It's My Shout: 2020 Bushfire Fundraising
Lake’s Entrance
Over summer, Lakes Entrance is usually one of Victoria’s top holiday destinations. During the peak sunshine-y months, the four-and-a-half-thousand-odd residents of our town turn it on for visitors from far and wide, who come to cross the footbridge to the pristine Ninety-Mile Beach, explore the lakes in a kayak, join a boat cruise or hire a paddleboat and hit the sparkling waters.
Renowned as a seafood capital (thanks to our resident fishermen, one of Australia’s largest fishing fleets), and a wine and food destination, our beloved town relies on the “peak months” to sustain our local economy.
Lakes Entrance is usually booming with tourists at this time of year and when the evacuation notice was sent out it crippled our summer season and has put a lot of business at risk of closing in the year to come. Our tourism trade has been all but lost this year. And while we can rely on insurance to help us re-build, the loss of income has hit our community hard.
It’s My Shout is a way to support our local businesses during the drop in tourism amid the bushfires. We are a proud community, but right now, we’re asking you for a shout.
Bruthen
300km from Melbourne, 24km from Bairnsdale, Bruthen oozes country charm and historical character. The East Gippsland Rail Trail cuts through Bruthen and many of East Gippsland’s bushwalks start in the area.
Set at the fork in the road between High Country, Gippsland Lakes and the hinterland, Bruthen’s prosperity has always been thanks to the tourist dollars from day-trippers, weekenders and holidaymakers that journey along the Great Alpine Road in their thousands every summer – stopping for a picnic, a hot meal, a shop in our home-grown specialty stores or just a cold beer at the hotel or local Bullant Brewery.
During February of each year, our signature event is the Annual Bruthen Blues & Arts Festival, which brings an amazing lineup of serious blues musicians, a family-friendly atmosphere, a colourful market, and plenty of kid activities.
With fires bearing down on us on all sides, and what feels like a permanent smoky haze settling over our town, the odds of our small businesses bringing in the dollars they need this tourist season to see out the quieter times over the remainder of 2020 look bleak. We’re working harder than we ever have, but instead of making an income from it, we’re literally just working to save our town.
How ‘bout a shout?
Johnsonville
"Back in the old days when the horse was the King, buggies and sulkies the people came in.
"And the old men remember the Depression and all, and the families found comfort at the Johnsonville Hall." — Slim Dusty
People have been coming to the Johnsonville Dance for nearly 100 years. It’s not like we haven’t known tough times before.
But summer isn’t supposed to be tough in Johnsonville. This is the time when the visitors flood in to enjoy the views (and beverages) at any number of local wineries, follow the farm food and wine trail to sample our local produce, hire a boat, launch the boat from the floating pontoon on the Tambo and throw a line in at any of the local rivers where you’re sure to catch a fish – dinner sorted!
But instead, this summer season, our local CFA have been battling blazes for months. And are anticipating fighting for months to come.
Towns like ours rely on the trade over summer to see us through tighter times. This year, there’s no tourist dollars coming in to set us up for what’s undoubtedly going to be a rough year ahead. We’re a proud bunch in Johnsonville, we’ll keep our heads held high (and no doubt dance through the pain!), but our small business owners could do with a shout.
Mallacoota
Maybe you hadn’t heard of Mallacoota before, but there’s a good chance you have now.
“As the decade turned, images of families stranded on the beach under blood-red skies were being beamed into Victoria's emergency control centre from Mallacoota,” as The Age put it.
During the summer holidays, our town’s population usually increases by around 8,000 people. They come for the wildflowers and fresh seafood, for the whale watching and fishing competitions, for the unspoiled beaches and spectacular views. Mallacoota's remoteness has made it popular for visitors seeking a quiet seaside experience in an area surrounded by forests, secluded beaches and pristine waterways.
Now the one road in and out is closed. And while we can re-build what we’ve lost physically, there’s no way to make up for what we’ve lost in revenue already this season and what we’re going to lose while we re-build. The odds of survival for our small businesses are looking pretty bleak.
It’s My Shout is one way to back our local businesses during the plunge in tourism as a result of the fires. We are a proud community, but right now, we’ve lost everything. We have no choice but to ask you for a shout.
Marlo
Watching the sunset over the Snowy River from the deck of the Marlo Pub with a cold beer in hand is one of life's greatest joys.
Marlo itself is a tranquil seaside resort and fishing town, and at this time of year, the population usually doubles, with visitors coming from all over Victoria for the pristine beaches, rocky cliffs, walking tracks and excellent fishing spots.
This year, there’s not been much time for welcoming visitors while we’ve been sheltering from the fury of Mother Nature.
Towns like ours rely on the trade over the summer season to see us through the tighter times, when the mercury drops and the holidaymakers abandon us for warmer climes. And this year, there’ll be no tourist dollars rolling in to set us up for what’s absolutely going to be a tough year ahead.
If you’re willing to give us a shout, we’ll be forever grateful.
Metung
Metung Village is tucked away in a peaceful corner of the Gippsland Lakes. Our regular summer holidaymakers like to think it’s a very well kept secret, but the real secret is that without those holidaymakers, we’d be hard pressed to keep our town going. Towns like ours rely on the trade over summer to see us through the tighter times for the rest of the year.
But we’re currently slapped with a “Significant fires are burning in East Gippsland, with multiple road closures in place. Do not travel to these areas” warning.
This year we won’t have the boat lovers and summer water-skiers, hopeful fishermen trying their hands at hooking bream, tailor, flathead, King George whiting and prawns or discerning foodies dining out on fresh seafood and local wines at eateries across town. There’ll be no art lovers stopping by to visit farm studios, gardens and galleries to view locally crafted sculptures, jewellery and paintings and no day trippers stopping for a stroll along the water's edge at sunset to watch the sailing boats glide by.
No one is coming.
We could really do with a shout.
Nicholson
Being one of the worst hit communities in the 19/20 bushfires is certainly not something we were hoping to put on our “Welcome to Nicholson” sign, but as it stands, there’s no one to welcome this summer anyway.
This is a time of year when we’re supposed to be welcoming. Welcoming visitors from far and wide to enjoy the view and a glass of wine at one of our many wineries, to delight in a meal and a drink at the local hotel, throw a line in at any of the rivers where they’re sure to catch a fish, catch their the first glimpse of the Nicholson River, with its spectacular historical railway bridge and boats moored below, with access to the renowned Rail Trail.
Our tourism trade has been all but lost this year. And while we can rely on insurance to help us re-build, the loss of income has hit our community hard. We won’t be welcoming those tourist dollars that we rely on to see us through the year.
But we would welcome a shout. If you’re offering.
Nowa Nowa
We watched as the fires engulfed East Gippsland and thought, “There’s no way our town can survive this”. But miraculously, our small township of just a couple of hundred residents did survive and will keep surviving.
Maybe, by this time next year we’ll be welcoming the holiday-makers back to enjoy the outdoors, take one of the many sign-posted walks and discover the abundance of birds and other wildlife or visit our resident artists who open their studios and galleries to visitors. We’re certainly not planning on just throwing in the towel.
It’s My Shout is a way to support our local businesses during the drop in tourism amid the bushfires. We are a proud community, but if we want a real chance at surviving the next twelve months, until (fingers crossed) tourist season rolls around again, we’re asking you for a shout.
Orbost
Set on the banks of the mighty Snowy River, Orbost is the perfect place from which to explore the Snowy River country. Or at least, it is when there are no wildfires threatening our very existence.
At this time of year, our town is typically home to hordes of happy tourists, day-trippers and holidaymakers.
There’s usually plenty to do and see…
The old Orbost Butter Factory stands proudly above the flats of the Snowy River and is now home to the crafty Sailors Grave Brewing. The Orbost Museum, tucked away in the library is a small, but fascinating collection of local objects including Kulin nation boomerangs and stone axe heads and relics of the gold rush, colonial-era wedding dresses and navigational aids from the bygone days of coastal shipping. The Rail Trail passes through the Colquhoun State Forest, home to enigmatic lyrebirds and the magnificent wooden railway trestle bridges. Not to mention the Errinundra Plateau, a strange and spectacular place, home to ancient Gondwanaland forests and uncanny granite tors.
But this year, with roads closed and residents evacuated, we’re hard-pressed to even house our own; let alone the tourists that won’t be coming. Orbost is usually booming at this time of year, but the fires have crippled our summer season and put a lot of businesses at risk of closing in the year to come.
We’re so proud of our town, but right now, we can’t let pride get in the way of what’s best for Orbost. So we’re asking you for a shout.