At 10:47 am on Wednesday the 29.10.2003 Medowie Rural Fire Brigade was called to bush alight, Hunter Corp. Water (HWC) land opposite Finnan Park. Both Medowie appliances responded and joined a HWC unit with Group South 1A. It was not a good day to be dealing with a bushfire. It was quite warm, the humidity was quite low and the wind was blowing quite strongly from the Northwest, gale force winds were predicted for Coastal NSW.

On arrival it was found that a car had been set alight on the edge of a HWC access road. The fire had spread into an adjacent block of bushland that was surrounded by HWC roads. We were joined by appliances form Anna Bay, Salt Ash and Raymond Terrace Rural Fire Brigades. At that point in time one Medowie appliance returned to Medowie for the protection of our local area.

They had all but finished with that fire when another two fires were discovered, again on the side of an access road about a kilometre away. Things only got worse from there. The wind was blowing a lot stronger, the temperature had risen and the humidity had dropped. Once the fire got a run on it produced crown fires (fire in the tops of the trees) in much of the area and it was not long before fire was impacting on the perimeter of RAAF Base Williamtown. Fire fighting appliances from across Port Stephens along with the RAAF fire section were activated to assist.

By that time the fire had developed a fairly wide front and was burning intensely as it progressed along both sides of the RAAF Base. The fire was moving swiftly, taking most things in it's path. All types of wild life was making a desperate attempt to escape, fleeing ahead of the fire as it rushed through the bushland, unfortunately a lot did not make it to safety.

Rural Fire Service (RFS) crews from Dungog, Lake Macquarie and NSWFB had joined the fight by the afternoon and continued throughout the night. The following day and again on Friday the fire broke containment lines behind the properties along Cabbage Tree Road Williamtown due to very strong winds. A Section 44 (state of emergency) was declared at 4:00 pm the 30.10.2003 and was not revoked until 4:00 pm the 01.11.2003. During that time RFS crews were brought in from as far away as Muswellbrook, Singleton and Cessnock as well as the above mentioned districts to assist with the fire.

The fire wound down and was declared safe at 1:33 pm on Sunday 02.11.2003. Almost 2000 Ha were affected by the fire.