IF EVER you needed evidence of how quickly a year can pass, it is the 12 months that have shot by since the bushfires of 2019.
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There is no single day anniversary for the Black Summer bushfires, because they lasted for months, and people will think of a variety of days, 12 months ago, that changed their lives.
For me it is November 8. I was at the Kempsey Cup when the ash fell from the sky and the racing was called off due to the fires that were threatening the upriver region, including Willawarrin and Bellbrook.
The days and weeks that followed are a blur of memories. I remember the extraordinary individuals who I met at the evacuation centres, be they volunteers or the fire-affected - and too often there were people who qualified as both.
I remember the astonishing stories of escape and heroism.
Similarly, I will never forget the far too many tales of tragedy and loss.
Above all, I remember our community. It is the most bittersweet truth that it is in those hours of extreme pain and anguish that we see the best of each other. The people, the actions, and the bond that I witnessed will remain with me for the rest of my life.
Let us remember together
Council wanted to mark the anniversary of the fires by reflecting that sense of community, and the Black Summer and Beyond exhibition is for me the perfect way of doing so.
Hundreds of photos have been submitted by the community. Shots of the fires, the response and the recovery.
From those, a selection have been chosen for a travelling exhibition where they will be put onto canvas and displayed so that our community can tell their story of one of our darkest chapters.
The result is breathtaking. The images on display have the unique capacity to both break your heart and lift your spirits at the same time.
The exhibition will first tour the upriver before expanding to give the opportunity for those around the shire and beyond to see it. Entry is free and I invite you to come and view this simply extraordinary proof of the spirit of our community at the Willawarrin Hall November 7 to 15, Bellbrook Hall November 21 to 24 and Sherwood Hall November 27 to 30.
For more information head to yoursay.macleay.nsw.gov.au/recovery
