The Black Summer Bushfires that tore through Mallacoota, wiping out more than 100 homes on New Year’s Eve may be a distant memory for some, but not so for those still living a nightmare.
Many in the community are still suffering ongoing trauma from the bushfires, compounded by a sequence of events which has meant they are still living in temporary accommodation, unable to move on with their lives.
Of the reported 123 homes impacted by the bushfires, only 25 have been rebuilt or are currently under construction.
When the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted everyone’s lives, Mallacoota too ground to a virtual halt, adding another roadblock to residents’ attempts to move forward.
Since then, a boom in regional growth has seen city residents relocate to country towns, such as Mallacoota, creating competition for available housing and tradespeople. Add  Russia’s war in Ukraine to the mix, which has made sourcing building materials difficult, not to mention the creep of inflation, and you have the perfect recipe for unprecedented impediments.

IMAGE: Mallacoota school teacher, Jess Van Swol, and her best mate, Kiah, on the balcony of her rental property in Mallacoota on Saturday. K282-7563 (2)