MILLIONS of dollars donated to help bushfire victims is sitting unspent in the bank, five years after the Black Saturday fires.

GARY ABLETT Sr chips in to help aid Black Saturday recovery

THE KEY PLAYERS: Where are they now?

VOLUNTEERS: Day still haunts truck crew

The Government has confirmed some of the $401 million bushfire relief fund is unspent, but says all the money is allocated to survivor services such as psychological support, housing assistance and community recovery projects.

Ahead of next Friday’s five-year anniversary, it can be revealed that at least a dozen households are still in temporary accommodation.

But the vast majority of survivors have rebuilt and moved in to their new homes, or moved elsewhere. Most public infrastructure such as schools, police stations and sporting facilities have been rebuilt.

The fires on February 7, 2009, killed 173 people, injured another 414, razed 2133 houses and 10,000km of fence-line and killed an estimated one million animals.

A subsequent royal commission estimated the cost to the Victorian economy as $4.4 billion.

The Herald Sun can reveal that, five years on:

*Doctors and psychologists have reported anecdotal evidence of a rise in suicides, alcohol and drug abuse and addictive behaviour such as gambling by traumatised bushfire survivors.

*Family violence reports increased in traumatised fire communities including Marysville, Flowerdale and Kinglake.

*There is unhappiness in some areas about block buybacks, which weren’t available until the change of government in 2010. Residents such as Phil Fennell in Kinglake West worried about a lack of maintenance on the two empty blocks either side of his house. He was also concerned about any negative impact on his property price.

*Many houses are not complete, as survivors ran out of money before they could apply the finishing touches, and increased fireproofing drove up construction costs.

*20 of the 67 recommendations from the bushfire royal commission have not yet been completed.

*Only three fire refuges have been completed — none in the Kinglake or Marysville regions.

Marysville’s doctor Lachlan Fraser, who lost his house and his clinic in the fires, said the emotional scars were raw.

“There was one suicide of someone I know, probably a couple of people who took overdoses that I recall and in the following years people had issues with relationships and alcohol,’’ he said.

“There were certainly a number of people with extreme problems but I think everybody across the board had issues with stress, I think generally they coped as well as expected, everyone knew it would take a couple of years to settle down.

“I think most of us will always carry some of that anxiety for years to come.

“The bushfires, the smoke, it puts you on edge again.’’

More than $379 million was donated by the public to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund, which, with interest paid, rose to $401 million and among many projects, funded new sporting and community facilities, support and counselling services, and payments of $50,000 to each householder who lost their home.

But the money has been slow to leave government coffers. The Government would not reveal the amount of unspent funding, but the Department of Human Service, which administers the fund, shows in its most recent annual report shows it has $26.4 million cash at hand in the fund.

The Victorian Bushfire Relief Appeal said yesterday that some of that money had since been spent, and there was now $18 million at hand, rather than $26 million.

Government spokeswoman Jessica Jackson said all the remaining funds were earmarked for initiatives including final payments to householders under the Further Housing Assistance Gift, continuing psychological support, assisting with property clean-ups and dangerous tree removal, and community recovery projects.

Ms Jackson would not provide an update on how many of the remaining 20 recommendations had been fulfilled since the release last year of the Bushfire Royal Commission Implementation Monitor’s report showing 47 of the 67 recommendations were complete.

“The remaining 20 recommendations will be subject to the independent Monitor’s final annual report, due for release in 2014,’’ she said.

Ms Jackson said the buyback scheme, which saw landowners in bushfire zones sell their blocks to the Government, cost $25.6 million and closed in May 2012, with 116 landowners deciding to sell.

The scheme, established in response to one of the royal commission’s recommendations, allows neighbours to purchase the blocks from the Government, provided they do not build on them.

Ms Jackson said there was interest from neighbours in 40 of the blocks, while another two have been absorbed back into the public estate.

She said the Department of Environment and Primary Industries maintained the blocks.

The Government’s Fire Recovery Unit conducted a survey in 2012 to see how many households were still in temporary accommodation.

Ms Jackson said of the 268 households identified, 255 were provided with money through the Further Housing Assistance Gift from the bushfire fund, the Rebuilding Advisory Service and/or the buyback scheme.

“Notwithstanding this assistance it is understood that, as a result of their personal circumstances, a small number of households are yet to complete their rebuilding projects,’’ she said.

Trauma expert Professor Jayashri Kulkarni said the extent of recovery by the survivors would depend heavily on the extent of their physical injuries, and the losses they had suffered.

“It’s twofold. There’s the trauma of loss — loss of house, possessions, and of course loss of loved ones is at the top of the tree,’’ Prof Kulkarni, director of the Monash Alfred Psychiatric Research Centre, said.

“Then there’s the post-trauma — being fearful, being anxious, reliving the trauma, feeling disconnected, all of which can lead to people developing depression.’’

She said increased suicides, family violence and substance or alcohol abuse “would be inevitable.’’

Prof Kulkarni said those who spent time in the Alfred’s burns unit had suffered significant injuries and a number of them had significant emotional and physical problems.

People with existing problems in their life such as being in an abusive relationship, of suffering alcohol or substance abuse, were also likely to experience compounding problems.

And yet Prof Kulkarni said some people had extraordinary resilience and were coping well.

“We do have the other side as well. There is a resilience that people have. Some get it from religious faith, some from love of family, and others you can’t see where it’s come from.

“I don’t think you can always predict who’s going to bounce back stronger than strong.’’

Prof Kulkarni also warned that those who went to help on Black Saturday, such as emergency service workers, had also suffered.

“Some of those people have developed depression. Others have gone on to do really good things helping more people in distress."

ellen.whinnett@news.com.au

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THE tiny tourist town of Marysville is struggling five years after it was virtually wiped out by the Black Saturday bushfires. The Herald Sun visited the region and shares the stories of those who call it home.

Marysville once boasted eight licenced venues and 3000 tourist beds across the district.

The town now has just 1000 beds, two licenced premises open three nights a week, and a population halved.

THE KEY PLAYERS: Where are they now?

VOLUNTEERS: Day still haunts truck crew

Those who stayed have become the pioneers of a new Marysville after 90 per cent of its buildings burned; modern steel reinforced houses have risen where old cottages once stood.

Resilient business owners say they are positive about the future of their town, which is once again green, pretty, and ready to welcome back tourists.

“In only five years you can hardly see the bushfire intrude,” said sculpture garden owner Bruno Torfs.

“I believe Marysville is coming back beautifully. Never going to be the same but the people around, they still love being here.”

Buxton mum of seven Marg Fiddler, who moved out of temporary accommodation and into a new home just before Christmas, said sitting down at the table with the whole family was her happiest moment after the fires.

But even without the house, Ms Fiddler (pictured below) said her family always felt like they were home, living in the shed on their farm.

“We were black all the time, we were always black because there was black everywhere,” she said

“But it’s home, this is home … because we’ve always been together.”

The ski hire shops are back, and the famous lolly shop, bakery and patisserie are open for business.

A new $28 million hotel and conference centre will open in the main street by the end of the year.

“We’re certainly not over it but I think as every new step has happened in town, as every new thing has happened we’ve gained some momentum,” said David Stirling, head of the Marysville and District Chamber of Commerce.

“We could have easily taken the easy way and just said no, it’s all too hard … so every business in town has done a remarkable job in at least opening and staying open because it isn’t easy.”

The fire claimed 40 lives, destroyed or damaged 538 homes across the district, wiped out the quaint Marysville business centre, pub, resort, police station, health clinic, kindergarten and primary school.

Peter Gill, owner of the rebuilt El Kanah guesthouse, said while the generosity after Black Saturday was “amazing”, businesses were offered little financial support.

Some business owners walked away rather than facing the myriad building permits, approvals and new fire regulations.

The Murrindindi Shire, which encompasses the fire-ravaged communities of Marysville, Kinglake, Strath Creek, Taggerty, Yea, Flowerdale, Strathewen, Buxton and Alexandra, received $31 million worth of new community assets after the fires, funded by the State Government and bushfire relief fund.

The assets, among them a multipurpose stadium and a big visitor centre, were a boost for the town.

But with a $9.2 million government assistance package winding up at the end of 2013, council said it may have to increase rates again to cover the maintenance and operational costs, at $1.8 million a year.

Struggling ratepayers have already been slugged with a 6 per cent rate rise each year since 2010.

Murrindindi Shire mayor Margaret Rae said the council had been pleading for another $14 million from the State Government for almost two years.

Government spokeswoman Jessica Jackson confirmed that the additional $14 million had not been granted, “but the Government continues to work closely with Murrindindi Shire to develop and implement a strategic and sustainable response in relation to these gifted assets”.

“The Victorian Government has provided Murrindindi Shire Council a considerable amount of support since the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, assisting the council in managing the significant rebuilding process,” she said.

Cr Rae said ratepayers would suffer if further funding was not given.

“If we don’t get assistance we will struggle financially and unfortunately I think the outcome for that would have to be a future impost on ratepayers because you have to get your money somewhere,” she said.

Council documents show income from rates and charges have increased by almost $3.8 million in the five years since the bushfires, from $10.8 million to $14.6 million.

Former Murrindindi Shire mayor Lyn Gunter resigned at the end of 2009 as a result of the rate rises.

She suggested a maximum 2 per cent increase, but was outnumbered by her fellow councillors.

“I resigned on principle,” she said.

“I wouldn’t be a part of what they were doing to the community.”

Mrs Gunter said when she sat on the bushfire appeals fund she raised concerns when the council signed off on millions of dollars of new infrastructure.

“I said ‘do you realise what you’re doing here, passing rates onto the people … these are small populations in a large area whose rate base can’t afford it’,” she said.

“There’s been some fantastic things and some great progress and services but if only they had done it in a sustainable way.”

In the past four years, fewer houses have been sold in Marysville than in the year before the fires.

In four financial years to June 2013, just 19 houses sold in Marysville, 12 of those in the past two financial years.

One year before Black Saturday, the town recorded 28 house sales.

The volume of sales is so low that an accurate median house price can’t be calculated.

Fires near Marysville in recent weeks put the community  on high alert as the smell of smoke wafted across the district.

Woods Point policeman Leading Senior Constable Ken Dwight says vigilance is essential.

Leading Sen-Constable Dwight, who helped lead many in the town to safety on Black Saturday and won a valour award, said there was no room for complacency.

“Bushfires in these mountains are a way of life – they happen every year,” he said.

“The bush grows back, the new growth is already halfway up.

“I wouldn’t say it’s perfectly safe... If anything it’s only getting worse.”

Where the attraction to Marysville was once the quaint country atmosphere and cottages, devastation now marks Marysville on the map for many tourists.

Almost every day visitors can be seen driving slowly into town, cameras at the ready, eyes searching for signs of destruction.

The first question on visitors’ lips is often, “Were you here on Black Saturday”.

Cr Rae said the community didn’t want to dwell on the fires.

“They reflect to an extent but they don’t always want a lot of stirring up in that way because it’s not helpful moving forward,” she said.

“The message from us is we’re positive about the future.

“OK, we’ve got challenges and it’s not an easy road, we can’t turn the clock back to what it was, but we have a future and that’s what we’re working toward.”

ashley.argoon@news.com.au