Beef farmer buries cows as fires hit NSW south coast

While most of the NSW south coast was bunkered down because of catastrophic fire conditions, Steve Shipton knew he had a job to do.

Coolagolite beef farmer Steve Shipton battles dust storms to bury dead cows that were killed in the recent bushfire. Picture: Sean Davey.

While most of the NSW south coast was bunkered down because of catastrophic fire conditions, Steve Shipton knew he had a job to do.

The beef farmer from Coolagolite felt the weekend was as late as he could leave it to bury the cows that died in the bushfires that swept through his farm on New Year’s Eve.

So, with winds blazing in steaming hot weather, Mr Shipton stepped into his tractor and lowered dozens of dead cows into a single grave on his friend Ben Shephered’s neighbouring property.

Cows that were killed in the recent bushfire that tore through a Coolagolite property. Picture: Sean Davey.

He worked as wind and heat was causing spot fires in the area near Cobargo, which was one of the worst affected areas last week.

“It’s not over yet,” he said.

Close by, the coastal town of Bermagui was deserted amid concerns it would be overwhelmed by fire.

But the north-westerly winds, expected to arrive in the early hours of Sunday, never came and the town went unscathed.

Police officers had walked through town on Saturday morning telling remaining residents they should evacuate and their lives were in danger.

Local publican Yannis Gantner and his partner Claire Wheaton were asked by the RFS to stay in town and help defend the Bermagui Beach Hotel and local shops from being destroyed. “We have got to defend the town. We have got some key assets and the RFS have identified key assets that preserve a town and they needed help to preserve those,” Mr Gantner said. “We have been told we will be on standby so we will be protecting the main street and the pub and the Woolies behind it.”

Local woman Penny Selling was among a handful of people who were camping by the beach awaiting predicted fires.

The campers planned to lie against the bank of the beach with wool blankets if the bushfire hits town.

“I’ve got friends who are well seasoned fire people and she told me to get under wool blankets up against the bank on the beach and that is the best thing. So we are pitched here,’ Ms Selly said.

“We’ve lived on this area for 32 years. We have never seen nothing like this. We haven’t had a full tank of water for about a year. The bush is that thick and it is that dry, it is like matchsticks going up.

“It is like Armageddon. It is like living in hell.”