Carranballac Recreation Reserve Destroyed in January Fire
Carranballac, Victoria — The Carranballac Recreation Reserve has been destroyed in the grassfire that tore through Victoria’s west on Friday 9 January 2026, impacting communities across Streatham, Carranballac and Skipton.
The fire moved through the district under dangerous conditions, and the loss at Carranballac has been extensive. Multiple buildings and key community infrastructure at the reserve were destroyed — including the Carranballac Cricket Club rooms, which locals describe as far more than “just an old tin shed”.
For many in the district, the reserve is woven into local identity. It has long been connected with some of the area’s most loved community traditions — including the Eel Skinners and Duck Pluckers Ball — and it has hosted countless working bees, training nights, presentations, and weekends that define small-town sport and volunteering.
The broader fire event has also been devastating for the region, with at least a dozen homes reported destroyed across the affected area.
A community venue — and a community effort to rebuild
In the days following the fire, the message from Carranballac has been consistent: grief, gratitude, and determination. Fundraising and support efforts have been established to help rebuild what was lost, and to keep community events and sporting life going while recovery takes shape.
OTL Consulting Group has worked alongside local community organisations, particularly the Eel Skinners and Duck Pluckers Ball, and we know how much effort sits behind venues like this — the volunteer hours, the compliance work, the maintenance, and the behind-the-scenes planning that keeps community events alive.
Carranballac has lost buildings and infrastructure — but the spirit behind the reserve, and the tradition it represents, is still standing. In the aftermath of the fire, the Carranballac community has rallied to support recovery and rebuilding efforts at the Recreation Reserve. A community-led fundraising campaign has been established to help replace lost infrastructure and support the long-term restoration of this important local venue. Those wishing to contribute or learn more about the rebuild can do so via the public fundraising page, with all support helping ensure Carranballac’s traditions and community events can continue into the future.