Trevor from the Never Never

by Eleanor Tree (Australia)

Making a local connection Australia

Australia wasn't prepared. Over 3000 people have lost their homes. There was a housing affordability crisis before the bushfires tore through entire towns, what could we expect to happen next? Who steps up to advocate for those who still don't have communication, sanitation or even a drink of water? Who steps in to help when the people in power let them down? I moved to Bellingen just shy of three years ago. A town with a small population, and a high percentage of people aged 45 and over, 56% to be precise. I grew up working in retail, in a clothing store targeted at older people, so conversing with people older than me is second nature. Bellingen is so small that the entire community is rocked every time someone knocks on death's door. My father-in-law Trevor was a favourite of many people in town. A lover of god, a mad scientist inventer, and a generous time giver. Most importantly he was the second half to one of my most favourite people in the world, my mother in law. Trevor's death happened suddenly with a freak surfing accident and nearly three years later the community are still so devastated, struggling to come to terms. My parents-in-law had a solidified love like no other. It's as if they were sewn together and upon Trevor's death, the stitching fell apart and left a gaping hole so big that pieces of my mother-in-law still fall out. I felt a sense of leadership this bushfire season. Sparked by my mother-in-law telling me stories of how passionate Trevor was about helping people. I stepped up and created a charity to provide housing relief, support and education of rebuilding to fire-affected communities. It began with the Nambucca Shire in NSW upper Mid-North-Coast. A low socio-economic town that has been left to their own devices. It's been 10 weeks since they lost their homes and they are relying on notepads to be their memory banks. Trauma messes with short-term memory like 5 mid-strength beers in an hour. I took a trip with a friend of mine to involve the community in our mission. We didn't want to come in saying "we can help you!" but rather "what do you need, what can we help you with?". I met some lovely people at the South Arm Hall that day, they were all very generous and open to sharing their stories of the day they lost everything. Just as we were about to leave to take the trip back to Bellingen, I walked back inside the hall to see if there was anyone I'd missed. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a man with surf-tanned skin, wearing boardshorts, sporting a striking grey mullet. I walked over to him and introduced myself. He said his name was Trevor. He grew up around the corner from Bellingen, along a river called the Never Never. His eyes stayed dry the entire time he told the story of the day the red glowing beast bore down on his little community. How he watched the sky turn orange, and how he would mutter the names of his friends every time he saw a black plume of smoke rise among the grey, knowing it had swallowed yet another home. "Enough about me, tell me who you are", he said, as if he felt he'd spoken for long enough. I explained my connection to Bellingen. I'd married into a local iconic family, the most generous, kind family I'm yet to come across. I mentioned my surname and the names of my mother and father in law, and he dropped to his knees and burst into tears. We exchanged some words about our connection to the Bellingen community, and I left the South Arm Hall that day knowing that I'd made a new connection. One that made me more determined than ever to continue down the path I am of providing help to fire-affected communities, with the people at the centre of our mission.