Earlier this year, catastrophic bushfires tore through parts of central and north-east Victoria, burning more than 300,000 hectares of land, destroying hundreds of homes and structures, and prompting emergency warnings as communities faced weeks of recovery.



In the weeks that followed, the Mini-Tankers team attended the Highlands Community Centre on Ghin Ghin Road to support residents impacted by the fires. Fuel was delivered to power local generators and support Country Fire Authority operations during the early recovery phase, ensuring critical equipment and essential services could keep running when they were needed most.

The scale of the damage was significant, with homes, infrastructure and an estimated 15,000 - 16,000 livestock lost. Despite this, the strength and resilience of the local community stood out. The community hall quickly became a central hub, where locals, farmers and emergency services worked side by side. Having reliable access to fuel meant the recovery effort could continue without interruption.

Chris Paterson and Greg Miskin attended the site, towing specialised refuelling equipment to where it was needed most. As they shared afterwards: "It wasn't about grand gestures — just doing what we could to make things a bit easier. Being able to provide fuel meant people could keep moving and keep helping each other. We've got a lot of respect for the resilience and determination we saw in Highlands and the surrounding Yea district."

Supporting local communities is a core part of our identity, and we acknowledge everyone who has also supported these areas during such a challenging time.