Stephens family welcomes twins after fleeing home in Walwa

The Stephens family was preparing to flee their home as the bushfire threat loomed when Kaysie, pregnant with twins, started having contractions. But luckily the babies were in no hurry.

Hope is rising from the ashes of fire-ravaged Buchan.

Mat Whelan, wife Ainsleigh and children Hudson, 4, and Archie, 2, on Saturday delivered a basketball hoop to a young family who lost everything in the devastating bushfires.

It was one of countless goodwill gestures that have injected a sense of promise into the small town, which fire threatened for a second time on Friday.

The Whelan family, Archie, 2, dad Mat, Hudson, 4, and mum Ainsleigh still smile despite losing everything when fires ripped through Buchan. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Hudson Whelan, 4, has been spending plenty of time at the Buchan Football Club in recent weeks. Picture: Alex Coppel.

Mr Whelan, president of the Buchan Football Club, said with the immediate fire danger gone it was time for the community to wrap its arms around those in need.

“Some people have been here their whole lives and have lost all their bearings because of where the fire has burnt through,” he said.

“The footy ground has been the main relief site since the area was on fire.

“Everyone has come back here … even people we haven’t seen for years have come back to the footy club and that’s what we want to focus on this year — getting everyone back together and boosting their spirits.”

Australian Army clearing a felled tree with civilian authorities after delivering supplies to Mallacoota CFA.

About 28 properties were destroyed as flames tore through on New Year’s Eve.

Great-grandfather and town legend Mick Roberts, 67, was found dead in his Buchan home after the blaze.

UNEXPECTED DELIVERY

As fires raged in Victoria’s north, Kaysie Stephens was dealing with an emergency on a different front.

Pregnant with twins, the 27-year-old and husband Sam were preparing to flee from fires threatening the Walwa area on New Year’s Day.

Then the contractions started.

The couple began the 90-minute drive to hospital in Wodonga, but it took far longer as they encountered roadblocks. Luckily, their twins — daughter Oakleigh and son Oliver — weren’t in any hurry.

Kaysie and Sam Stephens with their six-day-old twins Oakleigh and Oliver, and daughter Indi, 6. Picture: Simon Dallinger

They were safely delivered on Monday afternoon, a joyous moment amid the fire mayhem that has uprooted lives over recent weeks.

“We just feel so lucky with the way that everything has worked out,’’ Ms Stephens said.

The primary school teacher and her husband, 26, were about to evacuate their home when she went into labour.

“We went to leave and both the roads to get to Albury the quickest were closed,’’ Ms Stephens said.

“I was thinking: ‘Gosh, we’re going to have these babies in the car’.”

Ms Stephens and her twins were discharged from Wodonga Hospital on Friday.

But with their house still under fire threat, the family, which also includes “very doting” six-year-old daughter Indiana, were unable to go home.

Oakleigh and Oliver. Picture: Simon Dallinger

They are staying at a house organised through friends in Wodonga, grateful to have a roof over their heads.

“It’s been good to get the whole family back together,’’ Mr Stephens said.

“We were looking at going out to Latchford Barracks (near Wodonga). They’re supplying accommodation out there.

“Some friends were supposed to have this house, but they were quite happy camping. They rang us and asked if we’d like to stay there.”

The Stephens are yet to find out what damage, if any, the fires have wreaked back home.

“There’s a fair bit of sadness with all the fires and I don’t think we’ll be affected by that as much until we go back and see what’s happened,’’ Ms Stephens said.