Burden of Bushfires

As an East Gippsland local, it's been a surreal few months. It's taken me a long time to be able to express my feelings about what my family and I have been through, but now I’m ready to tell you about our experience and I want to ask for your help.

Firstly, thank you for all of your messages of support and for checking in on us. It’s been an overwhelming and emotional time. And we’ve still got a long way to go to recover. 

Tourism and agriculture are our main industries here in East Gippsland and both industries have been hit hard. Farmers were already struggling with a 3-year long drought and now, on top of that, these horrific bushfires have destroyed a massive area. Farmers have lost their livestock and fencing, their water pumps have melted, hay has burnt, and the little water they had has been used to defend their homes. 

Tourists were forced to evacuate during the one week of the year where tourism is at its peak. Tourists have changed their plans and many will now avoid East Gippsland for the next few years to come. 

Personally, we have been impacted in many ways. Our Vic Emergency app said plenty of times 'evacuate now'. The app showed our farm was swallowed up by the fire, but there was no way of finding out until actually going there to see for ourselves. My husband’s Bairnsdale accommodation business has lost all its future bookings and received no new enquiries since the fires tore through. Our small Buchan community has been hit hard – 30 structures burnt. For a community with a population of around 300 this is a significant loss. Clifton Creek Primary School went up in flames. Many of our national parks are totally black. We have lost forests with rare flora and fauna that may never grow back. Infrastructures have been damaged and historical bridges have been burnt. We lost millions of native animals and we unfortunately also lost people. 

To say we are doing it tough is an understatement. I can’t put into words how I’m feeling right now. Lost? Empty? Sad? Exhausted? Stressed? Those are the words coming to mind. 

With no power in Buchan, Gelantipy, Murrindal, Wtree, Cann River and other towns, and no telecommunications, we had no idea if we’d lost our family farm, we had no idea how our neighbours were fairing, if they made it to safety. New Years Eve was far from a celebration. When the roads were briefly opened for residents, my husband, father-in-law and I nervously drove through the thick smoke and the ravaged land to see if our farm had been spared, fighting the urge to cry.

My heart was pounding and I was shaking, not knowing what we would find. Then, through the smoke, we caught a glimpse of the roof and tears of sheer relief flowed. Fences were destroyed and some acres blackened, but our beloved family farmhouse had been spared by this indiscriminate monster fire. Sadly, our two neighbours were not so lucky and lost everything. Feelings of guilt run through your mind; how is it possible our house is still standing and not our neighbours?

But we weren't out of danger yet. With two more months of summer to go, off the back of Australia’s hottest and driest year, it was going to be a long bushfire season, with no relief in sight. Every time my phone buzzed with another warning from the Vic Emergency app, I got shivers down my spine knowing that somewhere in East Gippsland, us, my friends, my family or other locals were at risk and could lose their home, or worse. 

But this wasn’t the first fire we’d experienced in 2019. The decade’s final year started as it ended, with intense fires.

The Timbarra fire was roaring through the Dawson Ranges when we were lucky enough to dodge two bullets. Firstly, when the wind changed an hour earlier than predicted, turning the fire just 2km away in another direction and away from homes. Secondly, when, after 8 months without rain, the skies suddenly opened, slowing the fire enough to allow DELWP, CFA and FFMV to build containment lines. It was finally declared contained in March, just two weeks before our wedding in Buchan. That fire was literally 50m from our western boundary. Still not as close though as though as the current bushfire crisis on our eastern boundary and beyond.  The Wtree / Yalma fire started on 21 November and got terribly close in early December. New Year’s Eve was like a horror movie. Neighbours and friends who stayed with their homes, told us it was like a scene from Game of Thrones where dragons went berserk. Some said it was like an ‘end of the world’ type of movie. Fire was roaring hot, spitting fireballs, trees exploded and nothing could’ve stopped it. I could see trauma in their eyes. They have experienced bushfires before, but never one like this.

91 days.....91 days of us country folk dealing with this threat lurking around, we are absolutely exhausted. What gets me through is the unity and the generosity of people.  To see people from all over the world caring for us and trying to help - it warms our hearts more than we can express.

I rarely call upon my network for favours but today I have to. Here is my plea: 

Please, please, please come to East Gippsland when the towns are back up and running. We still have untouched areas that are incredibly beautiful, like Raymond Island, also dubbed as “Koala” Island, is one of the best spots in Australia to see hundreds of koalas up close in the wild. Yes, the park has been impacted, but some of the underground Buchan Caves are in tact and are incredible and that little town needs all the support it can get. Wait a few month, until the town is ready for visitors, perhaps in autumn or winter. But come. Don’t just do one long weekend, think about regular weekends. Don’t just do a day-trip, do an overnighter. Spend money in these towns. Buy breakfast, coffee, lunch, dinner, petrol, accommodation, entertainment, souvenirs … this will go a long way.

Instead of donating items, donate your skills. Are you an architect? Help design bushfire proof homes. A psychologist? We will need you. Our community is traumatised. Are you a builder? Great, lend a hand and help rebuild. Green fingers? Amazing, sow seeds with us. Do you love animals? There are plenty of hungry little critters who deserve food, team up with a local and set out food stations.

This is the time where locals need positivity and friendliness more than ever. Let’s not get caught up in pointing fingers at each other, but instead only say or write something if it’s positive and builds morale. Support one another.

It's inevitable fires will become more and more intense in the years to come, so I personally have started a fundraiser, it would be amazing if you could spare a few dollars gf.me/u/xbraqx 

Lastly, I would love to express how grateful I am to have such a supportive team and employer. Thank you Cognizant for being very patient and understanding in times like these, giving me time to get back on my feet. And of course, thanks to all those who bravely fought for our land and to everyone who has generously donated their time, food or whatever it may have been.

THANK YOU.

Things are slowly getting back to normal (whatever normal looks like). We are a positive bunch and will get through this together.