A scorched road sign on the Longwood-Ruffy Rd, heading towards Ruffy from the Hume Fwy.
Photo by
Bree Harding
The Longwood fire burnt 140,000 hectares of land before it was tamed, with Ruffy one of the hardest hit locations. Senior journalist Bree Harding visited the tiny town on January 28, 20 days after the day of devastation, to see some of the damage and to find out how the community’s recovery is travelling.
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The team of volunteers leading the recovery at Ruffy is determined to keep it a community-led affair.
What that means is the recovery gets led by those who were affected.
“We all know what happened in Marysville; they had all these external services come in who took over everything,” volunteer Felicity Sloman said.
“It was a bit a like a rooster in a hen house. The rooster comes in and all the hens scatter. The community is the hens.”
The idea is to keep the area inside the hall and courtyard a safe space for the community.
“If any external services come in, they go into the paddock next door, sit under trees and help people and not come in and disturb the fragile people,” Felicity said.
“They’re there to support us, not to take over,” volunteer Colleen Furlanetto said.
“We say when we are ready for whatever it is they’re offering,” Felicity added.
The Tablelands Community Centre (formerly the Ruffy Primary School) in the main street of Ruffy was levelled by the fire.
Photo by
Bree Harding
Ruffy’s Telstra exchange was not spared by the flames.
Photo by
Bree Harding
Destination diner the Ruffy Store (which had sat largely unused since COVID-19 times) was destroyed by the fire on January 8.
Photo by
Bree Harding
Longwood-Ruffy Rd, between Ruffy and the Hume Fwy.
Photo by
Bree Harding
Many trees fell during the early January fires, and many are still falling.
Photo by
Bree Harding
Wandering livestock and pets have not found their way home after being displaced.
Photo by
Bree Harding
Massive areas of the countryside either side of the Longwood-Ruffy Rd, between Ruffy and the Hume Fwy, have been scorched.
Photo by
Bree Harding
The Ruffy CFA is one of only two buildings in the tiny Strathbogie Shire town still standing after the bushfire.
Photo by
Bree Harding
The landscape is blackened on the Longwood-Ruffy Rd, between Ruffy and the Hume Fwy.
Photo by
Bree Harding
Burnt gates and fences at the entrance to properties signal a grim homecoming.
Photo by
Bree Harding
The road provided no fire break for the furious flames along the Longwood-Ruffy Rd, between Ruffy and the Hume Fwy.
Photo by
Bree Harding
The fire made short work of metal road signage.
Photo by
Bree Harding
Despite their devastation, patriotic residents still raised flags to celebrate Australia Day soon after the disaster.
Photo by
Bree Harding
The scorched earth stretches on as far as the eye can see.
Photo by
Bree Harding
