Baw Baw Shire Council and the local community celebrated the official opening of the Gladys Sanderson Park in Noojee yesterday.
The community gathered at the newly-named park to commemorate the occasion, with many staying on for the Noojee and District Community Christmas Festival. Those who joined the celebration enjoyed dinner and dessert from a gelato cart and a visit from Santa!
On 13 January 1939, Noojee and much of Victoria were ravaged by one of the worst bushfires in the state's history – the devastating Black Friday bushfires.
Amidst the chaos, Gladys Sanderson who was the town's assistant postmistress, remained at her post as the last person capable of operating Noojee's telephone switchboard – its only communication link.
She worked tirelessly, relaying urgent messages to isolated families and emergency responders until the post office itself was engulfed in flames and she was forced to flee for shelter in the La Trobe River.
Her extraordinary bravery was widely recognised, with her story making headlines from Warragul to London. In June 1940, she was awarded the Order of the British Empire for "gallantry and devotion to duty."
Now, in recognition of her heroic efforts and the countless lives she saved, Council has named the reserve 'Gladys Sanderson Park'.
Baw Baw Shire Mayor Councillor Kate Wilson said Council recognised the impact of the Black Friday fires and the Noojee community's resilience to recover and regrow.
"We are so proud to officially recognise the bravery and selflessness of Gladys Sanderson," Cr Wilson said.
"The naming of features provides the opportunity for celebrating achievements, remembering the past and preserving history. It is our hope that this story continues to be told for generations to come and is remembered by Noojee residents and visitors alike."
A formal naming proposal for the previously unnamed reserve, was presented to Council for consideration at the 26 March 2025 Council Meeting. Council unanimously endorsed the naming proposal, and a period of community consultation was carried out from 1 April to 2 May 2025.
Community consultation for the naming proposal was hosted on Council's online community engagement platform Baw Baw Connect, where the community were able to provide their feedback via a survey.
During the community consultation period, 37 responses were received, with 33 in support of the naming proposal. Fourteen of the 37 responses were received from residents or property owners from Noojee and nearby areas.
A permanent display dedicated to Gladys Sanderson is now on display at the Noojee Heritage Railway Station precinct thanks to the Noojee and District Historical Society.
Gladys Sanderson Park is located at 22 Bennett Street in Noojee.
Image: President of the Noojee & District Historical Society Inc Janiene Ayre, Mayor Cr Kate Wilson, East Ward Cr Brendan Kingwill, East Ward Cr Adam Sheehan, Chair of the Noojee and District Community Development Association Glenn Fenton.
Image: Gladys Sanderson with the Post Office key in 1963 (image supplied by the Noojee & District Historical Society).
