The pretty, historic township of Marysville has been close to my heart for many years now. Nestled at the foot of the snowfields and surrounded by breathtaking Mountain Ash forests, the Marysville/Kinglake area was a serene getaway, perfect for rejuvenating the spirit and soaking up the deliciousness of nature. The lush, verdant gardens and towering trees always provided a welcome retreat during summer months, while in winter, glistening snowfalls decked the village roofs and dusted vibrant tree ferns with sparkling white cloaks (oh, how they needed snow this weekend!). The atmosphere in the town has always been sweetly seductive, calming and unassuming; the small and friendly community always provided a sense of quiet welcome. Marysville never failed to delight whenever I wanted to escape the city for a while.
Tonight my heart sinks as I try to grasp the fact that in the course of one evening, entire towns have been completely reduced to ash:
Here is some footage from the ABC helicopter as it flew over the ruins of Marysville today. It makes me cry.
My cousin is a firefighter, fighting the fires in Gippsland at the moment, and another cousin lives with her 4 children in the threatened town of Neerim. I haven't heard any news of them yet but I hope they're safe tonight.
