It all began, with Patricia and I , plus our Great Dane (DUKE) sitting beside our river. Duke began to get agitated and kept looking up the hill to our home and it was then that we saw the massive cloud, fire cloud.
Up the short walk to the house and it was clear,that we could be in trouble. I dialed 000 and gave as
much as I could. A Police lady in NOWRA was very efficient and clear.
We had thus alerted SHOALHAVEN of the start of the CURRAWAN Fire. The start of the night mare. It was the 26th November 2019.
Later that day, a Rural Fire Service (RFS) fire truck arrived.from the small town of Wandandian some
distance north of us, in Mogood. Three men and a lady, stayed the night and advised us of the source
of the fire, south west of us,near the Currawan creek, which in normal times, water flowed quite
strongly.
Some three years agoe, during heavy rains, half of a bridge, spanning the creek, was washed away and in June of 2014,through to our evacuation November 2019 the, I had raised the matter of the
urgent need to rebuild, with both CEO one Mr N Roberts of Forests NSW and the Premier Glady's Berejikian, plus the support of the editor of the BAY POST. Nothing happened. It is quite possible that had the bridge been rebuilt, the RF S may just have gotten under the initial fire and dealt with it.
Oh yes I also wrote the local member Me Andrew Constance- No reaction also.
The Fire grew and grew, spreading its fruri east and north, towards us and the Clyde River.
Being the stubburn fellow that I am, I pressed on with jobs,one was to fill the tanks,by pumping
from our River Clyde.
It was at this point that the nightmare began.
The pump started just fine but when I looked up the hill, the pipe split,normaly under ground it
had some how become exposed .grrr: Looking up at the house, there were, I think five CFS men
Looking down, oh dear, now we are in trouble for sure. Me Patricia and Duke the Great Dane, doing his PR bit, as Danes do, friendly nuges.
The fello's tried a repair, but without new fittings, pumping was out and so the chief advised us to leave asap, oh dear. Without water, we a little later, packed our treasures and documents and decided to leave. The CFS men had left, so I rang a CFS man I knew (Issac), who some how contacted the
Fire crew and thus we were escorted out past the flames. They ment business, one ute and one
fire truck lights flashing etc.
We were met at the Shallow Crossing, the assembly of fire trucks plus very helpful police and Kerrie
O'connor editor of the Bay Post, Duke again doing his PR bit.
So where to now in November?. We decided to go to our son in, Woodford , Blue Mountains.
On about this very moment Patricas brother was winging his way to Sydney from the UK, for a holiday !!!!!!. He was intercepted in a Sydney Hotel and taken to Woodford, where we would meet
up with him, Horray!!- Poor son, we were all to land on his doorstep.
Hello , Woodford, just made it, as around eighty kilometres from Son's, press accelarator and
nothing--- stop, switch off then on and off we went. The stopping got more frequent,ordered a new
fuel filter from Melboure (Dear Mercedes ML320, not good at all). Blue Mountain garages
either did not want to know Mercedes or could not fit it. Finally found a garage who informed us,
that a (Glued In plate) under the rear seat, would reveal the fuel filter- we did this, then there were special clips- bugger, back to garage, where they fitted the filter and put it on Scan Machine, which
told me, what I already knew, but no cure $400 and no cure We fixed the problem ourseves..
replaced tube and BINGO FIXED, with no further trouble. Mercedes, using glue to secure a round
panel and not secrews, shame on you.
We were there for nearly three weeks, enquiring as to the status of our home. The good CFS
via the Deputy Group Captain Steve Heggie, informed us that house was saved, it had been surrounded by fire----- marvellous news, but you cannot go home, as access roads were closed.
The web site on road closures etc, did not make sense to me, so we had to be patient
We were now in another fire zone , the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney. Any way one day we
went with our UK vistor to see the Three Sisters , in Katoomba through the haze, Me Patricia, Mike the visitor and of course, Duke the Great Dane. tall black and too charming for words, to ladies that is.A day or so,before we set out there was a loud 'Clacking' over head, our ten year old grandson, said
"There Goes Elvis Grandad" and these airborn fire fighters have become part of his life.
Besieged by , I think Korean tourists, Duke joined the ' Selfie ' mob with all the hoo's and ah's. Prince of Dogs with the ladies is Duke, Grrr!!. Then something happened, an older man approached
me and said - What is happening, over there? pointing to Narrow Neck. C140 flying, Elvis of course.
I explained about the fires, he simply was not aware, I will leave it to you all to fathom, why he was
not apparently informed on our Bush Crisis.
With car fixed accept for a noisy rear wheel bearing, which again mountain garages were not interested, we decided to go home. Checked with the CFS and no, not yet, the road was being cleared
Grr, again. I checked with chap living near, with a Toyota Prada, a bit rough Mal. So we stayed a few
days more, then darn it, we are going.
Eight hours after leaving The Mountains we arrived at the entry to our forest, apprehensive on what
we will find. Yes, the road was rough and the forest completely burnt-- The Ruins ,like a petrified
landscape, oh dear. Onward through 15 kilms of ruined forest, to the river crossing, on ward to the top of our hill and seeing for the first time, clearly through the burnt trees. Ah yes our home was standing,but where is the garage and the septic, yes my Vanden Plas Princess Four Litre' R' 1963was defiantto the ravages of life.
What a mess, inside and out and with all my tools gone,life going the be difficult. One essential was to reinstate the septic, or whar was left of it. The second time the Reln system had virtually failed by way of the lid bursting into flames. First time Rehn management did not want to know, when I told them, I was certain the lids were highly inflamable and probably made overseas!!!!.
I had a timber lid from the first failure, but now to clear the inlet to the pit. half way down was a
crust of burnt/melted , clever me decided to put steps in and clear the inlet. Now for the fun, all was well and then the crust gave way and down went Mal ,into, you know what. '.Slum Dog Mason', cleaned up and the system was operational enough.
And so it went, pipes repaired, with the help of Chris Cowan of 'Yes Men' plus general assistance, in spite of his heavy workload else where. We were at the stage of family had been over Chr;istmas
and helped tirelessly to clear and clean-- What next------begining of February the Rains came and came, until our River Clyde flooded to 15 metres, higher than 1991.pluss the Creeks.
Whoops, a Bird and animal list first, Two Magpies; Three Wallabys; One singed Roo; Three Lyre
birds; small number Blue Wrens and others; Two Wombats; Six King Parrots; One Sea Eagle and one
Wedge Tail. To help out an up turned Satelite Dish and one ground level dish for fresh water, plus
all scraps and they came including, pesky Bower Birds--------Remember Julie Andrews -Feed the\
Birds, tuppence a bunch a bunch, tuppence-tupence a bunch. Slowly more are coming, thank goodness.
Ah yes, the Rain and the floods, now Frogs,released from the pond floor, one decided to visit,
tiny little thing, in the lounge and hopped out again.
We still had our English, brother of Patricia, with us, wanting get to Sydney and his return home' Here our local farmer Terry Shea, helped out, by taking him via a long route, in the forest to Batemans Bay and the coach to Sydney. The route!------passed near that damaged bridge, the
Forestry Management (CE) one N Roberts, has refused to budget for for over three years. Cutting
once reliable route out, when the Clyde river, was in flood and concrete causeways under deep
and fast flowing water.
This area Wallaby ; Lyons and Distributor roads close the Kings Highway, was where the Currawan
Fires began, by a lightening strike.! That NSW politician Andrew Constnce, who made rather fuss, over his, home defence and said he would need couceling, may like to experience over three years, anxiouse toughts of not having an escape route in times of flood. the people in the area have experienced.
Forestry management have let them selves and people in the Forests down.
Life among the Ruins of a forest and the recovery for all, will be in our memory, for some time, as we
remember the people who died and the homes lost, plus business's Ruined also.
May we take a break for a few minutes to remember these things, ----------------------------------
Thankyous.
CFS
SES
Police
Volunteers in the many organisations, extending their help
The pilots of helicopters and tanker aircraft with their ground staff.
Recomendations.
Listen to the Firies at all times. plus SES and of course the Police.
Part of fire service training, particularly for younger drivers, should be to appreciate the
different vehicle characteristics - from Empty to Full of fluid- particularly 4x4 vehicles.
Slow down on dirt and highly cambered tracks
Fire vehicles to be fitted with Heat Shields, protected Windscreens and Reinforced Cabins
We must all listen to Commercial Radio stations, as well as the National Broadcaster the abc.
In this area 2EC was better than the the abc in the begining. The local abc was off air to
Sydney over xmas.
Say no to Plastic Water Tanks and all pipes to be under ground, where possible.
Say no to Plastic Septic Tanks and Grease Traps We have now had TWO Reln septics
virtually explode. The manufacturere was simply not interested
Improve the standard of the Road report site. I found it difficult to negoiate.
All Hotels Motels and Resorts, provide accomodation to Evacuees, at cleaning/laundry cost only
A number did,but many did not - No one should live in a tent.
Food stores, particularly ALDI must be more considerate, particularly to older people and not Throw
groceries at them at checkout.s, We had two full trolleys to get through the flood time and were told to hurray up and load the trolley- there was people waiting. All they had were a small number of items and of course ALDI's do not have a special line for these shoppers.
What a Summer. We will recover, and get over the Trauma in time.
2020 the year of the Rat - the symbal of change for all of us.
All the Best
Malcolm E Mason Shallow Crossing State Forest, NSW Australia
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