Fire becomes known as Forgotten Friday
Relief volunteers are still in need of help, two months on from the fire that devastated parts of Tynong, Tonimbuk, Garfield North and Bunyip.
Volunteers are calling the disaster on March 1 “Forgotten Friday” and they estimate 300 people are still in need of assistance.
Clearing fallen trees and fence lines, fixing garden beds and repairing sheds are just some of the things that need to be done.
The Tonimbuk Fire Recovery Centre provides food, clothing and some counselling support to those effected by the fire. The Centre is a hub for volunteers from local Lions, Rotary clubs as well as support from St Vincent de Paul, the Red Cross and counselling services.
They have also received assistance from a Taiwan-based Buddhist foundation.
Much of centre’s support comes from fourwheel-drive groups, who travel from across the state to lend a hand, helping fire-affected residents clear fence lines of leaf litter and metal debris.
“The look on their face when we leave is sensational,” says Eric Bishop, who coordinates the many four-wheel-drive groups that come to the area to help.
“You can’t buy that type of appreciation,” he says.
Volunteers at the relief centre at Tonimbuk Hall are in need of people to stay overnight to provide support to people at all hours. People with caravans who can camp at the hall would be particularly appreciated. Caravans that can be leant to residents as temporary accommodation are also needed.
Tradesmen are also in urgent demand. Some residents are still forced to stay in sheds because their houses are yet to be replumbed or some parts rebuilt.
The Tonimbuk centre sees around 30 people drop by every day. Volunteers provide lunch, morning and afternoon tea. Food donations come from generous individuals and who cook items such as quiches and sausage rolls or from places like Hallam Primary School, who recently donated cakes they had baked.
Volunteers say the centre is crucial to providing mental health support to those affected by the fire. Professional counsellors regularly attend the centre and volunteers are often able to provide emotional support.
Those who can provide any assistance are encouraged to visit the Tonimbuk Fire Recovery Centre at the Tonimbuk Hall.