They had to dash through the flames to reach the residence, and were able to render most timely assistance. The servant's quarters, the caretaker's cottage, the stables and even the kitchen of Marble Hill itself were all ignited, but fortunately these conflagrations were all noticed and quickly extinguished. The gardens, however, were destroyed. 1930 – Around of stringybark forest adjoining the house were destroyed on 18 February. The Governor and staff managed to subdue the fire when it was halfway up the drive. 1939 – Marble Hill was again threatened by the Black Friday fires of 1939. 1955 – The Black Sunday bushfires destroyed Marble Hill on 2 January. 2000 – On 16 December, a prescribed burn conducted by CFS below Marble Hill jumped containment lines and turned into a major firefighting operation. Destruction On 2 January 1955, fifteen people were in residence at Marble Hill, including Sir Robert and Lady George, their family, and staff. The bushfire conditions were extreme, with a temperature of as early as 7am. By 1pm, the temperature had risen to , and winds of up to were driving a bushfire that had broken out at nearby Anstey's Hill towards Marble Hill. With little warning, the strong winds drove the fire up the slope to the northwest of the house, and flames contacted the building. The bitumen used on the balcony floor and the seaweed used for insulation in the roof were easily ignited, and the house was soon on fire. The governor with his sons and staff struggled to save the building, but the buckets and hoses which had been prepared were totally inadequate. The building was engulfed by flame with astonishing speed. By this time the bushfire had completely surrounded the residence, the cars which had been prepared as a last-resort were burning, and molten lead was showering down from the roof. Escape was impossible. At the prompting of Sir Robert, the fifteen people at Marble Hill dashed out of the house for the relative safety of a retaining wall by the driveway, sheltering under wet blankets. The fire swept over them and totally destroyed the house. After around two hours, rescuers were able to reach them and the party were transported to Adelaide, where they were treated for some minor injuries. Later, it was discovered that a servant's cat had also survived by sheltering in the cellar. All of the governor's possessions