Thousands of Queenslanders have been evacuated from their homes this week as the state's bushfire crisis continues.
Residents of Campwin Beach and Sarina Beach, south of Mackay, were the latest to be evacuated in the early hours of Thursday morning.
SBS News spoke with several Central Queenslanders who left their properties after being told by police their "lives were under threat".
Terry Western and his swamp wallaby. Source: Virginia Langeberg
Deepwater resident Terry Western refused police advice twice, finally opting to flee when he heard a firestorm was forecast.
Mr Western told SBS News on Wednesday he was not concerned about saving his house.
"If it's gone, it's gone, that doesn't bother me. I was reluctant to go because of all the animals that I've got there," he said.
Mr Western was able to save his dog, cat and orphaned swamp wallaby named Baby, but other animals remained on the property including horses, goats and alpacas.
"I know quite a few people who are still in the area. And it's not that they're stubborn, they don’t want to leave all they've worked for the last 50 years. Most of them have animals and they can't just walk away and leave the animals to die."
Aaron Nimmo talks to SBS News. Source: SBS News
While Deepwater resident Aaron Nimmo told SBS News how he fled with just a few belongings.
"I didn't know where the fire was, until I got in my car and drove up to the road towards the intersection," he said
"I thought 'oh my God I’m trapped, I've left it too late'. I'm not going to get out because it just looked like the fire was all around me."
Alan Danastasi visited an evacuation centre to donate groceries and a television for the evacuees waiting out the flames.
"I saw the fire on the TV a fair bit, and thought why just sit around and do nothing, at least do something. You know, try and help."
Residents have been making donations to evacuation centres. Source: SBS News
On Thursday, the Queensland premier expressed relief that no lives have been lost so far.
And she was elated as she announced that firefighters had saved the town of Gracemere near Rockhampton, after 8000 people were forced to leave their homes.
"The town has been saved. [There is] relief, joy, everyone should just be so happy today," she told ABC radio while also warning the state faces five more days of dangerous fire conditions.
Firefighters have welcomed an easing in the weather, with winds backing off. But temperatures remain high and will continue in the days ahead, meaning the crisis is far from over.
The premier said it was too soon to know how many properties might have been lost, but assessment teams would head into fire-hit communities as soon as possible.
More than 40 schools in central Queensland remained closed on Thursday.
Additional reporting: AAP
