Australian Bushfires

[Rod Thompson]

Re-posted from Concertina Convergence (Australia):

 

Richard Evans survived the fire okay, but  he lost his electricity box, and the pole to which it was attached, and also a large plastic water tank, which melted.

        The fires were within fifty metres all around, and he was saved buy a couple of tankers standing by.

        Les Love at Clarence was not so lucky.

        He and his wife had left only the clothes they wore, plus a mobile phone. Gone the car, his English Concertinas, guitars, paintings and his house.

        They are now renting in Blackheath.

      Arthur Heckendorf

 

(You may remember Richard as the maker of Kookaburra Concertinas - concertina reeded beauties - of which I have one - a G/D anglo).

 

 

[Ken_Coles]

I recall Richard's house, surrounded by forest (and birds and animals), from my visit in 2006 (a trip on which I also met Rod and a number of other members here). Our wishes for a quick recovery (if that's what we should call it) for those affected by all these events.

 

Ken

[Steve Wilson]

One of our own, Richard Depledge, lost his house on new years eve during the night when the fires swept through Cobargo.  He managed to save his concertina and that's all I think.  The Cobargo Folk Festival, normally coming up soon, has been cancelled this year.  In fact summer was cancelled, the fires took over.

 

Les Love, mentioned above, has been loaned a concer and is playing again I hear.

 

The fires came through my property just over a week ago but with a month of frequent false alarms we were very well prepared with pumps, hoses and many sprinklers.  My wife Trish and I defended,  just us, the fire brigade couldn't get in because of fallen trees.  We saved our house, our two sheds and all our equipment, vehicles and four concertinas. However all our surrounding bush has tragically burnt, the bush is wrecked.  As well about half of our cut flower plantation was burnt, our livelihood.  Looks like a couple of lean years coming up.  Luckily we are far better off than many and I've still got concertinas to play.