during a crisis.”