Australian Grand Prix under fire

[CNR]

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-au&q=melbourne%20fire&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wn



The popular mountain hamlet of 600 people, 100km northeast of Melbourne, was no longer there.
Its neat tree-lined streets, its houses and up to a dozen of its residents had been engulfed by the inferno that roared into town like a freight train, leaving a moonscape of twisted roofs and smouldering cars.

[ShiftingGears]

Bushfires have killed 126 in Victoria and you relate it to a racetrack totally unaffected by the fire?

Poor form.

[millencolin]

The track is in inner city melbourne, a bushfire isnt going to affect the track... Whats next, the MCG is underthreat too?

[Knock-on]

The track is in inner city melbourne, a bushfire isnt going to affect the track... Whats next, the MCG is underthreat too?

I heard it was a discarded dog end from Castro's under Crown Towers that started it.

Apparently, a slow burning stub got blown onto a boat steaming up the Yarra and drifted off on the wind into the Bush starting the fires :rolleyes:

Sorry to be flippant but it seems silly to mix the tragedy in the region with some silly hype about the circuit and I hope they catch the murdering b*****ds that started this attrocity. :(

[CNR]

Bushfires have killed 126 in Victoria and you relate it to a racetrack totally unaffected by the fire?

Poor form.

i posted this to let people know about the fires and that the australian gp would not be the same this year

[schmenke]

i posted this to let people know about the fires ...

Directed specifically at those who live under a rock with nothing but internet access to this forum...? :s

[callum122]

^ Response win :)

[RJL25]

why will the Australian GP not be the same this year? Just because the disaster happened in the same state, doesn't mean it will effect the GP. The Albert Park track is located a long way away from the fires and there is no damage to the track or surrounding areas. The sky's in melbourne are ofcourse smokey but that will only take a couple of days to clear

[call_me_andrew]

I'm sure such a disaster would have at least a small impact on the race. The 2001 USGP was held less than a month after 9/11 and there was some apprehension from drivers who did not want to be in the U.S. at that particular time.

In July 1998 NASCAR had to postpone a race at Daytona due to wildfires in the area. The track itself was converted into a staging area for firefighters.

I'm not familiar with Melbourne's geography, but if Millencolin says the track is out of harm's way, I'm inclined to believe him. But we should consider that for such an event, a few hundred thousand people from outside of Melbourne are going to attend the race. I'm sure they won't spend the entire weekend in Albert Park. Are we sure they won't be in any danger?

[punter_S14]

I live in Melbourne and there are no threats, other than growing apathy over the joke that is the Bernie & Max show. That and the support card usually being a yawn-fest, making it a flogging for all. The saving grace for the Melbourne race is the anticipation of each new years cars.

[RJL25]

call_me_andrew - Australia is a very VERY big place... these fires, as disasterous as they are, are no where near the circuit and there will be no risk at all to anyone who attends the races. Bushfires are exactly that, BUSH fires, Albert Park is in a city.

Also I don't really think people are going to be aprehensive about being in Australia over these fires, again Australia is a big place, while we have fires in one part of the country, we presently have floods in another... its not like the whole country is one fire mate

[Valve Bounce]

I'm not familiar with Melbourne's geography, but if Millencolin says the track is out of harm's way, I'm inclined to believe him. But we should consider that for such an event, a few hundred thousand people from outside of Melbourne are going to attend the race. I'm sure they won't spend the entire weekend in Albert Park. Are we sure they won't be in any danger?

If you go down to the city or St Kilda at night you will be in danger




of getting mugged. :eek:

[Knock-on]

If you go down to the city or St Kilda at night you will be in danger




of getting mugged. :eek:

Rubbish. Great beach and some cracking live music.

You should try going out round here if you think St K is rough :D

[Valve Bounce]

Rubbish. Great beach and some cracking live music.

You should try going out round here if you think St K is rough :D

Just a bit of timely warning for those who think Melbourne is a friendly place - it is. But the animals come out at night: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25086049-661,00.html

Just know where and or when NOT to be somewhere.

If you want more reports of violence, just wait for tomorrow mornings edition of The Herald or The Age.

[Knock-on]

Just a bit of timely warning for those who think Melbourne is a friendly place - it is. But the animals come out at night: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25086049-661,00.html

Just know where and or when NOT to be somewhere.

If you want more reports of violence, just wait for tomorrow mornings edition of The Herald or The Age.

In London there were 2 men killed by knives this weekend alone :(

I really enjoyed my time in Melbourne and the worst violence I encountered was a pie througn by a group of unruley boys on the Tram.

I'm not trying to down play these attackes but in the great scheme of things.......

All cities have these instances unfortunatly.

[acescribe]

Every major city in the world has problems, obviously some more than others. I have spent a lot of time in Melbourne and have never once felt unsafe. Those reports quoted happened way out in the suburbs of of the city in any case, and sad fact is, a punching as described, bad and sad as it is, wouldnt make an internet news page in the UK - that sort of thing happens in large cities, towns and even villages every day, every night and as Knock-On says, two deaths in London this weekend alone.

[Knock-on]

Every major city in the world has problems, obviously some more than others. I have spent a lot of time in Melbourne and have never once felt unsafe. Those reports quoted happened way out in the suburbs of of the city in any case, and sad fact is, a punching as described, bad and sad as it is, wouldnt make an internet news page in the UK - that sort of thing happens in large cities, towns and even villages every day, every night and as Knock-On says, two deaths in London this weekend alone.

Which is all true and shouldn't detract from the terrible fires which claimed so many lives.

Although it's nothing really to do with Motorsport apart from Melbourne being the city that hosts the Aus GP, I would just like to offer my best wishes with anyone that has been affected by this terrible event.

[Valve Bounce]

Every major city in the world has problems, obviously some more than others. I have spent a lot of time in Melbourne and have never once felt unsafe. Those reports quoted happened way out in the suburbs of of the city in any case, and sad fact is, a punching as described, bad and sad as it is, wouldnt make an internet news page in the UK - that sort of thing happens in large cities, towns and even villages every day, every night and as Knock-On says, two deaths in London this weekend alone.

You don't have any idea of the violence in Melbourne's CBD in the early hours each weekend, do you? Not to mention what happens in St Kilda, or around Chappel St South Yarra. The media don't even bother to report most of the violence these days - it's no longer exciting news.

OK, not totally true - here's something for you: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25097331-661,00.html

[Valve Bounce]

The safety fences are now being erected. The grass is dying in this dreadful drought, and the smoke from bushfires surrounding Melbourne's outskirts have infiltrated everywhere.

[millencolin]

The grass is dying in this dreadful drought, and the smoke from bushfires surrounding Melbourne's outskirts have infiltrated everywhere.

TO use a stereotypical Australian quote, sums up the bushfires in relation to the Australian Grand Prix

'She'll Be Right Mate'