Anne Dyball relives Kundabung bushfire threat

More than half of the 59 hectares – including a 17 year blackbutt plantation – have been ravaged by a bushfire; ruined last week, she says, by the thoughtless act of ‘irresponsible people’ on a hot and windy Saturday with a total fire ban in place.

“It didn’t need to happen,” she repeats several times, looking over the charred stand of timber.

“The fire started at the back of Frank Elphick’s service station at Kundabung and spread north at a rapid rate before jumping the highway toward Crescent Head,” Anne said.

“Then it took another turn, getting into a neighbour’s property before eventually moving toward our place.

“We were thankful on Saturday night that it hadn’t gotten into the plantation. But we were wrong; by Sunday we found several spot fires and these eventually took hold and burned it all out.”

Anne said the response from the rural fire service was stunning. Along with 10 trucks and crews, there was a helicopter and spotter plane relentlessly pushing the fire back.

“It was a massive undertaking by the RFS. They worked as one and did a fantastic job. I have nothing but praise and thanks for them.”

While the family homes and farming buildings are intact, Anne continues to look for the little miracles. Those silver linings.

As she walks toward the blackened stand of hardwood to one side of the property, you can see one of those miracles: its a single tree with a memorial to her parents. Their ashes are buried there.

As for the people responsible for lighting the fire – those ‘irresponsible people’ – Anne has a simple response.

“They should do jail time,” she said. 

“Or they should come out and work shoulder to shoulder with the RFS and families affected by the fire they have lit.”

Double blow

You could forgive Anne Dyball for not wanting to experience another bushfire.

The Kundabung resident was last week forced to again watch on as her property was ravaged by a fire that is suspected to have been deliberately lit.

The blaze destroyed over half the property including a 29-hectare hardwood plantation. While homes and builders remain intact, the personal impact on Anne, her children and extended family has been enormous.

Fifteen years ago, a bushfire ripped through the same area almost costing the lives of her son, Brian, and son-in-law Tim Keough.

“I was at home with my aged mother and grandson when the bushfire swept through the property,” Anne said this week.

“Brian and Tim were working at Telegraph Point and got word that the fire was threatening our property. They were stopped on the highway as they tried to reach home. But they used some back roads and even ran through the fire – ignoring the advice of RFS volunteers – to reach home.

“But we nearly lost them.”

While they eventually got over that bushfire, about a month ago the family had to endure another tragedy when Tim’s father Ken and sister Tanya lost all their possessions in a house fire at Telegraph Point.

“They were left with just the clothes on their back,” Anne said. “We offered them a roof over their heads and tried to make them feel at home.

“Their loss must have been enormous; losing all their personal effects including photographs of Ken’s wife who had passed away.

“So you can image how they must have felt when last week’s bushfire threatened our property. But despite losing everything in their own fire, they reacted instinctively and sprang into action to help protect our property.

“I am so grateful for what they did. They helped save our homes,” Anne said.