6th January 2020

Debbie Guertin of Malua Bay Beach posted this earlier today, and with her permission, I cut and pasted this:

“Time for a PUBLIC post to keep you updated from within Malua Bay, so I apologise to my friends for repeating information.

All is well in our part of Malua Bay.  A neighbour had a spare radio and finally we can hear what’s been going on.

We spent Saturday morning hosing down the bushes along the creek edge. This time we were even more prepared as we had spent the previous day removing leaf litter and branches.

We still haven’t had power since last year! Tallawang street and north towards Batemans Bay had power for a couple of days but all of BB went out again yesterday afternoon. We ran out of hot water two days ago.  Local IGA has supplies. I found intermittent phone service at the top of Tallawang Street strong enough for a couple of calls and texts.  Sorry I haven’t been able to respond to all comments. We were able to reassure a few people about their properties who had contacted me. My phone is quickly running out of battery.

We still feel safe here at Malua Bay right near the beach. The park reserve has once again filled with cars, caravans, tents and even a few boats.

A couple of nights ago we drove into Batemans Bay to top up on fuel and find phone service. We saw the blaze had reached the bush land over the bridge towards Kings Highway.

At 1.30 pm yesterday, Saturday, the skies started to darken again quickly and the smoke thickened. We weren’t exactly sure where the fires were.

We were all out with our hoses and I was thinking Oh no! Here we go again. The morning had been so beautiful and calm and not so hot here on the coastal fringe. We were hoping we may be safer today.

Blackened leaves were flying in everywhere but thankfully they weren’t hot. The sun was an eerie bright red glow. I glanced at my watch. Only four hours to go until the predicted wind change.

A bush out the front started to smoke but we were on to it quickly. It’s amazing to see the houses around that were saved with just a hose last time but as the radio warnings say you need to be both physically and mentally prepared and able if you plan to stay and defend your property. I feel it also makes a difference as to your location. We wouldn’t have stayed if we weren’t right near the water but then again were the lucky ones that could make a choice. The message of “It’s too late to leave, take shelter” would be so frightening. Our evacuation onto the beach the other day was bad enough. I remember reciting my Hail Mary’s interspersed with the F word. 😉

As predicted the southerly change came in around 5.30pm with a force.  Plumes of ash from the burnt out Pretty Point cliff top blew across the ocean.

We are still happy with our decision to stay as we continued to help and support those other people around us whether it be by providing a bit of food, having strangers stay over, babysitting or just being there to share stories. Malua Bay has always been my ‘happy place’ and we feel privileged being part of the community, not tourists.

On the visitor evacuation day our neighbour took 23 hours to reach Sydney as he was stuck at Milton. Another lady told us her son had been stuck in traffic on Princes Highway and the fires raced right over his car. Lucky he survived.

It must be hard for the children though. A couple of small kids only about 5 and 7 years old were helping out in their own way yesterday by digging holes in the sand and burying the dead birds all along the beach. Their adult friend wanted to reassure them that there were still birds flying around and she pointed out a beautiful cormorant. They said “Yes, but it will die soon too.”

It’s been a surreal experience over these last few days as we see helicopters refilling with water from the ocean, hear planes flying overhead and fire trucks racing past. We line up in grocery stores and petrol stations for ages.  Some of the simple pleasures are seeing the ice truck pull up so we can restock, or our neighbour boiling water on the BBQ so we can make coffee. We go to bed each night with our bag packed next to us filled with emergency supplies ready to run to the beach again in need. I get up a few times during the night to check the lay of the land around us for fires and go out on the balcony to check and smell the intensity of the smoke. It can be draining being constantly on alert.

As I write I notice it’s the first night I don’t smell smoke inside the unit.

Hopefully we are over the worst where we are and will now prepare to leave as soon as roads reopen.  God bless the fire fighters and all involved in keeping everyone safe.”

Thank you Debbie, what an insightful and clear perspective of what is happening in your world.  Thank you for being willing to share this.