David Aldred has arrived at his new post in South Australia safe and well.

The former Executive Director of the BCSA and BCSBS and his wife Debra travelled by road from Sydney to Melbourne last weekend through areas surrounded by bush fires.

The couple drove through thick smoke near the New South Wales and Victoria border and nearing Melbourne witnessed where fire had taken lives, completely destroyed several homes, killed livestock, including many horses and burnt out thousands of acres of bushland and vegetation.

"The fires in Victoria have shocked everyone here in Australia, the huge death toll, the devastation, it has been shocking and unbelievable, it is really hard for everyone to comprehend what happened last weekend and the fires are still burning, threatening more lives, homes and livestock," Aldred said.

Aldred attended a National Harness Racing Chief Executives conference in Melbourne before driving to his new home in Adelaide.

On Tuesday, February 10 he was in the office of Harness Racing SA Limited and officially commenced his new role as head of harness racing for South Australia, meeting with Government representatives and industry executives.

At the National CEO conference on Monday, a decision was made by the industry heads to launch a National Appeal for fire victims.

The National Harness Racing Bushfire Relief weekend will be held on February 20-22 with all tracks that are racing around Australia during this period collecting donations for the cause.

(BCSA/BCSBS)