From Heartbreak to Hard Work – One Fence Post, One Home, One Heart at a Time
It’s a day the Adelaide Plains will never forget. Ten years on, the memory of the Pinery Fire still sits close to the surface – raw, real, and still shadowed by disbelief.
We knew fire, but not like this. Not the kind that roared through multiple towns and districts with such ferocity it changed the landscape, the people, and the way we respond forever.
We were the people who fundraised and packed up donations for “those poor buggers” in bushfire-prone regions. And then, in one afternoon, we became them.
Ten Years of Rebuilding and Resilience
What followed was heartbreak and heart. BlazeAid volunteers arrived, fences started going back up, and a charity cricket match quite literally “united” the district. A mental health support group took shape – one that still quietly welcomes people today.
The scars were everywhere, but so was the strength. It started small – a green shoot through the ash, a rebuilt home, a new emergency centre, a memorial. Ten years later, that resilience still runs through every town touched by Pinery.
As Member for Frome Penny Pratt reflected last week in Parliament –
“I honour the courage and endurance of local residents. We all bore witness to the extraordinary efforts of CFS volunteers, first responders, neighbours helping neighbours and all who fought to protect life and property… I commend the leadership of local councils, community groups, recovery committees and service organisations who helped each other rebuild.”
Ms Pratt will join the Adelaide Plains community on Sunday November 23 at Pinery 10 Years On, an event not focused on reliving harrowing memories, but on acknowledging how far the region has come, the lessons learned and milestones made.
Pinery 10 Years on will be held at The Farm Centre Freeling, from 1pm-4pm, with guest speakers, afternoon tea, children’s activities and bar facilities available.
Read more about it here or head to the event’s Facebook page here.
