Port Arthur massacre survivor, who helped save the dying, says horror remains 25 years on

An off-duty nurse, who helped during the Port Arthur massacre, reveals how she has learned to live with the horror 25 years on.

Each year when the leaves start to turn from green to autumnal yellows and browns, Lynne Beavis knows: “it’s happening again”.

A survivor of the Port Arthur massacre, Ms Beavis sees those first signs of the season and knows the April 28 anniversary is never far away.

That’s enough to turn her stomach in knots.

Twenty-five years on from the tragedy that claimed 35 lives, and injured 23 others, Ms Beavis has lived through enough anniversaries to know how it will likely play out.

Her sleep will be disturbed. She’ll feel shaky, on edge. The dreams will come back. Horrifying dreams peppered with images of things she saw that day in the Broad Arrow Café at Port Arthur after lone gunman Martin Bryant opened fire at unsuspecting diners.

“All the survivors find the lead-up is always worse, even sometimes than the actual day, and then after it’s like, phew, it’s gone for another year,” the grandmother said.

A victim is carried to a helicopter during the massacre at Port Arthur Historic Site on 28 April, 1996.

Ms Beavis had been visiting the historic penal attraction with her sister when the two women heard rapid gunfire ring out across the site.

As it became apparent what was happening, Ms Beavis, a trained nurse, sprang into action trying to save the wounded and comfort the dying.

She would later be awarded a bravery medal for her work.

Ms Beavis would never work as a nurse again and has battled with post-traumatic stress since. In the direct aftermath of the event the trauma was so severe she didn’t eat or sleep for weeks.

“I wasn’t blinking often enough. My eyes were all dry and red and sore because every time I blinked I saw an image,” Ms Beavis said recalling the incident on the 20th anniversary.

As the years have passed she has found some solace in the unique bonds she has formed with fellow survivors.

“The other survivors you might only see them once every year, or every five years, but the feeling’s exactly the same. You don’t have to explain how you’re feeling or why you’re not sleeping, or pretend you’re feeling upright when you’re not.”

Lynne Beavis grieves outside Victoria's parliament in memory of the Port Arthur massacre victims in 1998.

This year, she will meet with some of them to attend St Peter’s Church at Eastern Hill, Melbourne, where a permanent memorial candelabra is erected in honour of those lost and those remaining.

“It is 25 years later so a lot of survivors have since passed away, so it’s something extra special that the left over survivors have somewhere to go where there is a physical setting to mark the occasion, apart from the actual site.

“We just didn’t want it to just slip up to be any other day. It’s not any other day to the survivors. It’s nice to know you’ve got somewhere to go and you’re not sitting in the park and thinking about it or at home just doing normal stuff.”

Next month, two former members of the Victoria Police’s First Respsonders unit – Craig Harwood and Michael Hayes – who were deployed by Tasmanian police will join former Tasmanian Police’s Special Operations Group Commander Jim Morrison on a 410km First Responders Walk from South Melbourne to Devenport.

Walter Mikac and his family in front of Walter’s Tasman Pharmacy at Nubeena. Picture: Supplied

Funds raised will go to the Alannah and Madeline Foundation – set up in honour of Alannah and Madeline Mikac who were killed alongside their mother Nanette and 32 others.

“It’s a long time since we’ve been to Port Arthur, but we will never forget,” the former police officers said.

Those closest to the tragedy have expressed reactions from outrage to distress that a scripted film, NITRAM, which is Martin spelled backwards, will this year be released on the anniversary.

The movie promises to focus on the psychological and behavioural events leading up to the tragedy from Bryant’s perspective, but according to esteemed forensic psychiatrist Paul Mullen, who assessed the killer and several other similar mass murderers, such attention gives offenders notoriety and can potentially inspire copycat crimes.

Family and community members lay 35 floral tributes in the Memorial Pool to remeber the victims during the 20th anniversary commemoration service of the Port Arthur massacre on April 28, 2016 in Port Arthur, Australia. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty

While news of the movie caused such distress on the ground in Tasmania plans for a anniversary service at the historic Port Arthur Historic Site were frozen, the site confirmed it would be holding “a small commemoration service” at the Memorial Garden on Wednesday, April 28 from 1pm – 1.45pm.

The service will commence at 1.00pm include a small number of invited speakers, laying of wreaths, a quiet moment for reflection and will conclude with a musical tribute.

Anyone wishing to attend is invited to do so but should notify the site by April 23.

Further information can be found at the website www.portarthur.org.au.

If you need help, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Originally published as Port Arthur massacre survivor, who helped save the dying, says horror remains 25 years on