The tight-knit community of Ravensthorpe in Western Australia is in mourning after the tragic death of a local farmer and civic leader in a devastating bushfire. Mark Mudie, the Deputy President of the Shire of Ravensthorpe, lost his life on Monday afternoon while courageously defending his beloved family property from an advancing blaze.
A Desperate Fight to Save the Farm
The incident occurred in West River, near Ravensthorpe, on the 2nd of December 2025. Mr Mudie was operating a front-end loader in a desperate bid to create a firebreak around the property when the machine was suddenly engulfed by flames. Despite the efforts of emergency services, the 56-year-old could not be saved and died at the scene.
Western Australia Police have confirmed they are investigating the circumstances surrounding Mr Mudie's death and will prepare a report for the Coroner. The fire is understood to have started on Mr Mudie's own property, though the cause remains under investigation and is not currently being treated as suspicious.
A Pillar of the Community Lost
Mark Mudie was a respected and deeply involved member of the Ravensthorpe community. He lived and worked on a vast 7000-hectare family farm with his wife, Elaine, and their son, Nathan. Elected as the Shire's Deputy President in October 2023, his term was set to run until 2027.
His commitment to the region extended far beyond the council chamber. Mr Mudie's service included roles on several key committees:
- The Shire's Audit Committee
- The Bushfire Advisory Committee
- The Community Stakeholder Consultative Committee
- The WALGA Great Southern Country Zone Committee
He was also an active participant in the Great Southern Road group and the North Ravensthorpe community group.
A Community in Mourning
The Shire of Ravensthorpe released a statement expressing its profound grief. "We are devastated by the death of a local man at the West River fire yesterday afternoon," the statement read. "Our thoughts are with his family and friends, and also all emergency services still working on the fire." The Shire has indicated it will not comment further while the police investigation is ongoing.
This tragedy echoes another heartbreaking loss for the region's emergency responders. It comes almost two years after volunteer firefighter Harry Stead died while battling a blaze on a neighbour's property in Coomalbidgup, near Esperance, on Boxing Day in 2023.
As firegrounds in West River continue to smoulder, the community is left to grapple with the loss of a dedicated farmer, a committed local leader, and a family man who died protecting everything he held dear.
