Bushfires: Safe haven as Mallacoota evacuation mission accomplished
A holiday from hell for tourists stranded for days by devastating bushfires at Mallacoota has finally ended in a dramatic navy rescue.
A holiday from hell for hundreds of tourists stranded for days by devastating bushfires at Mallacoota has finally ended in a dramatic rescue by the Royal Australian Navy, with evacuees due to start arriving on the Mornington Peninsula on Saturday.
HMAS Choules was responsible for the bulk of the evacuation, carrying 900 people to safety.
The ship was due to leave the Mallacoota area on Friday night and to arrive in Hastings, 75km from Melbourne, on Saturday afternoon.
A smaller vessel, the MV Sycamore, left earlier carrying 57 people. It was expected into Hastings at 8am on Saturday. About 60 people who were frail or had small children were airlifted from the fire zone in East Gippsland.
The group boarding HMAS Choules were ferried in smaller vessels from the Mallacoota foreshore. After stepping into the ship’s dock the evacuees were given a welcome briefing before being ushered to a canteen area.
Many hugged crew members as they stepped onto the ship, as the emotion of the past three days took its toll.
Those with young children and pets made up much of the first wave of evacuees, including Elly and Damien Koster, who were leaving with their four children and dog. “We wanted to get out before Saturday (when conditions were expected to deteriorate),” Ms Koster said. “The important thing is to be safe. We want to keep the children safe.”
Lieutenant Commander Arron Convery said the crew’s mission was to give the evacuees “a safe haven.”
“They will be well looked after. The main response we are getting from people has been gratitude. There has been a lot of emotion and hugs, ” Lieutenant Commander Convery said.
Jonty Smith of Melbourne was among those who left on the Sycamore, with his mother and stepfather remaining in the hope of being able to drive out two cars in the coming weeks.
“We’re well on our way,” Mr Smith said. “There’s probably about 66 of us on here, plus crew.
“There’s enough beds and cabins for all of us, so it’s very comfortable.
“We’ll get transferred into Somerville (55km southeast of Melbourne), where we’ll either be picked up by family or friends, or there will be bus transfers available to Melbourne.”
About 3000 people remain trapped along the Mallacoota foreshore, having received emergency supplies from the Australian Defence Force, including food and water. They are bracing for the next wave of dangerous weather conditions that could reignite fires across Victoria’s east and make the possibility of leaving the holiday town by road even more remote. Already there have been estimates that the roads to Mallacoota won’t be cleared for several weeks.
HMAS Choules is expected to return to Mallacoota to evacuate another group of people, with a third journey possible if required.
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