A FORMER Balranald and Robinvale resident and firefighter caught up on bushfire-ravaged Kangaroo Island has described the situation as “horrific”.
Cheryle Chalmers moved to Kangaroo Island four years ago, and now lives in an area on the island called Kingscote.
Ms Chalmers said she believed the fires raging across the island were just 15 kilometres away from her area.
“At that stage, it had a 2km front, the way that it was moving, if it hadn’t of changed its direction, Kingscote would have been engulfed,” she said.
The Kangaroo Island fires have now burned through more than 200,000 hectares of land, killed 43,000 livestock animals, an estimated 30,000 koalas and affected over 200 producers, according to Livestock SA.
This week, authorities said 65 homes were destroyed by the island’s fires which also claimed the lives of respected pilot Dick Lang and his son Clayton, an experienced surgeon.
Being stuck at home during the bushfires, the chef by trade, Ms Chalmers was disappointed she was unable to cook meals in the kitchen for the army personnel assisting in the area.
But, after Ms Chalmers came across a lady who ran a volunteer-run not-for-profit shop on the island, calling for food donations, she got into action.
Ms Chalmers put a call out to her family and friends in Mildura and Balranald for donated items and said the response was “phenomenal”.
“It made me very proud to be an Aussie,” she said.
She said her former Balranald Central School classmate Jodie Gervasi “jumped on the bandwagon straight away”.
Ms Chalmers’ former workmate and friend, Kylie Teasdale, from Mildura, Angel East, from Mildura, and Lozz Layfield all shared her plea on Facebook.
“They copied and posted from my (Facebook) post and within just three days, Lozz Layfield had items from Mildura and Balranald,” Ms Chalmers said.
“She brought the first load to Yankalilla (near Adelaide and Kangaroo Island) and it was dropped off at a shed that the Lions committee used as a drop off point last Thursday.”
Almost 40 boxes containing 1.5 tonnes of items were dropped off for distribution.
Ms Chalmers said the trailer carting the items to Kangaroo Island had caught fire 15 minutes out of Mildura, but praised her friends for continuing their journey to Yankalilla.
“They got out and put it out and it was the hottest day we had, and they dragged it to Yankalilla,” Ms Chalmers said.
“The determination for them to still get it to me is heartbreaking in itself.
“We (Ms Chalmers, her daughter and grandfather) met up with them and they left again that night.”
Ms Chalmers said another tragedy struck when the three of them couldn’t get home from the drop off point because “the fires got so bad”.
“So, we had to wait for the next day to see the change of the wind, to get the ferry home,” she said.
She said while helping Kangaroo Island, Mildura and Balranald were battling droughts, dust storms and water issues.
“That’s what we’re all about, we were always taught about helping your neighbours,” Ms Chalmers said.
Despite her area being safe from the firing line, Ms Chalmers said their bags were packed, ready to leave if the fire spread closer.
“The only thing that we could have done is drive straight up and we would have gone to the yacht club where the water is shallow,” she said.
“A lot of people camped down at the beach.
“I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Another way Ms Chalmers helped out during the current bushfires was organising pouches for wildlife.
She said the pouches were put together by a group of women in Bendigo.
“We’ve been getting medical supplies as well like bandages, and we’re trying to get formula for joeys (possibly from Adelaide),” Ms Chalmers said.
“There’s no vegetation at the moment, they’re hollowing out pipes and filling them up with water and pallets with food.”
Ms Chalmers was born in Kerang, and has since lived in Robinvale, Mildura and Tillara East (between Euston and Balranald).
“I was working in Mildura as a bistro manager at Wentworth Club Motel, then my partner brought me over and I fell in love with the place,” Ms Chalmers said.
She is a cook by trade and has also worked with Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary.
