East Coast bushfire: Freycinet Resort evacuates guests and staff
A luxury resort on Tasmania’s East Coast has been forced to evacuate guests as a bushfire burns out of control at Friendly Beaches. Their first-hand account.
Tasmania
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UPDATE, September 20, 10.30am: Freycinet Resort manager Karen Pridham was forced to evacuate with guests and other staff from the Mount Paul luxury accommodation, north of Coles Bay, as the fire burned out of control on Tuesday afternoon.
“The weather was just horrendous. It was very windy,” she said.
“Firefighters were concerned about the big front coming through and were worried about the direction of the wind and that it would go quite crazy.
“Fortunately we have come through completely unscathed.”
Ms Pridham said the power went out about 10pm but had been restored by about 8am on Wednesday.
She said the fire now appeared to be completely extinguished.
Ms Pridham said most guests were able to relocate to Freycinet Lodge and another couple stuck on the other side of the road closure were able to overnight at Bicheno.
Initial: September 19: An East Coast resort has been forced to evacuate staff and guests as a bushfire burns out of control near Friendly Beaches, north of Coles Bay.
The manager of Freycinet Resort, Karen Pridham, said guest and staff had been evacuated from the 10-room resort nestled in the bush at Mount Paul north of Coles Bay.
“Everyone has gone to the Freycinet Golf Course, which is the designated evacuation centre,” Ms Pridham said.
“The sprinklers are on and everyone has run away.
“It looks like a pretty hefty fire. There were a few burns around this morning and then the wind just picked up.”
Ms Pridham said she was no too concerned now that everyone had been evacuated.
“We’ve done a fair bit of backburning and hopefully that will be enough.
“Three rooms of guests have gone – I’m not sure where they will sleep tonight but that’s a problem for another time.”
Ms Pridham said three staff had left and another two staff were stuck on the road on the other side of the fire.
“At this stage there’s not a lot more we can do,” she said.
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