The AIS Women’s National Basketball League team has thrown their support behind the bushfire disaster in Victoria.

The team was scheduled to play their WNBL match against Bendigo last Sunday at the Schweppes Centre in Bendigo before the bushfires encroached within 100 metres of the venue.

The game was moved at the last minute to a local school gymnasium in Flora Hills and was officiated by local referees, with the nominated match officials cut off from the area by the bushfires.

AIS shooting guard, Tess Madgen, said it was a surreal experience to be caught up amongst the fires.

'When we got down to Bendigo on Saturday evening I don’t think any of us realised quite the extent of what was going on,' Madgen said.

'We went out of the hotel that night and saw the smoke and the fire and I guess that is when it really hit home.

'Everyone in the streets and at the airport was in a state of shock and having seen the tragedy first hand we all want to help the people that have been affected.

Members of the AIS team have gathered bags, clothes, shoes and a variety of tinned food products that will be passed on to the affected communities down in Victoria.