Neighbourhood Safer Place - Bushfire Place of Last Resort

A Neighbourhood Safer Place - Bushfire Place of Last Resort (NSP-BPLR) is not a community fire refuge or emergency relief centre.

Places of Last Resort are just that - places of last resort during the passage of a bushfire and are intended to be used by persons whose primary bushfire plans have failed.

What are NSP-BPLRs?

• Locations that may provide some protection from direct flame and heat from a fire, but they do not guarantee safety.
• Not an alternative to planning to leave early or to stay and defend your property; they are a place of last resort if all other fire plans have failed.
• An existing location and not a purpose-built, fire-proof structure. It is important to know that many NSP-BPLRs are simply a clearing that provides separation distance from the bushfire hazard (e.g. forest).
• Not to be confused with Community Fire Refuges, Relief Centres, Recovery Centres or Assembly Areas, each of which have a different and specific purpose.
• Not an appropriate destination when leaving the area early.
• Not a place of shelter from other types of emergencies (e.g. to escape rising floodwaters or severe weather events).

For  more information visit the Neighbourhood Safer Places page on the CFA website.

What is an Emergency Relief Centre (ERC)?

Note: An NSP-BPLR is different from an Emergency Relief Centre (ERC).

An Emergency Relief Centre may be opened by Council during an emergency at the request of the Incident Controller (IC).

The ERC provides people with a temporary place to get information and basic support like somewhere to sleep, food, water, and mental health first aid. It should be considered an option only if going to family, neighbours or friends is not feasible.

 

These are the following designated NSP-BPLRs within the Mount Alexander Shire:

Town	Address
Castlemaine	Victory Park and Mostyn Street (between Barker Street and Hargraves Street) Park bounded by Barker Street, Forest Street, Frederick Street and Mostyn Street (between Barker Street and Hargraves Street), Castlemaine 3450.
Cambells Creek	Cambells Creek Community Centre Corner Elizabeth Street and Cemetery Road, Campbells Creek 3451.
Guildford	John Powell Reserve Bounded by Midland Highway (Parker Street and Templeton Street) and Fryers Street, Guildford 3451.
Harcourt	Harcourt Valley Primary School Basketball Stadium Mills Road (between Binghams Road & Coolstore Road), Harcourt 3453.
Taradale	Taradale Hall Corner High Street (Calder Highway/Malmsbury-Elphinstone Road) and De La Beche Street, Taradale 3447.