Couple shellshocked by bushfire threat

THERE is only one road in and one road out to access the Melshell Oyster Shack at Dolphin Sands.

It is for that reason owners Ian and Cassie Melrose have been keeping a close eye on the nearby Swansea bushfire over the past week and a half.

On Friday, Mrs Melrose closed early and took the couple’s sons, Charlie, 12, and Archie, 6, to Coles Bay, because the smoke from the blaze was so “intense”.

“There was no real danger, we were just being extra cautious,” she said yesterday.

“We have one road in, one road out access, and we are in a vulnerable location.”

An emergency-level fire at Dolphin Sands threatened dozens of homes and destroyed two sheds, a caravan and machinery in April.

Mrs Melrose said the blaze prompted locals to “get their act into gear”. “We’ve been super active with our preparations this summer,” she said.

“This year, we did a lot of mulching of our bush, put in sprinklers around the house and also got extra water for firefighting.”

The Oyster Shack is about a week away from the start of its peak sales period, when demand jumps from about 40 dozen to 150 dozen daily.

Mrs Melrose said any disruption caused by bushfires over summer could set the business back dramatically.

“We supply the tourists directly here, but we also supply the restaurants in the local area,” she said.

“If people cannot visit or choose not to visit, it will greatly impact our business.

“There isn’t really a backup plan for that.

“It would be good to have another option for access, like a bridge across to Swanwick.”