Look what's inside...

There was an outpouring of love and mateship in this terrible emergency

Ispent part of my Christmas break on the NSW South Coast in Mollymook, visiting Mogo Zoo and marvelling at the incredible beauty and sense of community in the area. Like so many others, I’ve felt simultaneously heartbroken and helpless watching the terrifying scenes of the bushfires unfold. But one thing has lifted our spirits at Woman’s Day – the heartwarming scenes of people banding together to help those worst affected. From everyday heroes cooking meals for those displaced, to the brave firefighters and emergency services crews who’ve worked around the clock, to the millions of people who’ve donated money, clothing, food and even hugs. The strength of Aussie mateship has never been more important and that’s something worth celebrating.

With bushfires so catastrophic navy ships and army aircraft were deployed to rescue thousands of terrified people on Australia’s south-east coast, there were countless inspirational acts of heroism and mateship amid the flames.

And while towns were left shattered in NSW and Victoria as the inferno – which has been burning through millions of hectares over the past three months – took an even crueller twist last week, Aussies didn’t hesitate to lend a hand.

Millions of dollars were donated from people on New Year’s Eve as the flames were devouring little towns and forcing an army of brave volunteers to retreat to save their own lives after the shocking loss of three firefighters before Christmas.

Samuel Mcpaul, 28, died when his fire truck overturned 70km east of Albury, leaving behind his heartbroken pregnant wife Megan, while young dads Geoffrey Keaton, 32, and Andrew O’dwyer, 36, died after their fire truck was hit by a falling tree and rolled, south-west of Sydney.

Central Coast firefighter Grant Fitzgerald was luckier, narrowly escaping death when he and his

crew were caught in an out-of-control ember storm near Nowra, south of Sydney.

“We were just fortunate to get out of there,” he says.

The disaster has taken a terrible physical and emotional toll on our firefighters and thousands of families who have been left homeless or without power, water and other basic necessities. But it has also once again shown the incredible resilience of our battered but not broken communities.

Gippsland mums Jodie Crane and Wendy Mcphan put a shout-out on social media for donations to help hundreds of families who lost everything in the fires near Bairnsdale, Victoria, but there was such a welcome avalanche of donations they had to ask good Samaritans to stop donating.

Landscape artist Sally Anne Wilson and her partner Christopher Lee refused to let their spirits break when they returned to the Bega Valley town of Cobargo, only to find their beloved shop burned to the ground. “I will just have to start from the beginning and start painting again,” says Sally.

But it’s the image of Victorian schoolboy Finn Burns, 11, helping guide his brother Caleb and mum Allison Marion out of Mallacoota in East Gippsland underneath hellish red skies as the fires closed in that truly shocked the world.

“We’ve all sheltered together... and we were able to support each other,” says Allison.

MIRACLE This brave fire crew from the Central Coast was lucky to escape with their lives after their truck was engulfed in flames near Nowra.

RESOLUTE Artist Sally Anne Wilson and partner Christopher Lee are determined to start again after losing their shop at Cobargo. NO RESPITE Out-of-control fires in NSW and Queensland have destroyed more than 1200 homes. YOUNG HERO Finn Burns, 11, was a “legend” for helping get his family out of Mallacoota as East Gippsland went up in flames. DEVASTATION The main street of Cobargo was completely destroyed.

GOOD SAMARITAN Lake Conjola resident Nicole Halcro and her neighbours pooled their resources to feed and care for the community. “It’s pretty overwhelming – we have friends who have lost everything,” she says. BRAVE HONOUR RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons gives volunteer Geoffrey Keaton’s son Harvey a commendation for bravery and service at his dad’s funeral in Buxton, NSW, last week.

PEOPLE POWER Gippsland mums Jodie Crane and Wendy Mcphan used social media to attract thousands of donations. ANIMAL RESCUE All the animals at Mogo Zoo were saved, with staff taking red pandas and monkeys home to keep them safe.