RACHEL IRELAND OF HAMLEY BRIDGE
Rising from the ashes stronger and better than before.
November 25, 2015 spelt certain disaster for the tiny town of Hamley Bridge in rural South Australia as an out of control bushfire raged towards the township.
With flames blazing at over thirty metres high and jumping containment lines of over two hundred metres wide, the fire roared across the landscape destroying everything in its path. No stranger to fire evacuation drills, Director 2 and Hamley Bridge resident Rachel Ireland swiftly executed her fire emergency plan, packing herself and her four young children into the car as they had practiced “I remember telling the kids off for taking too long, reminding them that next time they would need to be more efficient,” says Rachel. With little to no reception and very low visibility Rachel set off to seek refuge at the evacuation point in a nearby town “the trip there was quite terrifying - you don’t know how much you use landmarks as a way to navigate until you can no longer see them!” Eventually finding her way to the evacuation point she was greeted by friends only to realise that the fire had changed course and was heading directly for them once again “I remember jumping straight back in the car and racing off in the other direction. My kids by this point were becoming hysterical, and while I was panicking inside, I had to stay strong for them. I remember them asking me ‘Mummy are we going to die?’ and simply replying in a very cheery voice ‘not today honey’!” However it was during this second dash to safety that Rachel received a call “I had next to no reception or battery on my phone, but out of nowhere my phone started ringing! The sheer luck that I answered probably saved our lives.” What was supposed to be a refuge had become the danger, with the change in wind direction forcing the fire once again directly into Rachel’s path “I immediately turned around
Left: Rachel with husband David and children (left to right) Jakob, Makaede, Blake (18 months ) and Izak.
39 MARCH/APRIL 2016 | MELALEUCA.COM
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