By Parker McKenzie
Ferntree Gully CFA will hold its first open day since before the Covid-19 pandemic on Saturday 26 November, with local groups participating in bringing community spirit back to The Avenue.
Held at 5 The Avenue, Ferntree Gully and running from 10am to 2pm, the open day will feature the Rotary Club of Ferntree Gully, Knox Historical Society, the Ferntree Gully Girl Guides, Friends of Koolunga and the Ferntree Gully Art Society.
CFA Community Safety Manager Graham Crichton said the CFA will have fire prevention demos and educational information about smoke alarms and fires.
“This is all about educating the community because without the community we wouldn’t have a CFA brigade,” he said.
“People don’t know what they don’t know and smoke alarms are a classic example. We expect smoke alarms in every living area and bedroom, but we still have people who’ve got just one in their hallway.”
The SES will present with a rescue truck and an artisan market and an art show will be hosted by the Mountain District learning centre and the Uniting Church in Ferntree Gully respectively.
Karen Orpen from the Knox Historical Society said the day was about the community empowering each other.
“It’s lovely that there will be all these community groups here on the day and hopefully people will come out,” she said.
“Getting back to the grassroots, community-led fun and supporting the local traders is what it is about.”
The art show is being held at 6 The Avenue, directly across from the CFA, and the artisan market will be located at 13-15 The Avenue.
Rotary Ferntree Gully co-president Christine Anderson said they will be providing a free sausage sizzle for people in attendance.
“We’re also going to be having free crafts for the children in the shape of bush animals,” she said.
“We are going to paint and put glitter on them so they can hang on the Christmas tree.”
Moyra Farrington from Friends of Koolunga Native Reserve said she hopes the open day will encourage people to join them for a walk through the reserve.
“Maybe even come and join us sometime for a working day,” she said.
“We just want to showcase Koolunga and the work the friend’s group do there.”
