OPERATION CORKHILL

Eurobodalla & Bega Bushfire Recovery

Location Phase 2: Bega Valley Shire, NSW (current)
Location Phase 1: Eurobodalla Shire, NSW (completed)
STATUS: Saturday 29th May – 18 July 2021
PAUSED: 24th June, 2021 due to COVID 19

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Disaster Relief Australia continues to respond to recovery efforts post disaster, right across Australia. Whether its floods, fires, cyclones, or drought- DRA teams are willing to get in the field to help communities get back on track post disaster.

Objective

PHASE 2 OP CORKHILL (current)

The Black Summer Fires in the Bega Valley LGA caused widespread loss: with the destruction of 465 houses, 1098 outbuildings and hundreds of other structures damaged. DRA was forced to pause fire recovery operations in March of 2020 in the Bega area with Op Ryan due to COVID-19. Work has since been able to recommence into the area with Phase 2 of Op Corkhill which is now rolling to a new AO in the Bega Valley, and is forecast to run for 4 full length waves.

PHASE 1 OP CORKHILL: February – March 2021

Disaster Relief Australia has relaunched bushfire recovery operations in the Eurobodalla Shire LGA located on the south coast of New South Wales, to continue the work in those communities who were devastated by the 2019/2020 fire season.

Operations were halted in late March due to Covid-19 restrictions, however with consultation with local and state authorities, DRA is able to recommence operations within certain areas with an adjusted format as a rolling operation featuring small targeted waves of approx 4 days duration (Thursday – Sunday) across the operation.

eurobodalla fire recovery statistics

News and Field Ops Reports

Disaster Relief Australia welcomes Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants announcement

Disaster Relief Australia has welcomed an announcement they will receive $478,669 under the Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Grants program. The funding will enable DRA to continue vital work supporting communities in the Bega Valley after the destruction of the 19/20...

Operation Corkhill Phase 2 On Hold

Due to the recent COVID-19 complications in NSW, we are unfortunately required to put Operation Corkhill Phase 2 on hold until further notice. This is the second pause we have been forced to endure in the region due to COVID-19.  Our commitment to providing help and...

Operation Corkhill Phase 1 March Update

Disaster Relief Australia relaunched bushfire recovery operations in the Eurobodalla Shire on the South coast of New South Wales, continuing the work in communities devastated by the 2019/2020 fire season.  DRA worked with the Eurobodalla Bushfire Recovery Support...

Disaster Relief Australia Ramps up to Bring Urgent Recovery to Bushfire Survivors in Eurobodalla, Bega Valley and East Gippsland

Disaster Relief Australia, (DRA) is launching our first major operation for 2021, returning to bring urgent recovery to 2019/20 Black Summer bushfire survivors in Eurobodalla, Bega Valley and East Gippsland.

Community & Volunteer Reflections

The Most Change – Jason McNamee, Civilian

I joined DRA after the floods in NSW. I saw on LinkedIn what DRA was doing after the immediate fanfare and the media had left. I found the cleanup and how DRA aids in that recovery process really interesting. Seeing the little snapshots of what’s happening and what’s...

A Fence at the Front of the Property Again – Bushfire Impacted Homeowner 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...

Motivated Us to Action – Don and Jane

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...

Part of My Life Forever – Esther

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...

There’s a light at the end of the tunnel – Janene Love

I am 75 and had a knee replacement last year. I live here with my mother who is 96, but she will tell you she is 96 and three quarters as it is her birthday in July! My family, which included me and my two brothers, bought the property and we have lived here for 47...

Bec, Tegan and Samatha from Keno volunteered on Operation Corkhill

Joining us on Operation Corkhill were Bec, Tegan and Smantha from Keno! BEC FARRELL - I have been working with KENO for 4 years and I’m in the Port Macquarie Region. This is my second time working with DRA. In 2019 just after the bushfires I went to Willawarrin and...

Get Amongst us – Veteran, Guy Sadler

I started my Military career in the Navy as a Marine Technician. The trade I got was a Fitter Machinist and Boilermaker Qualifications. I did that for 6 years and worked on minor fleet, patrol boat and landing craft. I then did a bit of a stint on ‘waries’, bigger,...

Good to share a story – Andy Frantz

My father bought the Malula Bay property in 1976. He was in the Austrian Navy but has since passed. He was brought up in Pula which is a seafront city on the tip of Croatia’s Istrian Peninusla. In 1979, my father planted several pine trees along the driveway to the...

Mateship and Friendships – Veteran David Nicolson

My name is David Nicolson or better known as “Nico”. This is my first deployment after joining DRA only 6 weeks ago. I live in Canberra with my partner, Amber, and have 5 dogs! (2 x Border Collies, 1 x Kelpie, 1 x Ridgeback and 1 x Shar Pei Pitbull) When I was younger...