TOMORROW’S first anniversary of the Black Saturday fires will see many public memorial services held around Australia, as a nation pauses to reflect upon that day when a hell-like fury was inflicted upon so many Victorians and their families.
In the lead-up to what will inevitably be a difficult day for many Victorians, it’s worth noting that for those closest to the tragedy and destruction, Sunday February 7, 2010, will be just one more day of immense pain and sorrow.
A couple of days ago I sat through an incredible PowerPoint presentation put together by one Long Gully couple in the aftermath of Black Saturday. It was at times difficult to watch. It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, as the couple shared memories of what they once had, but had since lost.
It struck me as one of the most difficult things someone could do, when as the wall of flames bore down upon their beautiful home, the couple had the presence of mind to take photos on a mobile phone of the incredible collection of books and trinkets that were about to be consumed in the fire and lost forever.
It must have been painful to put together this digital photo album, but it must also have been so therapeutic.
The community-inspired effort to help neighbours, friends, family and even complete strangers, all of whom shared such loss and pain, was quite simply some of this city’s proudest moments, as the best of humanity rose above what could have been such a dark moment in our city’s history.
Significantly, the slideshow ends with a collection of images showing the stunning regrowth, a poignant yet powerful symbol of the journey the couple has made, like so many others, over the past 12 months.
This week, I also received a collection of letters coinciding with the arrest of two teenagers accused of lighting the deadly Bracewell Street fire.
For legal reasons, The Advertiser is unable to publish these letters, but in essence, they capture the anger, and the shock, many survivors of Black Saturday are experiencing in the wake of this week’s events.
One of the letter writers, a local youth worker, wrote he was glad the alleged offenders had been arrested.
“The stupidity and malice of lighting a fire on that day is obvious, and I still recall with fear making my home safe and helping neighbours as the fire burned in Long Gully.
“The lives are lost, the houses are burned, the land is scorched. Those things have happened and cannot be undone. People are rebuilding their homes and communities are licking their wounds together, and beginning to recover.”
Quite rightly, he points out, this has been a time of unprecedented co-operation, imbued with a generous spirit.
And finally, he also writes it would be easy for us to persecute, rather than simply prosecute, these two young people.
“Hear me clearly; if they are found guilty, they deserve punishment. Justice must be done. But it needs to be the kind of punishment, and the kind of justice, that restores them as full members of our community, with a sense of responsibility and care towards it, so that they may never again harm our community.”
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