On January 13, 1939, the Black Friday fires devastated the town of Noojee, destroying
over 100 homes, several sawmills, and vital infrastructure as part of a massive state-wide
inferno that burned across 2 million hectares.
Residents sought refuge in the Latrobe River to escape the intense heat and flames.
Meanwhile, an emergency train was organised to evacuate women and children from the
town, navigating through flames that licked the wheels and threatened nearby timber
bridges.
Noojee was almost entirely obliterated, making it one of the hardest-hit areas during this
disaster.