‘We owe it to them’

By Kath Gannaway
THE kindness of others, and a resolute determination to return home, have been consistent messages over the past few weeks from the Marysville firefront.
Ray Mahoney ran the post office and art gallery in the main street.
“I think we owe it to the people who died to rebuild,” he said, adding that he would like to see all the beautiful Marysville trees replanted and named after those who died.
Following an emotional meeting with Victorian Premier John Brumby at the Healesville High School Relief Centre, Mr Mahoney said he was struggling to deal with the tragedy of what had happened, but that it was the kindness of people that had reduced him to tears.
“I didn’t know I knew that many people,” he said of the army of volunteers who had sprung up to look after the fire refugees.
He and his wife Carole were among those who were escorted from the Marysville oval by local police, arriving at Alexandra with nothing.
“The people of Alex were fantastic. The principal of the high school walked up and down the road and talked to people and there was a 12-year-old pitching in and making sandwiches,” he said.
“The town might have had it, but when you see things like that, young people up there helping out, you know the future of this country is in safe hands.”
Sharon Bourke is a young mum and local business operator in Marysville.
“We were evacuated in the first wave – myself, three children, six chickens, two doves and some photos.”
Her husband was out fighting the fires with the DSE.
The Bourkes lost their house and their ski hire business, but Ms Bourke is absolute in her resolve to go back home.
“We want the kinder rebuilt as soon as possible and we’re going to need assistance to do that.
“The kinder committee is very determined to get it up and running as soon as possible,” she said.
It could very well be the children-led recovery Marysville needs.
“We can start a program in any environment. Kids will play if they want to in the black, they need that normality and interaction with their peers. If it’s something they want to be doing, they don’t notice the black.”
That peer connection is not just for the kids.
“I only feel normal in the context of the people who have been through what I have been through,” said Ms Bourke, acknowledging that the recovery will be a very long, and at times very sad journey.
“There is a groundswell to get back into Marysville because we love the town,” she said, including many young families who will draw on the strength of their support networks to make it happen.