Back to Bushfire Disaster

Thursday 12th February.

Coles to donate this Friday’s profits to Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund.
Coles will donate this Friday’s (13 Feb) profits from its 750 stores nationally to the Government’s Bushfire Appeal Fund in partnership with the Red Cross. Customers will also be able to donate to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund at all Coles stores. Donations can be made at all Coles supermarket checkouts from today. Coles Managing Director Ian McLeod said the bushfire tragedy had touched a number of Coles team members, some of whom have lost loved ones in the fire, and a number who have lost their homes.
“Like everyone in the community, we’ve been shocked by the devastation these fires have wrought, and we extend our deepest sympathies to those who’ve suffered loss in this terrible event,” Mr McLeod said.
Mr McLeod said the size of this Friday’s donation would depend on customer support, but cold be several million dollars.
“We hope Australians will help us make this Friday’s donation as substantial as possible.”
Coles has been helping ground level relief agencies over the weekend, providing essentials such as food, water and toiletries, and will continue to provide additional local support as needed.
Further information,
Jim Cooper
Ph: (03) 9829 4354

 Tuesday 10th February

G'Day,

From Bob & Chrissy Eustace

As many of you know, Bob and Rex and I moved to Kinglake last April. On Saturday we left home about 10 minutes before the fire hit. Our house is damaged but still there - woodshed, rideon mower and trailer, garden tools etc gone - Bob's workshop shed is scorched, metal gutters melted but we don't know what has happened inside either the shed or house (as we had all the blinds down to keep heat out). The fire came to the front door but it is still intact and at the back door within 2 ft of back patio.

Last week we had our bore on 12 hrs/day to give water to neighbours John and Heather down back and across a road about 300 or so metres.

Pressure was too great and bore kept tripping out so I set up four sprinklers around yard. If the water got down 2" I would be amazed but we think this dampness in soil slowed the fire down and probably saved our house. When Bob decided to leave at 3.21 pm I rang Heather and said take our fire pump and hose just in case you need it. With that and our water they saved their house and put out fires in our back yard and contained damage from border of 100 m of 8 m high conifers

We are safe at Yarra Glen with the motorhome, car, Rex, two computers, two cameras and 1 box of craft stuff (knitting and some cross stitch).

Bob decided it was time to go and for once, I didn't argue with him.

Whatever happens, we are just so lucky compared to others. Being 1.5 km from the township, every house between us and there is gone as well as nearly every shop in town. We are trying to steel ourselves for the worse when we are allowed home. Today we got a 6 kVA generator so we can get our bore going - no electricity for a few weeks at least they reckon - and then we will be able to supply water because plastic/poly tanks have melted and water is contaminated. We will fill the motorhome with non perishable foods, bread, longlife milk etc as there are little supplies up there for near future.

This message is to say thank you to so many of you who have rung, emailed or otherwise been in contact - we are humbled by the amount of concern you have shown. It has been impossible to ring everyone we would have liked to - as long as we are OK, anything else can be rebuilt or fixed.

We truly appreciate the wonderful friendships we have with our extended CMCA family.

With love and hugs

Chrissy

Back to Bushfire Disaster