Some of you may have heard I had a serious accident in April this year, which is a bit of a lame excuse for why I have neglected, Real Dirt. I fell off our roof while adjusting the solar panels, landing on my head, knocking myself out and ending up with six days of amnesia. It has taken a while to re-boot my brain. Given that solar panels are supposed to be about reducing my carbon footprint, I have also racked up some unwanted greenhouse guilt as I was airlifted from the south coast to Canberra.
Anyway a lot has happened during my recovery. One of the most spectacular – but under-reported – events was that Mother Gulaga (Also known as Mount Dromedary), which towers over the south coast town of Narooma, burned for the first time since 1968. Combined with several dust storms and a continuing drought, the signs are portentous for a severe fire season. The mountain smouldered for nearly a week and at the height of the blaze one wise observer, watching at night, said it reminded her of the Fires of Mordor. Another said the view of the mountain ablaze gave him the creeps – ‘like the day the World Trade Centre burned.’ When I visited friends, during the bushfire, who live beside the mountain, it was the sound that made me feel most uneasy. Every couple of minutes there would be a roar like thunder – another giant tree crashing down creating a landslide of fiery wood.
On the weekend I went to Gulaga with the same friends and we walked around the ashen ruins of the forest on the mountain’s flanks. In spite of some recent rain nothing had yet started to resprout. It was a vista of blacks and greys and yet it was still beautiful.
One of the most impressive vistas from Gulaga is towards Montague Island, nine kilometres offshore. In 1968, when the mountain was last on fire, embers, spotting across the moat of ocean, ignited the island. Looking at the island last weekend it made me think that on a catastrophic fire day no amount of clearing will stop a blaze. If nine kilometres of salt water isn’t enough of an asset protection zone then nothing is.
Gulaga is such a special place. We come up to Bermagui every summer and most years make the hike up to the tors. I hope they haven’t been burnt. Do you know?
ps love your book! We’ve just bought some land south of Bermi so it’s an inspiration!
Dear James,
You and your bushland have suffered in common. All will regenerate into vigorous health provided we worry about our eco-footprint as much as you do.
A dong on the head is no way to cure writers block, but at least you now have a ripper of a Rip-Van-Winkle story angle for Christmas.
An iteresting way of connecting with Country and community services.
Anyway, see you in the bush,
Keith
Both amazing phenomena. Sorry you’ve been ill, James. We’ve missed you and Real Dirt heaps.
James – I completely identify with the dong on the head. I fell over in Melbourne airport on the same day there was a terrorist attack on the Sankat Mochan temple in Varanasi (we have been supporting the Clean Ganges Campaign since 1992). Felt like we experienced the impact of the explosion together. Now I also sit on the edge of our forest and wonder. Take care, Sue
James,
I am also sorry to lean about your accident and hope you are making a good recovery.
I agree that no amount of clearing will stop a fire on a catastrophic fire weather day.
Similarly we shouldn’t assume that bad fire weather in August/September will necessarily mean a bad summer for fires. I’ve always planned for a potentially severe fire season from early spring to early autumn the following year! Conditions can change so rapidly in our erratic climate
The Earth shall replenish when the time comes, and so shall we!
stay positive, and all you dream of will transpire!
Don’t hold onto unnecessary feelings of guilt..
Enjoy the summertime coming up, as you know it will all pass by eventually!!
The bang on the head may have had some benefits to your girls you didn’t realise.. more (quality/ nurturing/caring) time with daddy being a silver lining!!
Keep the articles churning out, its a welcome sight to my Inbox!!
I told you solar panels were dangerous! Hippies! Seriously though, good to read another evocative post from you, glad you are back into it.
They say middle-aged men and roofs make excellent customers in casualty wards…