ABOVE: Marie and Mick Evans fixing fences. Photo: Contributed
Susanna Freymark
The BlazeAid camp saga continues.
BlazeAid co-ordinators Cindy and Wayne Lusted were told to pack up the camp of volunteers staying at Rappville Sportsground.
At the time, an offer from Lismore City Council to stay at a caravan park in Lismore looked hopeful.
That offer has fallen through because the price to stay was too high, Cindy said.
Even though the cost of camping at any site is covered by State Government funds, there is a limit on what can be paid.
The Lusteds said they will head home to Forbes.
This leaves a list of farms in the area still needing help with fencing.
Some properties had fences damaged in the 2019 fires, others through recent flooding.
Mick and Marie Evans, who were volunteers at the first BlazeAid camp in Casino are taking on the smaller jobs on the BlazeAid list and plan to finish the fencing themselves as M&M Fencing, not under the BlazeAid umbrella.
They live in Grafton and when fencing they will stay in their self-contained van on the owner’s property until the job is done. They can live off-grid if necessary.
The farmer provides the materials and the labour is free, Mick said.
They don’t need more volunteers.
“We prefer to work on our own.”
On Monday, January 30, Marie and Mick head to Bonalbo and will live on the property until the fence is finished.
They want to finish the BlazeAid list but can only do the smaller jobs,
Fuel is their biggest cost. They also need a trailer. At the moment they are using a spare one from BlazeAid.
A GoFundMe fundraiser has been set up to get the money to buy a trailer and ute.
“We need a ute and a trailer to carry our equipment.
“We will be staying around the area to finish what we can. Please help if you can. Many farmers need help,” they wrote on the fundraiser page.
If you’d like to donate to Mick and Marie go to this page.
Gone to blazes – BlazeAid to pack up and leave
and then