Millmerran Downs family left devastated after fire destroys their home

In the blink of an eye, a raging inferno took everything from a Millmerran Downs family, destroying their family home and claiming the life of family dog. SEE THE VIDEO

In an instant the lives Greg and Lorelle White had built were wiped out when fire tore through their Millmerran Downs home.

The couple had moved to the Darling Downs Hamlet nine years ago and had raised a family, nestled quiet cypress and wattle forest.

Lorelle was at work while Greg and his son Liam were at home at about 11am on Monday when fire took hold on a neighbouring property.

Greg and Lorelle White, and their three children, lost everything when fire tore through their Cypress Gardens home on October 23, 2023.

Fanned by strong, dry wind it swept over their piece of paradise, melting four vehicles, gutting their house.

“It was f--ked, that is the only way I can describe it,” Mr White said.

Greg and Liam piled their dogs into a ute and fled.

“I had ten puppies and two big dogs in the ute but one of the big dogs didn’t get along with (our Lhasa Apso pup) Nitro so I had to leave him,” Mr White said

Sadly, Nitro did not make it.

Greg and Lorelle White, and their three children, lost everything when fire tore through their Cypress Gardens home on October 23, 2023.

The family was locked out of their property for three days as firefighters struggled to contain the blaze, which burnt through more than 3000ha.

It looked as though they may have been able to return earlier, but a sudden change in wind roared fresh life into the fire, which crossed the Gore Highway.

It brought down power lines and reduced the landscape to a forest of blackened, smouldering stumps.

Greg and Lorelle White, and their three children, lost everything when fire tore through their Cypress Gardens home on October 23, 2023.

By Wednesday evening police had reopened his highway and it was only then that Ms was able to start sifting through the ashes of her former life.

They had gathered together some coins and a few nicnacs, and the twisted high-hat of Ms White’s drum kit.

“My daughters are collectors and everything they had is gone, their school stuff is gone, my instruments are gone, everything you can think of is gone,” Mrs White said.

“It was a beautiful place, we loved the wildlife, especially the parrots, kangaroos and possums.”

A GoFundMe campaign has been opened to support the family’s recovery.

While they are grateful, Mr White said could not think about the future at this stage.

“We are talking with our insurer and trying to work a few things out, but there is nothing we need, because we don’t have anywhere to put it,” he said.

Originally published as Millmerran Downs family left devastated after fire destroys their home