Meet Shaun Mittwollen, the Overland Track guide who got to see the West Coast bushfires up close

It was a race to get up to the summit of Mount Oakleigh, but Shaun Mittwollen managed to see the West Coast bushfires better than most. Here’s what it was like seeing the fires so close.

As bushfires burn across the West Coast, Shaun Mittwollen was able to get an amazing view of the beautiful yet destructive blazes.

Mr Mittwollen took some snaps of the fires from the summit of Mount Oakleigh near the Overland Track.

View from the summit of Mt Oakleigh showing the southern fire front on the flanks of Pelion West. The bushfire has now impacted the Overland Track in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. Picture: Shaun Mittwollen

He said he had mixed emotions watching the fires.

“It was a cool experience but sad seeing it happen – it was very traumatic,” Mr Mittwollen said.

“We could hear the flames when they flared up into the canopy, and you could see sections where it was burning in the rainforest because it had white smoke.

“I don’t feel like it’s something you see very often.”

View from the summit of Mt Oakleigh showing the southern fire front on the flanks of Pelion West. The bushfire has now impacted the Overland Track in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. Picture: Shaun Mittwollen

View from the summit of Mt Oakleigh showing the southern fire front on the flanks of Pelion West. The bushfire has now impacted the Overland Track in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. Picture: Shaun Mittwollen

Mr Mittwollen works as a guide on the Overland Track.

“We were supposed to do the regular, entire track, and then the first section closed. We were able to access the second half going in the Arm River track.”

He said he and another guide had some free time and decided to climb Mount Oakleigh.

“We got to the top overlooking the spires at around 8.30pm, right on sunset. We had to really boost hard to make it in time for the sunset,” Mr Mittwollen said.

“There was this gap in the clouds right on the horizon, and the sun was just going through it.

“I just remember the sun being like a purple-red colour as it was going through the smoke haze.”

View from the summit of Mt Oakleigh showing the southern fire front on the flanks of Pelion West. The bushfire has now impacted the Overland Track in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. Picture: Shaun Mittwollen

View from the summit of Mt Oakleigh showing the southern fire front on the flanks of Pelion West. The bushfire has now impacted the Overland Track in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. Picture: Shaun Mittwollen

Mr Mittwollen said he was also sad to hear about the Pine Forest Moor Hut being destroyed by fire.

“That sucks, but I think the main thing is that you can replace the hut easily – but it’s just sad to see the fires encroaching an old-growth rainforest.

“That kind of stuff is irreplaceable.”

Find the latest West Coast bushfire coverage here.

Originally published as Meet Shaun Mittwollen, the Overland Track guide who got to see the West Coast bushfires up close