Two weeks ago, the Adelaide Hills were in the headlines as catastrophic fires raged through communities, destroying homes and properties.
From the ashes, the community is rallying together for a recovery effort that embodies the mateship and community spirit that marks Australia Day.
“The Aussie spirit – the Aussie Spirit is good –and it’s a really, really good feeling.”
Alex Demchenko and Dan Brind have been neighbours for years, and their appreciation for the local community’s generosity has soared in the wake of the recent blaze. The inferno was fast and fickle – claiming Alex Demchenko’s house, while Dan Brind managed to save his own.
“I tried to get home to turn on my fire pumps, but they wouldn’t let me through the roadblocks, and when I was let through, it was too late. I could have saved it, but now it’s all gone,” Alex Demchenko says as he surveys his bare house foundation and the blackened piles of twisted refuse awaiting disposal.
“But we’ve got ourselves and we’re strong and God willing we’ll build again. Someone gave us a caravan to help us and that’s given us a hand, it’s really appreciated.”
Next door, Dan Brind faced his own mammoth battle to to keep the flames from his family home- but his hoses couldn’t reach far enough to help his friend.
“I honestly wish I could’ve done more to help Alex’s house – it was the worst thing through the whole Friday night, was watching Alex and Linda’s house be destroyed".
Meanwhile, stories of sacrifice abound – One Tree Hill CFS Captain Tom Walsh says three CFS volunteers lost their homes while protecting others.
“They continued to go out and fight the fire, they just didn’t want someone else to suffer the way they were suffering and to me, that’s just amazing and it really shows the Australian spirit. Volunteer firefighter John Garfield was nearly one of them.
His wife Heather valiantly watered down the property and staved of ember attacks until he arrived home – just as the fire was jumping the roadway directly ahead of his house“It started over on the west and slowly came around and came all around us, it starting coming over the top of this hill. I just got home in time really.”
There’s been a surge of support for fire victims and the firefighters who fought to keep them safe. Australia Day saw people digging deep and making cash donations that will help fund better equipment for their CFS heroes.
“We’re looking at buying a thermal imaging camera that will help us to go and find stumps and make sure they’re completely cold – they cost thousands of dollars and hopefully with the money that we’re raising we’ll be able to purchase our own for the brigade and use that to help benefit ourselves and also the community” Tom Walsh says.
Meanwhile, donations of all kind are making a difference - from free massages for weary firefighters, to bands donating their services for Australia Day entertainment at One Tree Hill’s local watering hole, the Blacksmith Inn.
“We just want to keep the momentum going and get some money together for the CFS boys over the road” publican Gordon Munn says.
He’s aiming to raise $20,000 before next summer, and is off to a good start, reaching almost $5,000 in the past fortnight. Locals hope the Australian spirit of generosity doesn’t fade with the headlines, as their recovery effort begins in earnest.
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