Community saves pet donkeys from blaze
Photo: Charmaine Wilson
AS THE Granite Belt bushfires ripped down her road, Charmaine Wilson could do nothing 1500km away.
The Stanthorpe medium, who is currently touring Australia, was in Mildura when the fires closed in on her Elwood Rd property.
Not concerned about her house, Mrs Wilson’s main worries were about her beloved donkeys, whose back paddock was directly in the line of fire.
“Knowing it’s your street is absolutely devastating, and being so far away and not knowing is very very frightening,” she said.
“I wasn’t worried about the house but about not being able to help the donkeys. I didn’t like the idea of them getting trapped and burnt, it could have been terrible.”
Luckily, in her time of need, the Applethorpe community rallied together to help Mrs Wilson out.
Calling upon close friends and neighbours she had never met, Mrs Wilson said the good Samaritans took the donkeys into the front paddock not affected by fire, and kept an eye on them until the fire had subsided.
Mrs Wilson said the continuing support she had received during the fires, from friends who cried in apology because they weren’t allowed to enter the closed road and messages of concern, was “crazy good”.
“I’m going home to buy lots of beer and flowers and wine and join the rural fire brigade,” she said.
“The kindness of people is just overwhelming, and the risks they took just to make sure my animals are okay is phenomenal. No amount of thanks you can say is enough.”