Eleven-year-old Arham forgoing toys to give all his pocket money to support bushfire victims.
Social media finding Aboriginal Elder Aunty Gloria a caravan in Mogo, so she can stay on country.
Raj from Batemans Bay who lost his home, keeping the only chemist in town open, working in the dark for his patients.
Our own volunteers in Mallacoota who bunkered down and then emerged to help others rather than worry about their own property.
People helping people. Of all ages and walks of life, donating money, resources, skills, time, hugs, a listening ear, walking pets, anything practical and possible to help, to say we are here for you, to say you are not alone.
Across the country, people are coming together, fundraising and volunteering, knitting mittens for injured koalas and making water feeders for wildlife. They all now share an invisible thread connecting them to impacted communities.
Over time we will hear more incredible stories of brave, selfless, thoughtful acts by once strangers, who are now friends. Caring humans rescuing injured and orphaned wildlife.
These unbreakable bonds, no matter how far or wide, will be important to healing and recovery. Family, friends, colleagues, businesses and more, who have all instinctively sprung into action, continuing that support, whenever they can, however they can.
The firefighters, emergency services, agencies and our people are working collaboratively and efficiently as possible in dangerous conditions, without power and communication. Supporting people who have lost everything, who are frightened and anxious.
Being among first responders, our volunteers are highly trained to provide psychological first aid, for people who are feeling a range of emotions from grief and anger, to hope and happiness.
Every community has been impacted differently, we are all working together to provide the right support. This is early days. More communities are still under threat, others are trying to understand the scale of the impact. Individual and community needs will continue to change at various stages of recovery.
Because this is far from over. We are yet to see the domino effects of these fires. The impact of smoke across our cities, the thick ash that will spill into the rivers and oceans when we have substantial rain.
My family, along with so many other Australians, will continue our treks to the impacted communities we love. The landscape won’t be the same. It will be emotional. There will be confronting signs of this disaster. We will listen to stories of survival, we will do our part to help in the healing.
We will see familiar and new faces, who are rebuilding and recovering. We will see Red Cross people. The same ones who dropped everything, cancelled holidays, to help fellow Australians. They will remain there for as long as it takes, for as long as needed.
None of this is normal. The social, economic and environmental impact is going to be incomprehensible, threatening much that is unique and special about who we are, and the nature we share this country with.
John Richardson, National Resilience Manager, recently wrote “These are extraordinary times, with extraordinary responses.”
They certainly are. And while these extraordinary times are shocking and heartbreaking, the extraordinary responses are inspiring and enduring.
Judy