bushfire impacted owner judy

I have lived in the area for over 40 years on and off. I moved to Kalgoorlie in Western Australia and lived there for nine years before coming back here. It’s our family farm of 200 acres.

We, my son and daughter-in-law, left for town two days before the fire came through here and came back daily to feed the animals. I used to run cattle until this happened, but now that’s all finished. I lost eight and had to sell the rest, about 20, because I had no fences left to keep them in.

How the fire didn’t take the house, I don’t know. My dad was really old and I had a ramp built for his walker so he could get inside easily, and the fire burnt the ramp, right up to the door. I reckon he was watching over us.

The work DRA has done today is just, wow! Clearing the fence line and chainsawing the trees for me. My son is a carpenter and works long hours and has been trying to chip away at it, bit by bit on weekends but it’s such a big job to do. He doesn’t know you guys are here today so he’s going to be so surprised when he comes home and sees how much work you’ve done for us. So many other organisations have said they’ll come out and help and they just never turn up or they say “you didn’t lose your house or shed, we can’t help you”.

After 18 months, the wildlife is just starting to come back – a few wallabies, a wombat under the house and kangaroos that come right up on the lawn that I throw vegetable scraps out to.

Thank you for the work you people do, it’s just wonderful. Now we can put a fence at the front of the property again.

One of our biggest concerns, when the bushfires were coming, were our cattle. We wanted them to be safe, and despite everything, they all survived. No burnt hooves, none needed to be put down. The rest of the property didn’t fare so well. Our house narrowly survived but we lost many trees and outbuildings including our performing arts studio which was integral to who we are.

We lived much of our early lives in the city, working in academia, lecturing at Universities and working in the spheres of contemporary art. After moving to the country and owning livestock our perspectives on life changed. Owning cows changed our lives, which is an interesting thing to say but it is true. To be enmeshed in the environment brings you a much closer connection to the land and owning cattle is a learning experience, they have personalities and social structure and are quite intelligent animals.

Recovering from the bushfire has been a long journey. Every day you look out and there is so much more to do. Our studio used to support postgraduate students with their thesis production and after its destruction, we have lost many of those connections and feel quite isolated.

Having DRA come out with 11 people was fantastic. It was incredibly therapeutic to be able to work alongside the teams, they have motivated us to action and given us some momentum to keep going with our restoration work.

Having the team come back a second time to surprise us by organising to clean and tidy up the cemetery is humbling, we weren’t expecting it at all. I was dismayed when we walked through and saw how bad the undergrowth was, it is normally such a well cared for place. It is gratifying to see it looking so much better. Thank you DRA.

It was all a bit surreal when the fires came through. It may have been 18 months ago but the feelings are all still there and quite upsetting. I remember that when I drove out of here with a few things in my caravan I didn’t realise how close it was, or how serious the fire was or else I would have taken other precious items.

I lost absolutely everything in the fires. The house, gardens, sheds, everything that I have been trying to leave as a legacy for my grandkids was just gone. I have been in this area for 45 years and in one day had nothing left to show for it. I had no idea what to do next or how I was going to achieve it.

The kindness of strangers, the community coming together, the groups that have come out to help me have assisted me to start working through all the tasks that need to be done, and helping me to start healing as a person over the last 18 months. I can’t say thank you enough to everyone that has come out to help me, including DRA. It means so much that now those dead trees have been cut down I don’t have to look out the window every day and look at their dead, burnt trunks and be reminded of the fire every time I look up. Or look at them, wondering if they are going to fall.

As I am rebuilding the house and gardens, I feel like every person that has come to see me and helped me to rebuild is now a part of my life forever. This is my home, but I don’t feel that it is just mine, because you have all come out and left a little imprint of yourselves here too.

Disaster Relief Australia deployed a six week bushfire recovery operation to the Bega Valley Shire on 29th May, 2021. The veteran led volunteer organisation will bring vital bushfire recovery to Bega residents still suffering the destructive effects of the Black Summer bushfires of 2019/2020. Real hands on help will include tree felling, fence clearing/repairs and debris removal.

The Black Summer Bushfires are collectively known by Australians as the worst fire season ever. The Bega Valley Shire was decimated with fires scorching 58% of the Shire during the mega fire that blazed uncontrollably from NYE 2019 for 65 days. The destruction included 4 lives lost, 465 homes destroyed and countless damages sustained to buildings, properties and livelihood.

The widespread emergence of COVID-19 occurred just days after the fires were contained. DRA was forced to withdraw critical bushfire recovery services from multiple locations around the country including Cobargo. The Bega Valley Shire has not been able to receive necessary assistance due to the pandemics ongoing restrictions.

Disaster Relief Australia CEO Geoff Evans says “Disasters are more frequent and more intense and for those affected deeply personal. We’re determined to bring help where it’s needed most in spite of the challenges of deploying our volunteer workforce nationally during COVID restrictions.”

The effects of the fires continue to linger on many months after. Many residents are still living in rough conditions. Caravans are the norm. The Shire was the worst hit economically (both directly and indirectly) in the region. Ongoing assistance is required to restore livelihoods and bring much needed support and hope.

DRA has received and managed requests for assistance from agencies including National Bushfire Recovery Agency, Service NSW, NSW Department of Primary Industries and Cobargo Bushfire Recovery Centre. Residents will be aided throughout the entire Bega Valley Shire with work to be undertaken in Bega, Eden and Kiah in the south of the Shire and then Yowrie, Cobargo, Quaama, in the north of the Shire.

 

scott whiley member reflection

A mate put me onto DRA,  I have been looking for something different. I’m retired and spend a lot of time staying fit and traveling looking for something different. Now I have time to help other people. In the past I have been a bit selfish when I was always working and just doing things for myself. Now I have the time to get out there in the community and do something for others.

I have spent most of my life in Defence with 20 years in the RAAF and then 10 in the Department of Defence. This has been my first deployment with DRA.

Previously Ive helped farmers in Tassie on their farms, do fencing and clean up so being out the tools with DRA is very similar.

It makes you feel good at the end of the day to site with someone you’ve helped and have a tea. The look in their eyes always gets me. It’s the motivation that you given them to keep going.

Just to watch the change in people. When you feel that other people are prepared to help you for no reason other than to help. It’s not charity. It’s helping to make things good for people who need it.

This week I have been out there building a few fences, repairing fences, a lot of clearing on the river sides. I absolutely enjoy the work. I could do it 10 hours a day, seven days a week. I have cuts and bruises all over my body and I don’t care. This is great.

The people in DRA are amazing. The MC (mission commander) is really just one of us. You can approach anyone in the IMT and it doesn’t matter. Everybody’s the same when you are ripping grass off someone’s fence.

I like it out the tools, I like to sweat. I like to come back dirty. Knowing that you’ve made a difference.

107
Volunteers Deployed

$314,750
Community Costs Saved

69
Work Orders Completed

63
ADAT Flights Completed

6,160
Volunteer Hours

155
ADAT Flight Hours

The Mid-North-Coast to South of Sydney NSW experienced a sustained extreme weather event that set in on 19 March 2021 and continued until 25 March 2021 across many areas. This natural disaster brought record levels of rainfall in some areas, leading to extensive flooding and evacuation orders. Properties were inundated as the river peaked at 5.65 metres, falling just short of the historical high of 6 metres in 1929.

In response, Disaster Relief Australia (DRA), conducted a flood recovery operation in the area of the Port Macquarie – Hastings and Mid Coast Council areas named Operation Elliot, commencing on 10 April 2021.

Devastated communities and overwhelmed homeowners are looking at months of hard work to restore their livelihoods and bring back hope. The assistance provided by DRA has gone a long way to help these homeowners in kickstarting their recovery. Jobs included mucking out mud, removing extensive rubbish and debris, clearing access to properties, chainsaw work, fence line repairs and aerial damage assessments. Our members rolled up their sleeves, got dirty and provided real hands-on help where it was needed over the 5 week operation.

The difference that I saw made in just the one day I’ve been with DRA, it put me in the driver seat, gives me an insight into the hard and vital work that they do. This is the absolute truth, the entire DRA team, their generosity and what they’ve brought to the Port Macquarie Hastings region through what has been one of the biggest crises that our region has faced, I am in absolute awe. I cannot stress how
important it is for our community to continue assisting the families in the Valley and Lower Pappinbarra.
Mayor Peta Pinson

Significant media reported on Disaster Relief Australia’s flood recovery operations in the NSW Mid North Coast area brought vital awareness to the ongoing issues faced by disaster affected communities.

 

With just over a week and a half to go on Operation Elliot on the NSW Mid North Coast our teams on the ground have been busy over the past four weeks assisting members of the community impacted by the recent catastrophic floods.

Since our operation began on 27th March, we have deployed 76 members, completed 4,066 hours of work, completed 41 work orders and saved the community over $210,273.

Our Flood Relief Community Partners

As a non-profit organisation, the work we do would not be possible without the funding and support of our various partners. Clubs NSW, Lions Australia, Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited, Bunnings Warehouse Australia and Coates Hire stand with us over multiple operations.

We are also so grateful for the support from local councils and community groups which for Operation Elliot included the Camden Haven SLS Club, Club North Haven and Wauchope Showgrounds. These partnerships are invaluable and appreciated not only by our organisation and our members but by the communities we serve.

3588
Volunteer Hours

76
Volunteers Deployed

41
Work Orders Completed

$210,273
Community Costs Saved

Our people are what it is all about
Nick Backe-Hansen member reflection

I’ve come to really understand there exists a kind of nexus between us, as a small embedded team in a damaged area, and the community. There is a unique personal connection that we can bring to them as Blue Shirts that  is more difficult for larger organisations to achieve.

Read a reflection from mission commander Nick during Operation Elliot.

 

11,064
Volunteer Hours

249
Volunteers Deployed

103
Work Orders Completed

$545,497
Community Costs Saved

 

On Monday, 1 February 2021 the Wooroloo fire started near Werribee Road, Wooroloo, Western Australia and was first reported at around 2pm. On Tuesday, 2 February 2021, the fire had travelled in a north
west direction spreading from the Shire of Mundaring into the City of Swan, destroying approximately 80% of properties in the township of Tilden Park. By Saturday, 6 February 2021, the fire had covered 26kms burning approximately 10,900 hectares.

The emergency efforts transitioned from the response to recovery phase on Thursday, 11 February 2021. As of Thursday, 18 February 2021, approximately 320 properties had been damaged by the fire with 86 of those destroyed.

Operation Woods was Disaster Relief Australia’s (DRA) first major operation in Western Australia, incorporating the launch of our Perth Disaster Relief Team. DRA collaboration with the Minderoo
Foundation’s Fire and Flood Resilience initiative, partnering to rapidly deploy volunteers into the region to help with recovery efforts for the Perth Hills Bushfire.

As part of this new initiative, DRA coordinated deployment of our members and volunteers from Minderoo, including staff from Fortescue Metals and Western Force as well as providing on the ground support for recovery efforts. The Minderoo Fire and Flood Resilience Fund covered travel and accommodation costs.

This collaboration ensures fire-affected communities are matched with skilled and experienced volunteers, to help them rebuild and recover from what has been the most devastating fire season in Australian history.

Operation Woods has been DRA’s largest operation to date with 219 volunteers deployed and 30 Minderoo volunteers.

During Operation Woods, DRA launched it’s 7th DRT (disaster relief team) and deployed volunteers from every state and territory across Australia.

Significant media reported on Disaster Relief Australia’s operations in the Perth Hills area bringing vital awareness to the ongoing issues faced by disaster affected communities.

 

Operation ELLIOT Mission Commander Davina Pye spoke with Radio National Breakfast this morning 13th April, 2021. Fran Kelly and Davina discussed the Mid North Coast Floods and how Disaster Relief Australia has deployed veteran volunteers to assist with vital flood recovery in the region.

Listen: https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/breakfast/veterans-help-nsw-communities-with-flood-clean-up/13300270

Pictured: MC Davina Pye and the DRA incident management team on the ground in North Haven booking cleanup jobs for flood affected residents.

COMMUNITY PAGE (get help or volunteer locally)
BECOME A DRA MEMBER

Read the interview

Fran Kelly:
Our war veterans spend years helping people from other countries in times of natural disasters or war. This week, many of them will travel to the mid north coast of New South Wales for something called Operation Elliott, a flood recovery mission by the not for profit group Disaster Relief Australia. The aim is to help rebuild the area after the floods where at least 75 homes were lost in last month’s extreme weather event.

Davina Pye is a veteran and a firefighter with Fire and Rescue New South Wales. She’s the mission commander for Wave 1 of operation ELLIOT. Davina Pye, welcome.

Davina Pye:
Thank you, Fran. great to be here.

Fran Kelly:
What is operation ELLIOT and how many veterans are involved?

Davina Pye:
Operation ELLIOT is a flood recovery mission for the mid north coast in the Port Macquarie Hastings area that was heavily affected during the floods between the 19th and the 25th of March. We’ve currently got 20 veterans on the ground. Disaster Relief Australia unites military veterans, first responders and like minded civilians who want to help people out in emergency situations. We’ve been together for 5 years. We’ve assisted at many disaster sites around Australia and are currently in the Perth hills on Operation Woods providing fire recovery, and now here in the Camden Haven region doing flood recovery.

Fran Kelly:
Is it a volunteer operation or are the veterans and first responders paid to do this work?

Davina Pye:
It’s all volunteer. We have retirees and people still currently working that take leave. They have such a passion for this type of work and for doing something for the community that they take the time off.

Fran Kelly:
Tell me about the passion. Let’s talk about the Veterans first because a lot of vets come home and it’s hard for them, we know because we’ve talked to quite a few here on breakfast and we know that they find it hard to settle in, they find it hard either because of what they’ve experienced over there, or because of the changing situation they find themselves in. Why is is important?

Davina Pye:
It gives them a connection, not only to the other veterans they’re working with, but also to the communities that they’re participating in the recovery for. They care. What they were able to do overseas for another country, they can now do at home.

Fran Kelly:
Is it significant that they get to use the skills they were trained for? What is your experience Davina, when did you serve?

Davina Pye:

I can speak for myself. That feeling of being able to help someone on their worst day and make it just that little bit better is amazing. I was a medic with the Australian Army for 11 years, I deployed to Papua New Guinea for tidal wave relief in 98, East Timor in 99, and Bougainville in 2002.

Fran Kelly:
And in those places as a medic, you helped people on the ground who were recovering from difficult situations?

Davina Pye:
Absolutely. Especially in Papua New Guinea after the tidal wave. We were treating people for two weeks through the first surgical response, in the first 24 hours they did something like 16 amputations from wounds received.

Fran Kelly:
When you come home, when you finish the service, and you’re not an Army medic anymore, is it hard to figure out how to fit back into a community and do a regular job? How does the work you’re doing here with Disaster Relief Australia help with that?

Davina Pye:
The military is very different to anything that you would do usually. You talk a certain way, act a certain way, and to turn that off, it takes a long time – you probably never do. After doing deployments overseas, you’re at a bit of a loss. You no longer have the importance of job roles so to be able to do that sort of thing again here in Australia – it really makes you feel connected again.

Fran Kelly:
You were a firefighter after that right?

Davina Pye:
Yes, that’s correct for 14 years now.

Fran Kelly:
How’s the community in Port Macquarie, responding to you and others being on the ground there with Operation ELLIOT?

Davina Pye:
Wonderful. They have been so supportive. From the residents that have been affected through to the councils that are trying to help, we’ve been invited by the mayor as soon as we got here to bring a team in. The community has been reaching out and they’re telling us their stories and asking for help or passing on their neighbors names that they know need help as well. It’s been a wonderful welcome.

Fran Kelly:
What is the effort required on the ground, how many are there on the ground as part of this operation?

Davina Pye:
At the moment there are 20 people. There’s veterans, veterans that are now first responders, first responders that are reserve. We’re getting out and we’re mucking out houses, most of the mud is gone already, but there is furniture to remove and walls that need to be pulled down and sprayed with anti mold.

We’re communicating with residents and just allowing them to tell their story and feel that they’ve been recognized and understood that they’re still there. There’s people that either don’t have the means of reaching out through not having mobile phone communications or don’t have vehicles to be able to get into the recovery centers – these are the type of people that we’re picking up on.

Fran Kelly:
The people who are stuck on properties, who might not have cell phones, who are isolated, how are you finding out about them? What are you doing for them?

Davina Pye:
We’re finding out through word of mouth, we’re finding out through their neighbors, they are getting passed on through the recovery centers and their hotlines – they feed the information to us. We then go out and do a damage assessment, we look and make a decision on whether it’s within our scope of practice. We can’t do everything, landslips and bridges washed out are outside our work. We have a very skilled workforce that can come in and help clear fences, pull out furniture, cut out trees over fence lines.

Fran Kelly:
Some of the some of the people that you’re working with in the operation will have issues of their own, and yet they’re hearing pretty traumatic stories from community members. I imagine people are pretty distressed there. You have a moment at the end of the day called reflections, can you tell me about that?

Davina Pye:
Reflections give the team the opportunity to share what they saw. In what way it affected them or what way that they oversaw a positive or a negative safety situation that they saw was managed well or wasn’t managed well. It’s a really good debrief, to hear other people’s stories and how they saw it and know that it’s okay to share that story and to participate in a reflection that could help each other through the day’s activities,

Fran Kelly:
That’s an interesting strategy, it’s an interesting sort of mechanism to use. Where did that come from that idea of the end of day debrief called reflections.

Davina Pye:
The actual story of how it came about, I’m not sure but I know we do it in Fire and Rescue New South Wales. We call it a ‘casual’ or debrief.  At the end of a job or difficult job that you’ve seen – to be able to feel that you can talk to each other about it and what you saw, or what you did, what you did well or what you did poorly, what you could do better next time, it is used to help.

Fran Kelly:
Good luck to you and the whole team there of operation ELLIOT for the cleanup and of course the people of Port Macquarie who need all the help they can get.

Davina Pye:
Thank you – homeowners can call us on (02) 9158 9382 or else go to disasterreliefaus.org/nswfloods.

 

Major Alban Charles Elliot

Served
First World War, 1914-1918
Second World War, 1939-1945

Unit
53rd Australian Infantry Battalion

Final Rank
Major

Operation Elliot is named for Major Alban Charles Elliot, a war hero awarded the Military Cross and served as mayor of Port Macquarie from 1925 until 1936.

Service

Elliot enlisted in World War I in September, 1915. Three of his brothers were killed in action across both wars. He served on the Western Front with the 53rd Battalion 14th Brigade, 5th Australian Division and was promoted to Lieutenant on January 26, 1917.

Conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty

He was awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry for the operations and attack on Polygon Wood in 1917. At one point in the operation, the battalion was heavily shelled and its medic was unable to tend the several casualties. Elliot stepped in and personally attended to the wounded. Later, with his commanding officer a casualty, Elliot continued to direct the attack despite being shelled.

According to the AIF military records: ‘When the objective was reached, he personally organised and led a party to the old front line for ammunition, this he repeated on two occasions although the enemy were shelling the area through which he had to pass’. He also organised and led a party to bring in German machine guns and ammunition which were used against the enemy.

Port Macquarie notable personality

Major Alban Charles Elliot is remembered exceptionally well in the Port Macquarie region. Alban became Port Macquaries’s longest serving Mayor over 11 consecutive years. He was the first President of the Port Macquarie RSL sub branch. A series of surf boats carried his initials ‘ACE’ for several years.

In his obituary in the Port Macquarie News of Friday September 1, 1978, it was noted: that he was one of the most notable personalities to ever live in Port Macquarie. “To see him in action in Port Macquarie, it is easy to see the leadership qualities that won him the Military Cross”.

Major Alban Charles Elliot is laid to rest at the Port Macquarie General Cemetery with his beloved wife and son.