Before and After - The Difference 110 Days Makes

I don't think you need any more words. I didn't realise I had these photos until tonight.

20th October 2008

February 8th 2009 approx 5.30am

October 2008

A little closer than the original - taken about 5.30am 8th February 2009. Notice the bucket? - I used that to stop the smouldering retaining wall.

364.25 days ago - Black Saturday 7th February 2009

I was trying to sleep and couldn’t – I realised what I was planning to do was possibly suicide and I could possibly end up dead – but I HAD TO DO it.

I left Whittlesea at 2.30am in the morning and got to Marysville at daybreak – I don’t remember very much of the trip – other than what I have recalled in My Story – I drove with eyes ONLY for the road, I didn’t have a choice. The dangers were many, the sights from my car window too scary to comprehend.

The smell is something that will never leave my mind. Driving over electricity wires is scary even when you know that the power is off – it’s unnatural.

Then seeing some animals alive and looking fine and to see others either dead or near dead – was heart-wrenching.

To see cars and trucks ‘parked’ in the middle of the roads was strange – like an apocalyptic movie, where you know the people have gone mad and just run off into the distance chasing some figment of their imagination. That was what it felt like.

To see burnt out shells of vehicles – you dared not look, just in case. Power poles cut at the knees, where the fire had burnt them through and they fell across the roads.

I did what I did because I am me.

Some people have lost everything they have loved for as long as they can remember – their loss must be enormous. Some people have come forward and have shared their stories; I congratulate them on being so brave. By sharing their stories, they are trying to make sure you don’t suffer the way they have. I can’t thank them enough; the pain of retelling must tear at their already broken hearts. I hope if I was in their shoes – I’d have the guts to do the same.

May the next 12 months be better than the past 12 months and may every year that passes be better than the last.

On that note:- thank-you to all the people on the ground fighting these fires, thank-you to those people who after the fact, stepped up the mark and assisted with everything from toilet paper to cars and accommodation. You did a wonderful thing.

Let us hope that we never again suffer as we did on February 7th 2009.

Let us be vigilant of our surroundings and of people who may pose a threat to our homes, our families, our lives. If you see someone acting suspiciously please make a note of anything and if you feel it necessary report it to 000. Lives, maybe your life could be a risk for not doing so.

Take care out and remember Mother Nature talks to each and every one of us – perhaps you might need to turn the music down a little and listen once in a while.

A Summary of My Story - A True Story

The only thing in this post in chronological order is "My Story" The remaining posts are just there - they are part of the story, of My Story - but they don't fit in anywhere specifically - so they are just left at the bottom.

This has not been an easy story to share - and what you see is really only the bare bones - the whole story - with the nuts and bolts won't ever be told - there are too many nightmares - like the car with the keys or the horse who survived only to die due to dehydration, because I couldn't get him water. They are just some of the details that have been omitted.

My Story Part 1

My Story Part 2

My Story Part 3

My Story Part 4

My Story Part 5

My Story Part 6

My Story Part 7

My Story Part 8

My Story Part 9

My Story Part 10

My Story Part 11

The Battle is not won, even when you save your house.

The Received ONLY TXT messages of Black Saturday and Beyond

12 Months Almost

Smoke Haze over Melbourne

My Father Said................

364.25 days ago. Black Saturday

Flash Back of the Worst Kind

You Can Feel a Sense of De-Ja-Vu in the Air

A Forgotten Victim of Black Saturday

The Marysville Cookbook that I gave to the community, which you, the public can now buy

Before and After - The Difference 110 days makes

My Story - A True Story Part 11 - Black Saturday

Part 10

Here are some articles from printed media showing how hard it has been for residents in the Marysville area.
Heaven to Hell and Hopefully Back Again
Weekly Times Now - National News

This is from the Rotary Club – notice that Marysville gets 1 page and Kinglake the other 6? – Marysville is 2^nd class as far as the media are concerned Richmond Rotary Bushfire Recovery

Not one word here about Wandong/Bendigo or Marysville and yet this is a world-wide event - I would have thought the media could look beyond their own noses for once. http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,,26616424-5006301,00.html

I could go on and on - living in Whittlesea - I see the differences in treatment between Kinglake/Flowerdale/Humevale residents and those in Marysville/Bendigo/Wandong/Gippsland. It makes me sad - the only thing I can put it down to is that Melbourne is so much closer to Kinglake and thus the media crews have easy access.
Marysville residents are proud and won't ask for help - they are old-school and do what has to be done, without looking for hand-outs.

There will never be a day - that someone lost in this tragic event, won't be remembered, be it by family, friends or work colleagues. Everyone involved on that day has a story to tell. These stories need to be put out there for others to read - without the telling of stories, people next time won't remember and we need to make sure that nobody ever forgets this and is prepared to act, rather than wait.

Some of my stories from my blog:-
My Father Said
Survivors Guilt
Flashback of the Worst Kind

That is the end of My Story - I hope you pay attention to this and make your life decisions accordingly - do not allow your children, your family, your friends to suffer - If you don't feel you can cope under the threat of fire - GET OUT

I can't say anymore than that.

So many people lost so much - not just houses and cars and family pets, but family members, family history - It's hard to describe, but imagine re-entering a changed world with nothing. Imagine all that was of the past gone. That favourite photo of little Johnny on the swing set, that timble of your nannas. All gone.

The rebuilding of assets isn't the problem - it's the rebuilding of history, the ability to feel safe on high risk fire days. Just the ability to know that your friends and children and family won't suffer the same tragedy.

Take care out there - remember "Be Prepared or Prepare to Die" I can't make it any simpler.

HS

The Summary of My Story along with other posts, relating to the day

My Story - A True Story Part 10 - Black Saturday

Part 9
Another obstacle faced by the town was a lack of Post Office, sounds fairly trivial, until you know the whole story. Kinglake within 72 hours of being burnt out were offered a Post Office in the township of Whittlesea. This Post Office was used until April and then a more permanent building was erected on the mountain for Kinglake residents,

The same was not offered to Marysville residents, in fact the Post Office that was initially set up for the Kinglake residents was meant to be moved to Marysville. It was still sitting in exactly the same place until July. I got sick of waiting for Australia Post to take action, so took things into my own hands. The outcome being that within 72 hours the temporary post office was relocated to Marysville and postal services and deliveries recommenced to those residents living in and around the township. By checking the Australia Post Charter AND the Commonwealth Act regarding postal services I was able to determine that

“Australia Post shall ensure:

(a) that, in view of the social importance of the letter service, the service is reasonably accessible to all people in Australia on an equitable basis, wherever they reside or carry on business; and

(b) that the performance standards (including delivery times) for the letter service reasonably meet the social, industrial and commercial needs of the Australian community.”

So Marysville had a mail service again – a small victory – but a victory all the same.

Just before Christmas – finally some shops opened in town – where you could buy your newspaper and some milk – instead of travelling 30-40km to get basic supplies. It took almost 10 months, but thanks to the generosity of a building owner – things moved ahead.

This is almost the end of my story - only one more chapter to go. I've hung onto this story for so long - I almost know it word for word. Reading it I can see in my minds eye - the events as though they were yesterday.

Part 11

The Battle is Not Won, Even When You Save Your Home From Bushfire

The fire has come, the fire has gone. You have somehow managed to save your house. You still don’t know how.

You are tired. You look around, everything you once knew has now all gone, You don’t remember the Jones house burning, but it must have, you can’t see it anymore.

You are half deaf, the noise of the fire, the noise of the gas bottles venting. The large explosions, you don’t know what they were. But you have survived.

You don’t know about friends, you can’t contact them. The phones no longer work, either landlines or mobiles.

You look around the place, everything outside is burnt or melted, God knows how you managed to save the house. The down pipes are all bent and melted. The retaining wall will need to be replaced. The clothes line? – Looks like a sad scarecrow.

At some point in time, you ripped the smoke detectors off the ceiling and threw them out – the noise. OMG – which was worse? The screeching or the sound of everything burning?

You are afraid to leave the house in case there is a fire you haven’t put out. You are running out of water, for some reason the gravity fed water supply has stopped running. You don’t know why.

Exhaustion, you want to sleep but can’t. Everything keeps flashing through your mind. Suddenly there is a knock at the door. The DSE are there asking you to take in some people who couldn’t save their homes. You can’t turn them away. You make room.

It’s now morning – you feel like crap. There is still no water. There are still no phones, there is no power.

Do you stay or go?

There is a knock at the door. It’s some officials. They advise that the town is being evacuated because there is no water.

You don’t want to leave, can they make you leave? You don’t know.

What do you do? Where do you go? – What do you take? – You can’t empty the house. What happens if when the house is empty, some bastard decides to help themselves?

You make a decision to stay. You don’t know if it’s right or wrong, but it’s all you know. At least at ‘home’ you can sleep in your own bed, Things are familiar.

What would you do somewhere else? This is all you’ve known for the past 40 years.

You hear a car in the street, it’s xxxx, they tell you that the water should be okay now, make sure you boil it and they move on.

That means I have water, I don’t have to go. I don’t have power, but I have a generator. I should be okay.

Someone else has come into the street. They are taking photos?????????? Who would take photos at a time like this?

A helicopter overhead, Jeez, I hope they don’t see me. I look horrible.

Everyone else leaves, they lost everything, they are going to the evacuation centres, they have no-where else to go. I don’t have enough food and there is no way for them to contact family. So they have to leave.

There is no sound, no birds, no cars, no mowers. Absolute silence. Can I stay here and not go mad?

We hide in the house for 2 days, hiding because everyone lost so much, we lost nothing. We feel ashamed.

The police are everywhere, they tell us at the outskirts of town if we leave, we can’t come back. How can they say that? We have a house, what will happen to the animals?

We are running out of fuel, we have eaten everything out of the freezer, the canned food is running low. Can they starve us out?

I thought this was Australia? Why are we being treated like this?

We’ve spoken to the kids, they know we are okay. There are 6-7 houses where people have stayed. We are not meant to travel around the town, as it has been declared a crime scene. We can’t talk to each other. When night falls, we move between the houses, making sure everyone is okay.

Food and fuel that is meant to be at the police point is not there. And no-one knows anything. A guy from out of town gets into town with a car full of stuff – the kids dropped it at his place after the police wouldn’t bring the stuff in or let them through the roadblock.

Are You Prepared to Stay and Defend?
Why Must Government Save People from Themselves

Thank God for friends and family.

My Story - A True Story Part 9 - Black Saturday

Part 8
Another piece of therapy I pursued for my own sanity and a way of helping the people of Marysville is this:- Marysville Cookbook It’s self-explanatory.

The opening blurb reads:-

Welcome to the cookbook, designed and printed for the residents of Marysville and surrounds.

This book is not your average cookbook – that you look at – and take a little bit from and then put back on the shelf

You are meant to write in it. You are
meant to enjoy it and do what you do best –
COOK!

There is plenty of room in the margins for scribbles – there is plenty of space for you to add your own recipes – there are blank pages, just for that purpose.

The idea of this book came about with one person, who like you, lost everything they ever owned, saying that they were unable to remember a special recipe that was passed down from their mother.

It will be a long haul back – but like the fires of 1939 and those that made it through – You can and will do it. You need to remain strong – You MUST talk about what has happened, both amongst yourselves to help and support each other and with outsiders, this will ensure that your children and your children’s children never forget and are never affected in the same way.

Now is the time to make sure that you don’t become complacent, that you keep your network of friends and families close. You need their support more than ever. Yes there will be rough times ahead – but ask your friends and they will help you
– that is the spirit of Australia and the nature of small towns.
DO NOT BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP

I can’t replace that recipe – but I can try and find new recipes to replace the old. Most of these recipes are old recipes with the old measurements, they are simple
and easy to make. I only hope you can enjoy these recipes as much as I do and they make your kitchen the heart and soul of your new home.

On a personal note, I would like to say thank-you to all the paid and unpaid people, who on the day, stood in the face of danger to try and protect everything I love and know. You did everything humanely possible and then some. I admire your courage, I admire your strength. Yes there were losses, both life and
property but you are not superhuman men and women – you are human and
that means that sometimes you have to accept you did everything you
possibly could – without losing your own life.

Thank-you

The recipes themselves contain basic ingredients, with basic recipes, nothing too complicated. The recipes are easy and the index follows not only the title of the recipe but also the major ingredients, thus if you open the fridge door and wonder what to do with what ingredient, refer the cookbook index and you will be offered many recipes.

This was good therapy for me, the time spent compiling gave me something else to think about. I gave 300 copies to the people of Marysville, as a way of knitting the town back together with something made just for them, by someone who grew up in the township and whose parents still live there. By all accounts they have taken it to their hearts. I only hope that it helps the
residents as much as the sharing helped me.

Due to demand a second print of the book is being done as we speak - I can't believe that something so small is wanted by many - Of the first run, a small number of books were sold, of which $5.00 was being given to the community - The second run will see $10.00 from each book being given back to the community - to help make Marysville home again for those residents staying. - I only hope my little bit can help replace things that have been lost for the township.

Part 10

My Story - A True Story Part 8 - Black Saturday

Part 7
After then

From here things get not so much hazy – but not dated – just ramblings. I was so tired – I was having nightmares, couldn’t sleep, many people calling me from all over the world – wanting to make sure that I was okay, that my parents were okay – crazy, crazy times.

I was having nightmares about a tap in town – right near the retirement village, that would only work with a ‘key’ (like a council key) it wasn’t working when we first drove past it, after we had solved the water problems it was working and we had to stop and turn it off. This tap took on the size of Goliath and was my personal nightmare.

In the middle of all of this – I was approached to help with handing out cash for some people that I know online – they’d pay the money to me and I had to find a way to give to the most deserving. After thinking about it for a couple of days, I found the perfect solution. I stood at the local service station in Whittlesea and hand out $50.00 to any person who was wearing a wrist band and trying to pay for petrol. The people with wrist bands lived in the fire affected areas of Kinglake, Flowerdale and Humevale. For 3 nights I stood next to the cashier and paid the amount of $50.00 to the cashier for each person who was wearing a wrist band. These people are those that are trying to get going after being hit in the guts and making an effort. They deserved all the help they could get. I gave out something like $2000.00 over that period.

Eventually, the demons caught up with me, it must have been about a month later, I went and tried to see someone, but because I hadn’t lost property and because I wasn’t ‘directly’ affected, no-one had time for me. The usual stuff – I’m one of the one’s that ‘slipped through the cracks’ even today I’ve not spoken to anyone. Simply because I can’t talk to my parents, My family can’t be burdened with the stuff, we all have problems. There is no-one to turn to.

What I’m finding the hardest is that people I relate my story to – don’t believe it. In my own sort of therapy way I have shared the above story with a few people and only 1 or 2 actually believe it and respond. The rest just ignore it, as though it couldn’t, didn’t, wouldn’t happen. Sorry to tell you – but every word you read here is the truth. With God as my witness.

Part 9

My Story - A True Story Part 7 - Black Saturday

Part 6
Tuesday 10.02.09

Mum and dad finally got a message out – they had to leave to get more supplies – they didn't get any of the messages that I have been trying to get through

We got home from the trip to Marysville – had some food and then I went into town to the evacuation centre to try and get some help

I went to the Salvo's they couldn't help – they were happy to write a cheque – I didn't want nor need it

I spoke to someone from the Red Cross – she said that she couldn't help BUT I should approach the local police as they are removed from the Marysville situation and wouldn't be so upset.

I did that – I spoke to someone at the meeting – he took my name and number – I requested the someone call me to let me know that they had got the message – I received an incoming phone call about 10pm – stating that he unable to contact the local police and that he had sent an email that is trackable and he has to answer.

So I figured it is just a waiting game – I was positive that one of the messages would get through – How wrong I was.

My sister had received a call from my parents, my sister said that they still weren’t aware of the supplies. They had left all the animals, (townsfolk's animals) there for safe keeping during the approach of the fire in the hope that will give them the lien they needed to get back into town.

There are a couple of families staying in the town, and I’ve advised dad that everyone needs to band together and make sure all are okay – There are and will be many tears, especially with communications down and no-one else to talk to, a stewing pot of emotions and with so many known lost, the holes are huge.

What the officials are doing is criminal – they can not starve people out – they can not prevent people from remaining in properties that are not damaged. Already there are stories of looting in the Kinglake area – our friends place was done over.

Bastards.

Part 8

My Story - A True Story Part 6 - Black Saturday

Part 5
Yeah taken a break. Slept last night in the knowledge I was going to try and get back into Marysville tomorrow with useful items, like food, fuel, animal food and repair equipment.

My parents used to own a commercial property which they ran single-handed until 12 months ago. That business is now gone, burnt to the ground – like the rest of the businesses in town.

The fires didn’t start in Marysville, they started in Murrindindi, apparently deliberately lit – but no-one has been caught yet.

Today – My husband, myself and my brother came up the major roads - so from Ringwood the Maroondah Highway - talked my way through the 1st road block (at the beginning of the spur) There the police took our registration and drivers licence details and explained to us – that the only reason they were taking this information was to be able to identify us WHEN we were caught in the Mt Riddell fires.

On the way up – we spotted a bulldozer driver, who had come in from Gippsland to help, he had pulled over to the side of road, with a flat tyre. We helped – we couldn’t leave him there. There was no traffic only a CFA fire truck coming back to change crews – so it was relative safe to do so. I stayed outside the vehicle just in case any traffic that did come through knew that we were there. Finally he was mobile again, after telling us that he had been called in from Gippsland (also fire affected) to help doze in control lines. We wished him luck and went on our way.

We managed to get within 3km of Marysville - and then stopped by the police at the two main road access points into Marysville. There are other points in - but they are through the bush and I wasn’t that brave - I wasn’t going to travel on unmade dirt tracks, towing a trailer - without knowing what lay ahead. Although we had chainsaws, the trees were still falling and it was still too dangerous.

The police refused to escort us - they refused to contact my parents, the police also refused to bring my parents to the road block to pick up the supplies we had bought. They knew who I was, they knew my parents, One of the attending officers had chased me out of town only 24 hours earlier. We were told to come back in 1 hour, not sure why, perhaps there was going to be a change of shift? – No idea why we were told that – but we presented again and were told no entry.

We left the fuel and food at a local farmers place after having a chat and a coffee - typical bloody farmer! - He can’t get into town either - BUT........... he may try to get in there later tonight via road OR motorbike - not sure if he can - or if he is game enough - I am trying to organise CB contact as I know that there are CB radios in town and if I can get someone on the outside and someone on the inside then I have a line of communication.

That is about it. We have done as much as I can - We left the township before they closed the spur again as it was under threat of ANOTHER fire - from Mt Riddell

We had to stop in Healesville to check on someone and whilst there witnessed Elvis dropping water on the Mt Riddell fire in the mountains and then 2 hours later receive a phone call that Doms' road and Myers Creek road are being evacuated – Our friend in Healesville was one of those evacuated- he is now sleeping about 500m down the road!

Anyway time for me to hit the deck, it’s been a long day.

Part 7

My Story - A True Story Part 5 - Black Saturday

Part 4

Having got back into the car and knowing that power lines and trees were down on the upper road - I took the lower road back into the main township and in the process saw a gentleman watering down some embers in the front of his house - I stopped to ask if there was anything I could do - He looked horrid. He had lost his wife, after thinking he had left her in one of the safest places in town - thinking that that fire system would protect them if the building caught fire - the fire front had passed - he left to check the house and when he got back the place was burnt to the ground - He requested that I get a message to his son - which I did at about 11.30am .

There was no communication in or out of the town – after about 7am. Because I have an older phone I was able to get reception until the metro towers became busy with mobile traffic. That ability disappeared once the towers got busier. When I left Marysville I sent about 20 SMS and his was one of them. I also left with 2 pages of phone numbers to call to advise family members that family was safe.

I went to go back to the house, to do so, required that I drive OVER the fallen remains of the hotel wall - lumps and bumps, it was weird, even the climbing of fallen on fire trees wasn't that scary - keeping in mind that in any traveling I have done, I have not been stopping anywhere unless I have seen someone completely lost - I have not detoured anywhere unless to avoid trees - I have seen about 50% of the town and only 4 houses still standing so far. :(

I got back onto my parents street with the intention of going back to mum and dads but the CFA won’t let me pass :( - After a small dispute, which unfortunately I told the gentleman (from the CFA) manning the roadblock that he can’t stop me. I double back and got in the back way - noticing at the same time that numerous water meters are spouting water into the air from broken stop taps.

I go back to house and report about the evacuation and the reasoning behind it being the lack of water and that I believe that the lack of water can be solved in minutes or maybe a little longer - D having worked for the water board he would know what do.

We took my car and went from house to house - turning off broken meters OR ramming with a hammer - garden stakes into the broken stop tap valves and stopping the flow of water. We have done about 5-6 meters this way and turned off a further 4-5 broken meters - the water pressure was still no good. As we are turning the corner to return around the block back to the house (D is in a state of shock and collapse by now) - I hear gushing water. It turns out that an automatic fire system has failed due to the collapse of the building around it and was allowing water to cascade onto the streets and vastly reducing the water pressure.

We proceeded to turn off several commercial fire services that are protecting nothing as all the buildings have all burnt down.

I believe this process is frowned upon, but we didn't have a choice, we needed water to put out the spot fires and to remain in the house to prevent looting.

With this - taking all of about an hour - we managed to restore water to 75% of the town. YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Afterwards I found out that in doing that, we also prevented the evactuation of Buxton, which feeds off the Marysville water. A valve that closes when the pressure gets too low - re-opened when the pressure was re-instated)

Having done that and the whisper that they were going to shut the town down - and remove everyone - Somebody knocked at the door to advise of evacuation, The door knockers were told that the people in this house would NOT be leaving and said unless you handcuff him - he will not leave - he has water - they can’t make him leave!!!!!!!!!!!!! - at the same time - he told me to get out - because if they decided to they could stop me leaving OR force me to leave in the convoy and head directly into the path of the Cathedral range fires - I make my own choices. I left - I got to the top of Mt Gordon and that was where I was accosted by the Channel 7 news team, they 'interviewed' me for about 5-10 minutes - I don’t recall exactly - but I know I told them they were arse holes and to piss off - ooops - no wonder they only used 10 seconds of the footage.

Noting - forgot to mention – when I was talking to the man that lost his wife - the gentleman that helped me with the sign and the second tree - said he had cleared a lot of the road from Marysville to Narbethong - so I could get back easier - not sure if he did it just for me or not - but made me feel good.

I left - the road was a lot better on the way out - the devastation still the same - I made it through to the other side with no complications

I hadn’t slept for 30 hours by the time I got home - I had so many phone calls to make - I am sure that I have burned my mobile :( I was on the phone almost the entire trip home and when I got home - I the made the nitty gritty phones calls, the interstate phone calls that required calling the local police stations and getting them to get people to call me.

The phone stopped ringing about 4pm - I went to bed and got about 2 hours sleep - I am going back into Marysville tomorrow with a trailer and various tools (from garden stakes) and star pickets and 3 way gas fridges to try and make sure that the households that want to stay can and the officials can’t stop them

I have not seen a lot of the town - so I can’t give a full break-down - I only went from A to B and then C - nothing else - I can’t bear people to stare at me - so why should I stare at others?

Anyway - it is midnight - I think I have covered everything

Part 6

My Story - A True Story Part 4 - Black Saturday

Part 3

Two of the people that arrived at the house last night - just before the fire storm hit had left as I got out of the car - they were away for about 60 minutes - they came back wiped out :( - It seems that they have lost their son and his friend - I know they have property - but it is suspected that they are also under the property.

I thought at this stage - one thing I could do was check out the possibility that the boys were at the evacuation point - I checked NOTHING. The news was getting worse. People were waiting on the oval for news of loved ones,one by one there were being advised that family members didn’t make it. It was horrendous. It felt like Whittlesea all over again – even though that was only hours ago.

The next thing I did was to try and get to the property - couldn’t drive down there - BUT - I left the car and with a note advising who I was and where I was going and went to walk down - I was confronted by another two DSE guys - when they tried to say I had to evacuate - I said I have only just got here and they said oh – we heard about you. They let me go and said they would follow me in about 10 minutes as they are issuing the evacuation order due to Health and Hygiene problems and no running water.

I went down the road to the boys place - on the way – I saw a couple with a flat tyre - but I didn’t have time to help them - I had more important things to do - I continued on - I got to the property and the place was gone – I checked under the bridges to confirm that they weren’t there but perhaps injured but I realised there was little hope. The only other car the boys had was burned out beside the place :( - I believe they are dead - it is not possible for them to have escaped I don’t believe :(

I went back up the car with a heavy heart - on the way the DSE guys passed me - I told them about the flat tyre people and they went and assisted them and left me alone.

Part 5

My Story - A True Story Part 3 - Black Saturday

Part 2
Alright - I am back on the road again - crawling in 4x4 over small trees and power lines, abandoned cars and log trucks and generally shitting myself in the process - keeping in mind I am now about 5km from the township of Marysville and the sky is getting lighter by the minute.

I come across an almighty F********** tree - that had a bigger trunk diameter than your average logging truck.

Again I park the car - checking that I am not willingly parking under any trees that might just fall. I assess the situation and realise that without help or a chainsaw I was stuck. - I was at that stage contemplating locking and leaving the car and walking the rest of the way.

Just as I had decided to do exactly that - a car came down the driveway of a property. It turns out that I know him - we swore at each other - hugged each other and then I was cross-examined as to how the hell I had managed to get so far - I said I flew LOL - seriously.

Anyway - with the help of a chain and a bigger 4x4 than mine - we removed a sign - which allowed my vehicle to pass with 1-2 inches on either side to spare.

I was told that the road to town was almost passable - but would require concentration and no stopping due to the risk of falling trees - keeping in mind - there is a constant noise of what sounds like gunshots going off in the distance - these are trees collapsing.

I got into Marysville - there WAS NOTHING LEFT _ I mean absolutely F**** NOTHING. Look left - look right - the SES shed - burned - all the cars burned - all the houses burned - no-one around - not even starring in shock - there was fire everywhere

I proceeded into the town centre - again - left and right NOTHING - I mean nothing - not one house was left standing - not one business - everything gone - all the 100 year old trees gone - the pub, the post office, the police station, the primary school, everything.

I notice what appears to be an official type vehicle turning in front of me - I flag them down, turns out it is P & D, people I grew up with - I tell them that the woman in Granton has no water and get someone to go out there - these people also put me through the inquisition - how, what who, when - I told them - they didn’t believe me - and then I told then who I was and they said oh, - that doesn't surprise me - my family has a name in the town for never taking no for an answer.

Anyway - they escorted me to the street that my parents live - can’t understand why - but they did - I got to mum and dads place at 5.30am - I know they had been woken at 2.30am to take some people in - keeping in mind that they were the only occupied remaining house in town,

I stayed in the car - trying to rest - at 6.30am - everyone from the house came out - in an array of clothing - I got out of the car and one by one they grabbed me and hugged me - I have not seen 90% of these for 20 years or more - but they were so stunned that someone had come from the 'outside' that they saw it as a relief - perhaps that someone else could take over and make the decisions - I am not sure.

Everyone was shell-shocked. They told me their stories, I told them mine - they couldn't believe that I made it through - almost without assistance. I couldn’t believe that they survived what they did. Considering the overall damage.

I checked the house - made sure that some hot spots were eradicated - the fencing was okay and in general that everyone was as well as could be expected.

To be continued....................................

Part 4

My Story - A True Story Part 2 - Black Saturday

Part 1 is here

I didn’t know if I could get through, but I had to try. I just had to. I can’t explain the feeling.

I decided to stick to the back roads – I didn’t want to attract attention using the main roads and possibly being pulled over and being told to turn around.

The first road block was on the way into St Andrews - I diverted right and got around that one - they were none the wiser

The second road block was in Yarra Glen - again I diverted right and missed the road block - had I gone through the centre of town I would have been blocked - but luckily I didn’t - I snuck between the two road blocks.

I took a small normally unknown and unused road, a road that I used to travel down when I was traveling to and from school on the school bus many years ago - the roadside was ablaze (I was still in the outer suburbs of Melbourne) trees burning like candles - horrible stuff. Little did I know that worse was to come.

The next road block was Healesville - I really didn’t think I had a hope in hell of getting through - but I though what have I got to lose?

I talked to the RTA guy manning the road block for a while - for 2 reasons - one for him to gain my trust (at 3.30am in the morning) could be interesting and two to pass the time and wait for the false dawn to give me some light for what I knew was coming.

I left that road block at about 4.10am - on the proviso that I SMS him the road conditions and when I got through - how where the townships on the way. Deal done - I left that road block - keeping in mind I had not seen a soul for the past 20-30km - no-one of the road - they were all being pushed in the other directions - supposedly away from the fire

The Black Spur journey was pretty uneventful - lots of bark rubbish, a few small trees - but that was it - got to the other side and things seemed untouched - for about 3km and then I entered HELL.

There was lots of smallish branches on the road - both sides of the roads were glowing - buildings smouldering and power lines down - everything I had known for the past 20 years gone :(

That was only Narbethong.

I turned off the Maroondah Highway into the Marysville Road and 2nd HELL broke loose - I was confronted by a fallen tree - the trunk almost as large as a large passenger car - no problems - I could see a way around it - so I did. - SHIT :(

The next 15km was pure hell - took me 1 hour to travel. Every 10-15 metres I was swerving from one side of the road to the other - avoiding fallen trees - most still burning/smouldering to some degree.

The next obstacle was a tree in the township of Granton - I couldn’t get around it - there was a gate to the right - I turned the car in to see if I could see a way around the tree - but couldn’t - not immediately. so I backed out. My fear was that I would discover a septic tank with my car and be stuck forever. I put the headlights on the tree and got out of the car to try and figure something out - before I could do anything - a torch wandered from the house ( YES a house still standing) - I learnt that she, yes she had fought the fire by herself and saved one of her houses. I got talking and with a little lateral thinking - we figured out I could drive down her driveway and then over a fallen fence before using another driveway to get back on the road.

That favour cost me 1 litre of water - she HAD NO WATER - the tanks had melted.

I also found out that only 6 houses remained in that settlement - can't recall or wasn’t told how many houses were there previously - but I was told everyone was accounted for - that is all that matters

Part 3 to follow.............................................

Part 3

My Story - A True Story Part 1 - Black Saturday

Believe if you choose – or like many – choose not to believe – I don’t care either way

This story starts on Saturday the 7^th February 2009 and is my personal log of the day and the days following the tragic event, now known as the Black Saturday Fires.

Let's start from the start – My family and I live near Whittlesea - we were prepared to come under attack from the fire which started in Kilmore due to fallen power lines. Thankfully it missed us – It was a very close call - maybe 1-2km away – thankfully a wind change took the fire away from us – between before than and certainly after, the fire consumed many buildings, lives and futures. Nobody knew how much worse the day could get. What started at approx 11am on the Saturday the 7^th February 2009, still hasn’t finished even today, the day you read this.

My father, like myself had a sixth sense when it came to days of fire threats, he was calling me before the fire started in Kilmore to check that we were prepared. I was prepared as I could be without being called a loon. I was alert and watchful and not locking myself inside. I was listening to the news and watching the internet for signs of trouble. Dad had been calling ever hour or so from about 8am. All was okay, and then all of a sudden, things were not okay – we knew were in trouble, you just knew.

Hubby was away at work, I called him at 11.30am and told him to get home. The kids were packed with everything they wanted to take – the animals safe or for the larger animals prepared to be left. The pumps were primed and hoses laid out. Door mats removed and all that stuff you do for fire preparation. We were as prepared as could be without actually leaving the property.

Our street prepared, those that were leaving left, those that were staying stayed. The elderly were all assigned drivers and bullied into leaving. Many didn’t want to leave, but they were not given a choice. Those in ill health left early. Those that were older, but still able to prepare
properties were left to prepare properties and they would be taken with the children away from imminent danger if the need arose.

The neighbours talked and knew who was doing what. A man was posted on the hill behind us to watch for the fire and the information was fed down the residents.

We became aware at about 3pm that the fire was now being forced away from us by a change in the wind – we could see this – the radio and websites still didn’t have this information – but we could see this with our own eyes. Effectively we were saved, but we stayed on high alert until about 10pm, just in case there was another change in the wind.

We stopped watching our fire about 10pm, the stories coming from Kinglake were hair-raising to say the least. You couldn’t get into town, the media and stories bought tears to everyone who stopped and gave some time and listened, which was what people needed and few had the time to provide.

Once the fire headed off into the hills, I told mum and dad and told them to prepare. My gut just told me that the fire was going to hit town. I just knew it.

The power went out in Marysville at about 4.30pm and from that time onwards I was using the information I could glean from forums and news reports to feed mum and dad what little information I knew. At about 4.30pm a wind storm hit Marysville, which is what took the power out. That wind bought down trees and power lines and caused mayhem in town, Once the General Store shut – there was nowhere central to share information as is normally done.

I spoke to mum and dad every 30 minutes or so – they had a ceiling ladder that enabled them to access to roof space, dad was outside with the backpack and water. The house was being used a sort of refuge, with people from other properties taking shelter under inside the house, along with many animals that people left in the care of my parents. Basically a human and animal
zoo.

I rang at one stage and the smoke detectors were sounding and mum had to terminate the call because the fire was right there – she had to check the roof space and she couldn’t hear what I was saying. I knew the town was in trouble then, just not how much trouble. I am assuming it was about 6-6.30pm that this call was made.

The last call I made was at 7.57pm - I read to them from the CFA site the 8pm warning that everyone should evacuate to the oval - I knew that the fire front had passed about 6.30pm - but I was hearing in the news that the fire had doubled back

I also knew that they were the ONE house remaining (as reported in this mornings news) in the WHOLE Township - we are talking 100's of houses and businesses.

I kept trying to get through to them, but the landlines were gone at about 6pm and the mobiles were gone by 8pm – I went to bed at midnight - couldn’t sleep - was tossing and turning and listening to the radio - and by 2.30am I had made up my mind to get there come hell or high water - I packed fire fighting clothes, woollen blankets, 8 litres of water, leather gloves, sturdy shoes, a tank full of diesel and a whole lot of determination.

To be continued.....................................................

Will post follow up link and new blog post when ready - it's a long story - so you might need more than one coffee over numerous days :(

Take care out there and remember if in doubt GET OUT

Part 2