Victoria Fire-Affected Communities Welcome Visitors During Easter Recovery

Towns in Victoria's Murrindindi Shire, the most affected area from January bushfires, have welcomed visitors during the Easter weekend. The shire, located north of Melbourne, includes localities such as Yarck and Alexandra. The Longwood fire, which occurred in January, destroyed hundreds of homes and buildings, with many sites remaining as rubble less than three months later.

Local businesses and events have resumed operations to support recovery. Andrew Embling, a community and business leader in Alexandra, stated that the area is open for visitors. The fire surrounded Alexandra on three sides but did not reach the town center, leading to a closure of two-and-a-half to three weeks and revenue losses for businesses.

The Murrindindi Shire experienced the majority of property losses from the Longwood fire, affecting 22 towns and localities. Public infrastructure damage totals about $50 million. Mayor Damien Gallagher reported losses of six to seven-and-a-half thousand sheep and cattle, representing a significant portion of the area's livestock.

Additionally, approximately 4,800 kilometers of fencing was destroyed, equivalent in length to the distance from Brisbane to Perth, with estimated costs of $120 million for fencing alone.

John and Heather Drysdale, who farm cattle and sheep in Yarck and Ruffy, lost nearly all of their land to the fire. Their home was reduced to twisted metal, a chimney, and rubble. The couple has not yet removed the debris and plans to prepare the farm for the return of their cows, which were relocated to farms in Gippsland from Melville Forest to Bairnsdale.

Rebuilding fences on their steep terrain presents challenges, and they anticipate continued feeding of livestock similar to the previous year.

Recovery efforts include reopening roads, resuming school and work activities, and the regreening of grass in affected areas. However, many residents still face destroyed homes. Gallagher noted that the shire produces high-quality local goods available to visitors. The Drysdales expect their home rebuilding to take years, given the widespread destruction of other properties.