February Blog

February Blog....

What a month February was.....

Saturday February 7th 2009.....One to go down in history books as the worst bushfire in Australia on record...
We thought Ash Wednesday was terrible...but this day now know as 'Black Saturday' was simply horrendous!

Mick and I had arrived in Melbourne on Friday February 6th to visit Mick's family for a 60th birthday celebration...
Whilst we are originally from Melbourne's outer suburb near Cranbourne and we visit Victoria yearly....the weather on Black Saturday was 'undescribable' with the hot northerly winds fanning the dry heat. It was like an oven!

Whilst living in Victoria, we did experience Ash Wednesday with majority of Mick's family living in Cockatoo, his sister and husband lost their garage along with vintage motor bikes etc...their house, thankfully was spared, as was the rest of his family members and their houses.

Mick knows too well what these fires are like, as he volunteered as a fire fighter during Ash Wednesday
having spent a very scary 'several minutes' that seemed like a lifetime... huddled under a blanket in the back of our car with some people whom he had just picked up as they were fleeing their property in Upper Beaconsfield near 'the pink elephant rock'.
This area has a small clearing, just enough for the fire to go over the top of our car and others taking shelter there. Black Saturday certainly brought back some awful memories for a lot of people.

The state of Victoria is so incredible dry with dry brown paddocks covering the whole state. It was a sad sight to see coming in from above in the aero plane. It is truly inconceivable to hear how many lives were tragically lost, homes, livestock, and wild life destroyed in these fires. Complete towns 'gone'...just so sad. In the true 'Aussie' spirit donations of clothes, money and in general support and help has come pouring in from all over...........

The whole World has felt this tragedy of Mother Nature's fury 'Downunder'. Should you wish to donate to the Bushfire Appeal, please contact your local bank, or the Red Cross....any amount is appreciated and much needed. Thank you for your support.

Everything else in February is overshadowed by this enormous tragedy as people try to reconcile their lives as they struggle with loosing family members and friends...as well as their homes and whole communities....

I think we will leave February 2009 there.........

Our deepest condolences to everyone affected by 'Black Saturday' February 7th 2009.

Until next month......
Or please visit our Penthouse apartment

Warm Regards

Maggie & Mick
Wai Cocos Penthouse Apartment

PS: Don't forget to checkout our Events page to see what's on and when!