They are like scenes from a horror movie.
They’re stories that make the back of your neck prickle.
This it what the reality is for thousands of holidaymakers and locals on the NSW South Coast and Victorian Gippsland areas.
Most Australians right now are either in the midst of, waiting to hear from, or just thinking about those currently dealing with the Australian bushfire crisis.
This photo by Matt Abbott is one of the key haunting images from the last few days being broadcast internationally. It’s a picture that’s being used to tell the world that Australia is burning.
We’ve compiled some of the stories from the region as the fight to save lives and homes continues.
Tracey and her family ran for their lives as fire licked its way up their holiday home. Post continue after video.
Seven people have died in a matter of days.
A father and son were among them. They lost their lives at Cobargo, NSW, trying to defend their home on New Year’s Eve.
This is what the town looked like when it was engulfed by flames. For many, it’s the last inland pitstop after Bega on the Princes Highway, before heading east to the coast.
Patrick’s wife Renee wrote of her loss, “we are broken,” in a post on Facebook.
“I love you now, I love you still, I always have and I always will,” she told her community online.
A kangaroo sanctuary destroyed.
Wild 2 Free is a kangaroo sanctuary in the Mogo State Forest.
It’s run by Sayo and Rae, who met in Melbourne, and searched the entire coast of our country to find a place to start their charity and help animals in need.
They rehabilitate and release native animals back into the wild.
At 4am on New Year’s Eve, the sanctuary caught on fire.
“We tried to protect the property but we couldn’t. It wasn’t a bushfire. It was a raging apocalypse. There were no planes or fire trucks there to access or help us,” Rae wrote online, adding that if their neighbour Simon hadn’t saved them via boat they would have died from smoke inhalation if not flames.
Five kangaroos and one wallaby managed to survive.
Once the fires leave their region they won’t just be rebuilding their sanctuary, they’ll likely be inundated with injured, burnt animals that need their help. If you’d like to help them, you can donate here.
Fire also threatened the nearby Mogo Wildlife Park.
Photos from zookeeper Chad show how close they came to losing their animals.
Around 400 homes have been lost, including that of Love Island 2018 winner Grant Crapp.
Love Island Australia winner Grant Crapp’s $770,000 home in Malua Bay, which he only bought in May, has been destroyed.
The 24-year-old electrician posted a video to Instagram showing the damage to the property.
He won Love Island 2018 alongside Tayla Damir and has posted photos of the possessions he shares with now girlfriend Lucy Cartwright that’ve all been turned to ash.
“Reality of the bushfires. Lost everything. Grateful that the people that matter are still with me,” he said on social media.
Tourists were forced to spring into action for locals.
Canberra based Paul was in Bateman’s Bay for New Year’s Eve, but instead of celebrating he and a mate helped to fight a bushfire threatening local oyster businesses.
“I now have even greater respect than I already did for the RFS who do this all day everyday for little to now reward. It’s absolutely insane how quick it spreads with the embers raining down everywhere and the lack of oxygen when your right next to the fire,” he wrote on Instagram.
“One of the scariest things I’ve witnessed,” he added.
Thankfully the oyster businesses were spared.
A Bachelor couple and a Sunrise host, among those thankful they weren’t closer.
Like many, Laura Byrne and Matty J were holidaying on the NSW South Coast when the bushfires came.
They were in Mollymook, just kilometres from where the real danger was. Like thousands they were without electricity or reception for days and are like the millions that are struggling to say the words “Happy New Year” amidst the ongoing tragedy.
“I wish this was a Happy belated New Year’s post, but after the devastation that has happened on the South Coast sadly it can’t be,” Laura wrote.
“Thank you to all the firies and the volunteers – you are heroes. Driving back this morning we saw just a small snippet of all the homes and lives you have saved,” she added.
Sunrise host Samantha Armytage was also holidaying down the coast, posting on social media, “we’ve made it out of the South Coast fire zone & I’m feeling very excited for a shower, some electricity & telecommunications.
“More seriously, I’m feeling very thankful for my lot in life & very sad for those who’ve just lost lives, livestock & livelihoods.”
She posted a series of photos from Narooma where she was staying.
Tourists spent NYE on boats.
Hundreds spent New Year's Eve out on a boat on Mallacoota Inlet in Victoria. They were wrapped in towels, wore face masks and sat terrified, waiting.
A photo of a little boy in a boat made international headlines, as the true horror of the unfolding situation became known.
Amy was also there, and described on Instagram what it was like.
"At 8am in the morning it was pitch black, like the dead of night. That's when we navigated our way to safety with water surrounding us. Once it lightened up, the sky shone fluorescent orange, then red, then slightly pink and then dusty orange," she wrote.
Thankfully, they were okay.
"I have absolutely nothing to complain about. I’m sitting in my perfect campsite where I have been able to wipe of the layer of ash from everything and it’s almost like nothing has happened. For the locals of this beautiful town though, it is devastation. I’ve been told about this thing called survivor's guilt and let me tell you, I’m feeling it. But it doesn’t help anyone so let’s shake that right off," she added.
On a beach north of Narooma, thousands more headed for the water.
They too were left stranded and terrified.
Instead of pictures of their holidays, people shared photos that are hard to comprehend.
Hundreds and hundreds of pictures that look like this.
Locals and tourists are being forced to stockpile from supermarkets.
Queues for local IGAs and supermarkets are snaking around corners and it's turning into a humanitarian crisis because they're running out of produce.
Food supplies are running dangerously low.
This is an example of what they're eating in the area.
Many aren't getting supplies quickly enough and are going hungry - there are thousands to feed.
And it's not over yet.
As thousands flee, and are evacuated, the entire area is bracing for conditions that they're being told will be worse than what they've just experienced.
Saturday, they'll likely see it happen all over again.
Feature image: Instagram.
Top Comments
I’m really saddened that in an article that should be about people who have lost so much - especially people who have lost family members, you feel the need to legitimise it by including how reality tv stars and Sunrise tv hosts were near the tragedies or involved. I appreciate the fact that you’ve included incredible places and stories, but instead of minor celebrities why not tell the story of the local RFS who have worked tireless hours to try and save towns, like the Cobargo RFS chief, or the people volunteering and helping the community like the doctors and pharmacists who are working for free in the evac centres to help people as much as they can.
Narooma is my home town and we’ve packed up our lives and left our homes behind while we wait for the worst days to come. I’m incredibly sorry and empathetic for those who have lost homes, properties, live stock and their own lives, but these catastrophic fires are not worse or more important because minor celebrities were close or involved.
Totally agree. Now is not the time to give any attention to minor celebrities and the situation is not more grave just because they were peripherally involved in it.
Narooma and that entire region is precious and beautiful - it's unthinkably awful what is going on. I hope your home is safe.
The fires are ripping through my home town on the South coast. Although your story does tell of the horrors we are facing it leaves a big detail out
Tourist were told not to come! They have overstayed their welcome and left a town with no access to north or south highways with no food and water. Evacuated tourists are taking up space in overcrowded evacuation centres where people have literally lost everything and they are only there so they didn't lose their air bnb costs. You've left our town with nothing but a tag in an Instragram phone and stories to tell your friends.
Very good point. The warnings have even around for weeks, there’s really no excuse.
The dame scenario for those tourists in East Gippsland. They were upfront about not evacuating last week when warned to do so, because they 'had paid for their holidays'. Now they are the ones who are the most vocal about being rescued. My sympathy lies with those who have lost everything. Those tourists who refused to leave should be ashamed of themselves.