Cobargo Grandparents to REBUILD

If you’ve seen the recent news coverage of the ‘Hellfire- Battle of Cobargo,’ you’re no doubt as stunned as the rest of our nation.
Residents of Cobargo faced unimaginable tragedy, combining loss of homes, businesses and life.
Many have been left with uninsured bare properties with no sense of where or how to start again. Among these people are my children’s grandparents.
On the 31.12.2019, they were woken by a neighbour and were told to ‘get out now.’ They left heading towards Narooma, only to make the decision to turn around as both sides of the road was on fire and the heat through the car was near unbearable. They bunkered down in Cobargo behind the pub, squashing the ember attacks falling on my children’s great-grandmothers’ home. The sound, heat and intensity of the storm was imaginable for those who weren’t in town when it hit. It took out a third of the main street and had already engulfed their property and home for over thirty years- my husband’s childhood home. All while they looked on-watching this horrific tale unfold of their sleepy town.
They are currently camped behind the local pub with no idea when they will be able to permanently return home. We’re so thankful they are still here with us- their neighbour is a hero for many Cobargo residents.
The government plans to remove debris for all fire effected properties, insured or not. There are few grants here and there, but not enough to cover the cost of apply to the council and to rebuild.
So here I am, appealing to all I know- in hope of keeping them as debt-free as possible, especially so close to retirement. I’ll be honest, it was difficult writing this and am doing so off my own back. We’ve all been asked and have donated towards fire fundraising efforts; we’ve all done or bit in our own way. But this is personal. This is my family and they are essentially homeless.


I am asking you for help.
I am asking you to give what you can.

-Sarah
Daughter-in-law