My Aunty Trish and Uncle Noel lost their home and business, Jamanee Gunya, this week in the firestorms. They are thankfully safe. I have no words, but wanted to simply share my Aunt’s words, which brought me to tears.

“Tonight I am posting our story of today. As you all would know I rarely post!!

In respect also to many others who have lost their homes and some their lives.

We heard on Sunday morning that our home had been lost by a ferocious fire and left nothing standing except blackened trees.

This morning we bravely headed out to Jamanee Gunya and the sheer devastation was clear and vast. A very hot fast fire has taken all we own. As we made our way around from building to building we stood and scanned the damage. Our hearts were heavy, but most of all the heartache which will stay with us was the site ahead where a tree had obviously been and was still smouldering was one of our resident a male Wallaby’s.

Mr Warroo has been with us for many years. He was sitting in the hot spot still and in shock. The fur on his back was missing and his face singed. He looked at us with recognition, and with his sore eyes he begged us to help. Noel found a saucepan in the rubble of our house and found water in a burnt out water tank and offered it to him which he gently sipped gratefully.

We were in denial… thinking he would be ok. Upon professional advice we were told he would not survive with intervention.

With his damaged eyes pleading with us we made the decision to save him from his pain. A friend of ours with respect and sensitivity helped Mr Warroo leave his safe home. This is what broke us today. Our safe haven was not safe at all for all our fauna and flora or humans.

This country is the 2nd driest continent in the world and the First Peoples knew that and made sure that fierce fires never happened.

We will move on in time as many others will do the same. This is a new start with a future, with changes and uncertainty until we see a new plan and put it in place.

Our deepest sympathy goes out to all whether you lost homes, loved ones or animals. To the Firemen who have suffered trauma, and also to all people, as the sense of loss, terror and confusion consumed us. Not forgetting communities who just did not know where was a safe place for their familes.

Much gratitude to our volunteers and organisations who tirely for the past 5 weeks have been looking after so many people.

This will not happen again if all people of this Country can make the change by standing together and strong for our safety and well being.”