Stranded families saved in second wave of Mallacoota evacuations
Young families who were stranded in Mallacoota after being denied access to a naval ship have finally escaped the fire-ravaged town, arriving safely on army helicopters in Sale.
VIC News
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Army Chinook helicopters flew families with young children out of bushfire-hit Mallacoota on Sunday with the final evacuees to leave the town on Monday.
Heavy smoke lifted in the morning, meaning a plan to evacuate people by sea on MV Sycamore was shelved in favour of flying the evacuees out to Sale.
The evacuation began about 10am, with people ferried in buses from the Mallacoota Hall to the airfield about 8km away.
Some people chose to stay in the town, as conditions are expected to improve in the coming days.
In the main thoroughfare, Maurice Ave, youngsters handed firefighters shells and stones with thankyou messages.
The road out of town could remain closed for weeks but supplies will be brought in by sea and air.
Families with children under school age were stranded as they were not allowed on HMAS Choules due to safety concerns.
The army flew out 257 people to safety on Sunday.
Another 400 are due to leave on Monday, weather permitting.
The road to the airfield had been closed since fire ripped through the picturesque area of East Gippsland on New Year’s Eve.
The drive took evacuees past scorched trees, charred soil and burnt houses. The air was still thick with smoke and the silence deafening.
Once the buses reached the airfield the evacuees were ushered inside a small building by the runway.
They were then given ear protectors and a safety briefing by the Australian Defence Force.
“These are the best aircraft in the world,” a member of the Air Force said and the evacuees broke out into laughter.
While the 1100 people who left Mallacoota by sea on HMAS Choules on Friday got to spend almost 20 hours on a warship, the 257 flown out on Sunday got a quick ride to Sale the way special forces soldiers are flown into battle.
Some mums and dads struggled to get their children to put on their ear protection as the roaring choppers flew overhead. Parents cradled infants in baby carriers on their chests.
As the evacuees walked the short distance from the airfield building to the helicopters, some held hands while others whipped out phones to take selfies.
Acting Senior Sergeant Glenn Owens has led the Victoria Police response to the Mallacoota fires and was at the airfield to watch the evacuees leave.
“It’s been going incredibly smoothly and been well organised,” he said.
“There has been a lot of co-operation between the different organisations. Having this clear air has really lifted everybody’s spirits.”
FAMILIES STRANDED FOR DAYS
Families with young children were earlier stranded in Mallacoota as they were not allowed on HMAS Choules on Friday due to safety concerns.
It comes after heavy smoke on Saturday turned the sky black and hampered efforts to evacuate young families by air.
Shortly after 2pm on Saturday, the sky turned red before darkness fell on the town.
Many families with children under school age were not eligible for evacuation on HMAS Choules on Friday.
Air evacuations also ground to a halt on Friday due to heavy smoke.
More than 24 hours after 1100 people sailed away on HMAS Choules, worried mums and dads were asking authorities how long it would take to get their children to safety.
The town is still cut off by road due to the devastating bushfires in East Gippsland and people ran for cover when day turned to night early on Saturday afternoon.
Families gathered in the Mallacoota Hall and the Mallacoota Hotel as dangerous winds also swept through the town.
Laura Langmead and her husband Nyall were on holiday in Mallacoota with their young children Mack, 3, and Evie, 1, when the fire hit.
They were waiting to be evacuated by air rather than endure the journey by sea.
“On Thursday we got a phone call at 6pm to say there was space on a flight at 7pm,” Mrs Langmead said.
“We were supposed to be on the 9.30pm but they said they had space on the 7pm.
“We were taken by bus to the airport but there were no planes. They couldn’t land because of the smoke.”
The Langmeads spent a night on a medical ship earlier in the week as the thick smoke aggravated Mack’s asthma.
They were told they would be on one of the first flights out but are still stuck in Mallacoota.
On Saturday, they were told they would fly out at 2pm and that there were four aircraft available.
They were then told one had engine problems and one was needed elsewhere.
The two others tried to land but the conditions deteriorated and they were unable to get down.
“Everybody is doing their best but you get your hopes up, pack and unpack several times,” Mrs Langmead said. “We just want to get our kids home.”
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People remained calm on Saturday but some were questioning why their children could not be shipped out on HMAS Choules.
Following a town hall meeting at 5pm they were told the navy was returning but this journey would be more of an ordeal than that undertaken by HMAS Choules.
Kane and Laura Edwards from Geelong were on holiday with their children Fletcher, 4, and Lucy, 1.
“You have to keep calm and not panic and let the authorities do their thing,” Mr Edwards said.
“We thought air evacuation would be the quickest and we want to get out for the kids.
“It’s difficult. You just have to be patient.”