OMEN
02-22-2009, 02:28 PM
The survivors of Victoria's recent firestorms said Sunday's memorial service won't bring back the lives they have lost but was part of the healing process.
Grandmother Jenny Buxton, who ran the Plenty Hills health retreat at Wandong north of Melbourne, has lost friends, her home and everything she owned but attended the service at the Rod Laver arena with friend Francis McMenomy.
She lost neighbour Steve Lackas, who died leaving behind his wife Sandra and eight-year-old son Bailey, and friend Geoffrey Walker, who was killed at Narbethong.
"I keep thinking of the things I have lost but I am trying to find the positives," Ms Buxton told AAP.
"I wanted to be part of today. The support of everyone has been great and I am grateful for all that we have been given."
Many survivors from fire-ravaged towns, such as Kinglake, decided not to attend the service because they were still too traumatised. Many buses in Whittlesea, organised for the event, were left unused.
Vicki Ruhr said she and some friends from Kinglake attended to support their friend, Lyn Gunter, the mayor of the Murrindindi shire in which they live in, who stood alongside Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Princess Anne to speak at the service.
"It's all gone so fast, the whole thing. A lot of Kinglake people chose not to come today because they just felt they couldn't leave, they wanted to stay on the mountain," Ms Ruhr told AAP.
"A lot of them still haven't left the mountain (since the firestorm destroyed the town killing at least 45 people).
"It's important to know the support is there from our country, we're not just sitting in a little pocket. Awareness is there, now, that we need ongoing support ... sustaining support."
Her friend, Michael O'Meara, said he had lost many friends but Mr Rudd's commitment to re-build the town was "quite comforting".
"It's a long-term commitment and, as he said, a lot of governments would just forget about what happened. But he made the opposite commitments. I think that's very important," he said.
The group were pleased to see familiar faces on stage, like Ms Gunter, and singers, fellow Kinglake residents Merelyn and David Carter, who helped perform the song I am Australian.
They complained that many of their fellow traumatised Kinglake residents were being pressured by bosses to return to work.
Donna Todd said she felt she was still in shock after escaping with her husband Chris Franklin and their two horses just 20 minutes before their Strathewen home was razed.
"It's great to know so many people care. If just you had a house burn down you wouldn't get the support but with so many in the same boat you get the recognition I guess," said Ms Todd, who attended the service with her daughter and sister.
"It's quite overwhelming so I suppose we're all still in shock. This sorta stuff you can't feel yet.
"I mean it (the service) was nice but it doesn't really make a difference ... I've lost my house and everything in it ... but I've got my horses out and I've got my job, and my husband and I are safe, so we're lucky you know."
Country Fire Authority (CFA) volunteer Misty Dawn Thorose, from the Research brigade in Melbourne's outer northeast, said Sunday's service gave firefighters a chance to reflect on the horrors they had seen at places such as Kinglake.
"When you're out there on the ground you don't get a chance to do that. You've got to look at it objectively, you can't become emotionally involved," she told AAP.
"It was hard when you know the people who lived in the homes that you drove past and there was nothing left.
"This is a good chance to reflect on what happened and aids the grieving process."
AAP
Grandmother Jenny Buxton, who ran the Plenty Hills health retreat at Wandong north of Melbourne, has lost friends, her home and everything she owned but attended the service at the Rod Laver arena with friend Francis McMenomy.
She lost neighbour Steve Lackas, who died leaving behind his wife Sandra and eight-year-old son Bailey, and friend Geoffrey Walker, who was killed at Narbethong.
"I keep thinking of the things I have lost but I am trying to find the positives," Ms Buxton told AAP.
"I wanted to be part of today. The support of everyone has been great and I am grateful for all that we have been given."
Many survivors from fire-ravaged towns, such as Kinglake, decided not to attend the service because they were still too traumatised. Many buses in Whittlesea, organised for the event, were left unused.
Vicki Ruhr said she and some friends from Kinglake attended to support their friend, Lyn Gunter, the mayor of the Murrindindi shire in which they live in, who stood alongside Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Princess Anne to speak at the service.
"It's all gone so fast, the whole thing. A lot of Kinglake people chose not to come today because they just felt they couldn't leave, they wanted to stay on the mountain," Ms Ruhr told AAP.
"A lot of them still haven't left the mountain (since the firestorm destroyed the town killing at least 45 people).
"It's important to know the support is there from our country, we're not just sitting in a little pocket. Awareness is there, now, that we need ongoing support ... sustaining support."
Her friend, Michael O'Meara, said he had lost many friends but Mr Rudd's commitment to re-build the town was "quite comforting".
"It's a long-term commitment and, as he said, a lot of governments would just forget about what happened. But he made the opposite commitments. I think that's very important," he said.
The group were pleased to see familiar faces on stage, like Ms Gunter, and singers, fellow Kinglake residents Merelyn and David Carter, who helped perform the song I am Australian.
They complained that many of their fellow traumatised Kinglake residents were being pressured by bosses to return to work.
Donna Todd said she felt she was still in shock after escaping with her husband Chris Franklin and their two horses just 20 minutes before their Strathewen home was razed.
"It's great to know so many people care. If just you had a house burn down you wouldn't get the support but with so many in the same boat you get the recognition I guess," said Ms Todd, who attended the service with her daughter and sister.
"It's quite overwhelming so I suppose we're all still in shock. This sorta stuff you can't feel yet.
"I mean it (the service) was nice but it doesn't really make a difference ... I've lost my house and everything in it ... but I've got my horses out and I've got my job, and my husband and I are safe, so we're lucky you know."
Country Fire Authority (CFA) volunteer Misty Dawn Thorose, from the Research brigade in Melbourne's outer northeast, said Sunday's service gave firefighters a chance to reflect on the horrors they had seen at places such as Kinglake.
"When you're out there on the ground you don't get a chance to do that. You've got to look at it objectively, you can't become emotionally involved," she told AAP.
"It was hard when you know the people who lived in the homes that you drove past and there was nothing left.
"This is a good chance to reflect on what happened and aids the grieving process."
AAP