Thank you, Australian Defence Force: tenure finishes in Upper Murray
Australian Defence Force members leave the Upper Murray region this weekend after providing support for two months.
Operation Bushfire Assist was enacted in January and Joint Task Force 646 has been based at the Corryong Recreation Reserve.
Towong mayor David Wortmann thanked the personnel for their efforts on Friday, ahead of them leaving for Brisbane on Sunday.
"They did such a variety of different work, and they were willing and able to do anything," he said.
"Initially it was removing dangerous trees, there were so many of them and roads weren't open, so they helped people get back to their homes and farms.
"It was very appreciated by our community, and they were thrilled with the way the community embraced them.
"It is sad to see them go."
Joint Task Force 646 cleared debris from the Riley's Ride track near Corryong, used for the upcoming Man From Snowy River Festival, and across the entire Operation Bushfire Assist 4848 kilometres of roads were cleared.
A further 1286 kilometres of fencing has been replaced, and more than 9 million litres of water delivered to a range of affected communities.
Deputy Mayor of Towong Shire, Councillor Andrew Whitehead presents a gift from the people of Corryong to Commander Joint Task Force 646.7 Lieutenant Colonel Colin Lingo at a thank you event. Picture: KIEREN WHITELEY/DEFENCE MEDIA
Jingellic's Mary Hoodless said the ADF delivered water and assisted with properties over three weeks in their region.
"They gave a sense of hope," she said.
"They left three or four weeks ago as they were deployed to Bega."
BlazeAid is still working out of the Jingellic showgrounds and seeking volunteers.
Mrs Hoodless said farmers were still in need of hay, and that water quality was an issue.
"Issues of post-recovery in our communities will continue," she said.
"I think the generosity of the Albury-Wodonga and wider communities has been extraordinary."
On Friday afternoon, Victorian authorities announced all significant fires in the state had been contained
The Snowy Complex fire, contained on Thursday, added to the incidents that left 1.5 million hectares burnt across the state in 3500 fires.
Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp said thanked the thousands of personnel working on and around the front line.
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"This is a testament to the commitment, bravery, innovation and determination of our people and I am proud of what was achieved under very challenging circumstances," he said.
"My thoughts are with the communities impacted by the fires and we will continue to do all we can to support you through the long tail of recovery."
The outlook for March favours wetter than average conditions across Victoria and maximum temperatures will tend towards average across most of the state.