Wauchope businessman Peter Palmer took these spectacular photos of Pappinbarra at the weekend, which show the extent of how the catastrophic bushfires devastated the area on Sunday February 12.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Six houses were gutted by the flames, but firefighters saved 45 homes, and the residents have been thanking the crews on social media.
Julie Hadfield, whose farm survived, was full of praise for them.
“We are all a bit shocked. Outstanding job by the firies for saving all the houses they did.
“One of the firefighters that saved our home, Steve, even delivered some silage to us. Absolutely amazing person. We are so very grateful to all of them,” she said.
Another Pappinbarra resident, Elizabeth Gough, whose home was saved twice, was also very appreciative.
“A huge thanks to the brigade from Sawtell that saved it, and the Pappinbarra brigade that saved it for the second time when the fire flared and the wind blew it back on us around midnight!” she said.
Another resident, Lisa Baker, was equally thankful.
“These photos really put into perspective what a great job the RFS did to save those homes, and our little block of land,” she said.
Letitia Fitzpatrick
Worked as a journalist and assistant producer for BBC news and current affairs in the UK, Ulster Television, Q Radio and the Irish News in Northern Ireland. Moved to Australia and joined Fairfax Media in 2016. Won a Rotary Paul Harris Fellowship award in 2018 for reporting the Pappinbarra bushfires and the subsequent Rotary appeal which raised $30,000.
Worked as a journalist and assistant producer for BBC news and current affairs in the UK, Ulster Television, Q Radio and the Irish News in Northern Ireland. Moved to Australia and joined Fairfax Media in 2016. Won a Rotary Paul Harris Fellowship award in 2018 for reporting the Pappinbarra bushfires and the subsequent Rotary appeal which raised $30,000.
