Chris Mauch: Heroic Warwick family rebuilds farm after devastating bushfires

Two years after fire and drought decimated their livelihood, a Warwick family has finally been given a helping hand to rebuild.

A Warwick family whose heroic efforts helped save many lives and properties from devastation during the 2019 bushfires have had their own farm rebuilt.

Fifth-generation producer Chris Mauch’s farm was destroyed by the bushfires two years ago, costing him cattle, fencing, animal feed and landscape.

“It was not a nice time, we had just come off the back of the worst ever drought,” he said.

Chris Mauch's family farm was destroyed in the 2019 bushfires. Photo: Contributed / Rural Aid

Mr Mauch had just finished constructing a new fence for his property when the fire engulfed much of his land and the surrounding region of Upper Freestone.

“It basically got turned to ash, it was really destructive and quite painful financially,” he said.

“Once it hit our property itself, it probably took a couple of weeks just to get back in some sort of control.”

While trying to save his own farm from destruction, Mr Mauch and his wife Julie and sons Jake and Dean also saved many other homes in the area from being impacted by the flames.

“If we didn’t cut off where we did that whole valley would have been cut off – infrastructure and lives lost,” he said.

“We just had to keep going and are lucky to survive as it was a little scary. I thought we couldn’t get out, but I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if we stopped,” he said.

The family received an award from the Rural Fire Service for their heroic efforts.

“It sits in the house quite proudly, we’re pretty humbled, but felt that ‘were we really worthy of that? So many helped prevent devastation’,” Mr Mauch said.

The Mauch family’s fence being repaired by Rural Aid volunteers after it was destroyed by a bushfire. Photo: Contributed / Rural Aid

Twenty-one Rural Aid volunteers worked on rebuilding Mr Mauch’s destroyed fence earlier this month.

“I never thought in my wildest dreams that people from all walks of life would assist us. They’re very special people,” he said.

“I’ve been on the land 50 years, all my life, and it’s hard enough to be on the land. It’s just great to get a hand to repair all those fences that are in desperate need.”

In honour of the volunteers’ efforts, Mr Mauch named one of his fences the Volunteers Line.

“The name will stay there, names that made those sacrifices for us, it’s the least we can do,” he said.

Originally published as Chris Mauch: Heroic Warwick family rebuilds farm after devastating bushfires