Scotsburn rises from the ashes

The small town south-west of Ballarat along with neighbouring towns Clarendon, Durham Lead and Elaine, was devastated by bushfires late in 2015.

For the last 22 months the Scotsburn Recovery Committee have been putting the pieces back together and uniting communities in the process.

Recovery committee member and Clarendon resident Donna Hart said the committee was started to allow people in the area to heal together. 

“We wanted people to feel like we all knew what everyone was going thorough and to support them through the recovery,” she said. 

“We mainly support each other, and have always had the attitude that while our property might might not have been damaged as badly as yours, we will help to get through”

Ms Hart said the people of Scotsburn and surrounds have been incredibly positive in the face of extreme adversity. 

“Things are coming along really well now, people are starting to rebuild and while some people won’t live in the area they are still coming back to catch up and see how others are going,” she said.  

“It’s all been really positive, we have found that now we are 22 moths since the fires there are some things people are not coming to so they can move on but others come to catch up at the monthly barbecue.”

“We will continue to have monthly barbecues for as long as people want them.”

Ms Hart, along with fellow committee member Trevor Smith and Moorabool Shire’s Fire Recovery Co-ordinator Michelle Richards, collected the award on behalf of the committee. 

Ms Hart said receiving the award has been great for committee and all the hard worjk they have done since the fires. 

“It was really thrilling, I didn’t know we had won one,” she said.

“When they read out our name my heart was thumping, to be recognised for this Victoria wide was just fantastic.” 

Having won the state award for resilient communities, the Scotsburn Recovery Committee will travel to Canbrerra to represent Victoria in the National Resilient Community Awards later this year.