Bushfire survivors inspire
New book reveals the resilience of Black Summer communities
THE Black Summer bushfires hit Dinny Kube on both sides of the NSW-Victoria state border.
Almost two years on, she says her key experience of the disaster has been one of seizing opportunities.
While the volunteer first-aid worker from East Gippsland was busy helping evacuated Mallacoota residents flown to Sale amid the devastation of early 2020, there was another job weighing on her mind.
She knew she had to return to the NSW south coast, for the first time in 20 years, to assess the devastation caused by the fires to her late father’s cattle farm at Yowrie.
The 62-yearold’s father bought the farm in 1967, and she has fond memories of spending summer holidays at the scenic 370ha property near the Yowrie River.
After flying over the closed Victorian border and driving the Princes Highway to the south coast in the aftermath of the blaze, Ms Kube said it was “pretty confronting”.
“I just threw my hands up, saying we had to sell it,” she said.
However, her son talked her out of it – and now, she says, her family has “fallen in love with the area all over again”, with plans to call it home once more. “I am extremely positive about the future. I want to eventually move there, which I wouldn’t have said two or three years ago,” Ms Kube said.
Ms Kube features in the new book Fighting Spirit, an inspiring tribute to the communities caught in that summer’s deadly inferno. Featuring pictures, poems, a moving essay by award-winning writer Trent Dalton, a foreword by Prime Minister Scott Morrison and more, it tells the story not only of the disaster, but of the road to recovery – a salute to the resilience of Australia’s people and to the spirit of community and care that made recovery possible.
Fighting Spirit is a joint project by News Corp Australia, HarperCollins and the government’s National Recovery and Resilience Agency.
Five thousand copies are being donated to libraries and schools in bushfire-affected communities and all royalties from the book will be donated to BlazeAid bushfire charity.
News Corp Australia’s community ambassador Penny Fowler said the book reflects the strength of the bushfire-affected communities.
“Fighting Spirit recounts extraordinary stories told through remarkable images and carefully crafted words, including beautiful poetry from children and teens,” she said. “The book demonstrates the human spirit at its noble best and humanity’s infinite capacity to generate hope from helplessness.” Fighting Spirit: A tribute to the bushfire-affected communities of Australia’s Black Summer, is available now in good bookshops and online.