By Callum Ludwig
A special remembrance service has been held at the opening of the Emergency Services Memorial in Melbourne’s Treasury Gardens last week, honouring SES members who’d died while on duty, one of those being an Upper Yarra SES member.
VICSES and partner emergency service agencies attended the official opening.
A VICSES spokesperson said the memorial surrounds a large pondage and the beautiful setting is a fitting tribute to almost 200 fallen emergency services personnel in Victoria who have died in the line of duty.
“This picturesque memorial garden is intentionally open to the public to be able to pay their respects and learn about the dedicate of members fallen in the line of duty. This includes six brave VICSES members, who made the ultimate sacrifice serving their communities,” they said.
Rodney King, formerly of the Upper Yarra SES Unit, has a small plaque among other SES crew members that reads ‘R.King Upper Yarra Unit 08.05.2003’.
“Whilst a tragic reminder of the risks confronting our emergency service personnel, the memorial garden offers the chance for us to remember, reflect and acknowledge the lives of these members together with friends, family, and colleagues,” the VICSES spokesperson said.
“Rodney King from the Upper Yarra Unit was tragically killed by a falling tree in 2003 whilst providing fire response support as an SES volunteer.”
The Age reported on May 9 2003 that four volunteers had been called out by the Launching Place CFA at about 2.30am to help with a 30-metre tree burning on property next to the Warburton Highway. The volunteers checked the tree and were about to walk away when the branch, about 12 metres long, fell and struck Mr King killing him instantly.
Mr King was 53 at the time and left behind his wife, Marion, and two adult sons, Luke and Matthew.
The Emergency Services Minister at the time, Andre Haermeyer, paid tribute to Mr King.
