Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Australia remembers Black Saturday bushfires

Updated at 9:59 pm on 7 February 2010

About 2000 people gathered at St Paul's Cathedral in Melbourne on Sunday afternoon for a memorial service to remember the 173 people who died in the Black Saturday bushfires a year ago.

The service followed a minute's silence and included prayers from people directly affected by the fires which destroyed more than 2000 homes.

The ABC reports Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Victorian Premier John Brumby, Governor-General Quentin Bryce and Opposition leader Tony Abbott were among those who attended the service.

It has been declared a National Day of Mourning and at midday people across Australia were asked to observe one minute's silence and flags were lowered to half mast.

Community barbeques and church services were held in a number of town's hardest hit by the fires including Kinglake, Marysville, Strahewan, Whittlesea, Churchill, Labertouche and Horsham.

Country Fire Authority firefighters marked the anniversary with memorial services at local fire stations.

More than 3500 career and volunteer firefighters helped battle fires across the state on Black Saturday.

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