EAST GIPPSLAND GRIT

IT WAS A SUMMER no-one in East Gippsland will ever forget. The recent bushfire crisis was the Victorian region’s largest natural disaster and no community was left unaffected. The fires were first reported on 21 November last year and not finally declared contained until three months later, on 20 February. The region’s entire population of almost 47,000 residents – plus thousands of tourists – were directly or indirectly impacted.

The road to recovery is largely being paved by community groups. Although restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have affected recovery processes, locals hope that once the dust settles, visitors will return to East Gippsland. Reviving tourism is vital to helping people get back on their feet.

In the meantime, as residents band together to rebuild their homes and businesses, heartwarming stories of generosity, kindness and community spirit abound. Here are some of their stories.

MALLACOOTA

Apocalyptic images of people forced to shelter on the beach under blazing red skies were circulated around the globe and put Mallacoota firmly in the spotlight during the bushfire disaster. The fire catastrophe hit the small coastal town hard: 120 houses, plus commercial buildings and other infrastructure, were lost.

Local resident Grant Cockburn, president of the Mallacoota & District Business & Tourism Association and owner of Mallacoota Hireboats, has been active in the town’s recovery. “Our initial focus was to boost morale, regain some normality and restore important assets that the locals enjoy. It was all about moving forward and getting everyone back on the beach and enjoying the place again,” Grant says. “The local Mallacoota Lions Club have been fantastic. They’ve been instrumental in coordinating numerous projects, including