Heroes honoured with National Medal

All bushfire anecdotes come with the number of hours of direct firefighting stacked up during the heat of battle, when CFA staff and volunteers keep the trucks rolling for days at a time. Eight hours straight, 17 hours, even more than 48 hours on no sleep have all been reported to this masthead firsthand from January's bushfire. Yet, other stories have time measured in years, and if the reverent crowd of 150 guests assembled at Creightons Creek CFA at sunset on Saturday 12 September was any guide, then an onlooker would know that something special was being celebrated. Two members of the Creightons Creek CFA were being honoured with Australia's premier award for long service. The National Medal is one of the country's most respected honours, awarded for long and diligent service in organisations that protect life and property. Eligibility begins at 15 years but at Creightons Creek a cumulative 130-year recognition honoured the lifetime contributions Barrie Noye and Brian Kelly have made to saving life and property. Barrie Noye was awarded the National Medal in honour of his prolonged exposure to hazards while serving his community for over 70 years. A member of the Creighton’s Creek Fire Brigade since February 1955, Barrie has held various leadership positions throughout his years of service, including Captain of the brigade twice (1976-1980 and 1994-2002) and various lieutenant positions throughout his time. Most recently, he was Brigade Community Safety Officer for over a decade. His experience in front line firefighting spanned major fires across Victoria, including the devastating Longwood fire in January 1965, Ash Wednesday in 1983, the Alpine fires of 2002-3, and bushfires in the local Creighton’s Creek area in 1990 and 2014 as well as many fires within the local region. Brian Kelly was awarded the National Medal in recognition of 60 years of CFA service and dedication to the wider Creightons Creek and Euroa communities. A cornerstone of the Creighton’s Creek Fire Brigade, he served as Captain from 1980 to 1990, and held numerous leadership roles both within that brigade and the Euroa Group and is noted for helping shape local firefighting capability and strengthening volunteer culture. Brian’s countless campaigns include Longwood in 1965, Ash Wednesday, the Alpine fires 2002-3, Black Saturday in 2009 and Creighton’s Creek in 1990, 2014, and 2026. Barrie's 70 years of service spanned enormous changes in firefighting equipment, from beaters and knapsacks in 1955 to today's frontline of trucks, support vehicles, and helicopters. Stepping back from frontline operations allowed Barrie to then share his knowledge, skills, and experience with the community and local terrain. One of Brian Kelly's anecdotes from the 1965 Longwood fire encapsulates not only the honours bestowed upon these two men, but the spirit of the countless firefighters and support volunteers who stood beside them. Brian recalls being little more than a boy. "I mighta joined up a bit young," he told this correspondent with a twinkle in his eye after the evening's formalities had given way to celebration. "Possibly 16 years old, you just didn't tell anyone." His baptism of fire came during the devastating Longwood bushfire of January 1965. "We were just on my father's tray truck, we had a little pump. "And we'd been down at Longwood at the railway line. "We got caught there, the tyres were on fire, so we put them out and kept going. "And we just kept progressing along; we had no heat shields, but just in the gear we were in. Three days into the campaign, Brian and his fellow firefighters found themselves exhausted, hungry and covered in soot at three o'clock in the morning. They had been working near Tarcombe when salvation appeared in the unlikely form of a Volkswagen Beetle. Behind the wheel was a local woman, Mrs McKibbin. "She said, 'I've cooked mashed potatoes and sausages for you'," Brian recalled. "But there wasn't enough room in the car for everyone. "So we sat three in the back seat, two in the front. "I was only a young bloke, so I lay across the blokes in the back seat." Mrs McKibbin dodged burning stumps along the track to deliver the men to a hot meal. "She said, 'You eat that and I'll go back and get another crew, and when I come back, I'll take you back'." Sixty years later, the memory remains vivid. "It was the best meal I've ever had in my life," Brian said. "Her generosity and hospitality was unbelievable. "You can learn a lot today from how she did it." Memories like these explain why family, friends, and colleagues gathered to celebrate the service of Messrs Kelly and Noye, with each man having a fire truck named in his honour. For both men, the National Medal reflects both the decades racing to fire fronts, as well as seeing generations serving their community. Brian Kelly ended the chat by speaking frankly of what future community members needed to do. "You've just got to be involved," he said. "You can't live in a district and not be involved. "You've got to be involved and be part of a team. "And listen to the experience of others."