Great Lake Hotel owner Kaylee Hattinger powers on for Great Pine Tier firefighters

MIENA’S very own Superwoman Kaylee Hattinger is powering on to provide a home away from home for the firefighters battling the Great Pine Tier bushfire.

MIENA’S very own Superwoman Kaylee Hattinger is powering on to provide a home away from home for the firefighters battling the Great Pine Tier bushfire.

The Great Lake Hotel owner has been working around the clock since the blaze was ignited by dry lightning last Tuesday.

“We are cooking, we are cleaning toilets, we are making beds. We have not stopped,” she said.

“We’re doing everything we can to support our emergency services, who are doing the best that they can to save our community.”

Great Lake Hotel co-owner Kaylee Hattinger has been providing food and accommodation for tired firefighters battling the Great Pine Tier bushfire. Picture: PATRICK GEE

Ms Hattinger on Wednesday said it was a “privilege” to help the Tasmania Fire Service, describing her many duties as “full on but fun”.

“If you come and you stand long enough, you get a job, so everyone who is here is really pulling together,” Ms Hattinger said.

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Ms Hattinger and a team of about 10 volunteers have been preparing hundreds of “robust and nutritious” meals a day.

“I’m going through something like 30 to 40 loaves of bread and 150 rolls for lunch,” Ms Hattinger said.

“We’re also putting treats and fruit in their packs. Today, I had 50 bananas brought up and kilos and kilos of apples.”

Volunteers Graham Killeen, left, and Robert Oakley help pack trail mix for crews at the Great Lake Hotel. Picture: PATRICK GEE

Robert Oakley, 68, of Miena, yesterday helped pack hundreds of trail-mix bags full of nuts, Nutri-Grain and pretzels. He said he would only leave if he was directed to by emergency services.

“We’ve even had some fireys sleeping up at our house. It feels good to help,” he said.

“The firefighters’ commitment is 100 per cent. They’re heroes.

“We were allowed to go home on Tuesday night and we were looking out of one of our windows and we could see the fire on the ridges.”

Firefighters were performing back burns at the Great Pine Tier blaze on Wednesday to prepare for hot and difficult conditions later this week. Picture: PATRICK GEE

Graham Killeen travelled from Sydney to check on a friend’s Miena shack and stayed to support those “risking their lives”.

“The cabin is still standing, thanks to the fireys and their hard work,” he said.

“At the moment I’m bagging trail mix, but I’ve done everything from cutting onions and peeling carrots, to clearing tables and waiting. I’ve even been behind the bar pouring beers.

“I’m enjoying the experience. It’s good to see good people doing what they can for the community.”

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