Melbourne Storm players and staff visit bushfire-hit Sarsfield to help with recovery efforts
Melbourne Storm players and staff have been humbled by the spirit of those affected by Victoria’s bushfires after putting their NRL preparations on hold to join the recovery efforts.
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The burnt orange and charred remains of an old ute parked at the back of the house in Sarsfield is as a standing reminder of the brutal December 31 bushfire for owners Bob and Virginia King.
In no uncertain terms, the Kings know had the flames, which pulverised the car, advanced only a metre or so further their bespoke castle would have suffered the same fate.
Two words best and most accurately describe how and why some in bushfire-affected East Gippsland got through largely unscathed while others lost everything or close to.
Pure chance.
Up the road a brick house crumbled.
A timber residence next door survived.
Another property was lost close by, bar a pile of firewood.
EAST GIPPSLAND: Bushfires have torn through the town of Sarsfield overnight. At least 12 homes have been gutted by the fires. The local community are devastated. @theheraldsun pic.twitter.com/FnDzxfnStm
— Brianna Travers (@briannatravers) December 31, 2019
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The wall of fire which poleaxed the sleepy town was uncompromising.
The Kings were lucky.
Others, not as much.
A neighbour notified them the following day their house was spared, by text first and then picture.
“Fortunately we saw the photo before we came back because it was so devastating, we sort of got over the shock before we saw it,” Virginia King said.
“It was just grey, all the ground was grey with ash, it looked like a nuclear bomb.”
Sarsfield, population 625, was one of the hardest hit towns in the region, with 60 houses lost across 55 properties.
A further 90 sheds were razed and associated buildings.
Everyone needs help in one way or another in these parts.
It is why for the past six weeks hundreds of people from all corners of the state and beyond have flocked to the region to lend a hand, stay overnight and go again the next day.
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A giant working bee is already on the cards for next month’s Labour Day long weekend.
No experience is necessary, as there is something for everyone to do.
For Bairnsdale CFA captain Aaron Lee the outpouring of support has helped him and other brigade members “move on” from the carnage.
“We feel supported when these guys come up,” Lee said.
“It doesn’t matter who it is, you’re a celebrity even if you come on holidays because you spend your money in the town … we couldn’t ask more of the boys.”
Lee was in the thick of it in Sarsfield as a strike team leader which tackled a blaze beyond anyone’s means.
His wife, Brooke, spent the night at Bairnsdale Fire Station, unable to take her eyes off a foreboding blood red sky above Sarsfield.
“It was probably one of the most severe fire activities I’ve come across,” Lee said.
“I’ve been in it 25 years now and I was there Black Saturday and what I’d seen Black Saturday was a little bit less.”
A contingent of Melbourne Storm stars and front office staff joined the recovery effort on Friday and Saturday. They hosted a clinic at Bairnsdale Football Club then tackled the rebuild with gusto in Sarsfield.
Cameron Smith, Christian Welch, Felise Kaufusi, Kelma Tuilagi and Isaac Lumelume were not spared odd jobs.
From dismantling damaged fences, to pulling apart destroyed sheds and, most importantly, helping to boost the volunteers’ spirits with a friendly chat.
“You see the bushfires and all the devastation (on the news) but it’s different in real life,” Smith said.
“From nice green pastures you come out this area (Sarsfield) where these fires have just wiped out entire communities, it’s pretty confronting.”
The overwhelming sense of Aussie camaraderie and mateship was not lost on Smith either.
“For me today, the most impressive thing has been the positivity of the locals and particularly the people affected by the fires,” Smith said.
“All they’re talking about is not their situation and what’s happened to them, it’s about how grateful they are for people coming out to help out and get them back on track.
“There was guys here from footy clubs around Melbourne, there was tradies from all over the place, just everyday Aussies giving up their own time on the weekend to do what they can.”
The experience humbled Storm star Felise Kaufusi.
“First time experiencing this, just taken back, to be honest, far out,” the Storm star said.
“It’s terrifying man (the fires), you can’t stop it … what do you do?”
MELBOURNE STORM IN SARSFIELD (pictures: Michael Klein).
