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The nation mourns for the many lives lost, the loss of loved ones, property, livelihood and the ghastly charred ruins of a once very scenic country-side Victoria. What a devastation! I have never experienced anything like this before… and even though I write this an easy 1,000 odd kilometres north of all this colossal devastation I can still clearly say that we are very sad and touched by this calamity. FLAGS will fly at half mast every February 7 in memory of those killed in the Victoria fires, and leaders told a memorial service that devastated towns will be rebuilt.

We’d been to Marysville in 2006 and had such an amazing time. it was a places that we had wanted to visited again but this cute little township is practically off the map except for very little charred remains. Its unbelieveable how a ghust of fire can devour almost anything on its way.

The photos below are a collection from the News.com.au site and you can click them to view the contents in their slideshow. This is yet another reminder why we should respect nature and be a part of it that than over-modernise our lives. It takes but one fire to kill hundreds of lives… Imagine a fire of roughly 900 degree Centigrade heat passing through a populated town and leaving a trail of burnt residues along its wake. There will be no bodies to find but ashes and ashes alone.

On the brighter side of things Australia stand united as always and has pledged to rebuild communities and townships. From memory there were 2 clear days when parliament was suspended. There are times when people stand on opposites sides and fight for what each think is a right way to go about. But people put aside every conditioning from near and far to save human lives. We are lucky, we stand united to help, to build to resuscitate broken down communities and families. For sure the path is long and the road uphill but it will happen.

The Victorian bushfires through the eyes of a volunteer. Stephen Henderson was a volunteer with one of the first CFA strike teams into Taggerty, and he took these photos.

Photo taken by Rhys Smith of Churchill/Hazelwood fire, Lawless Rd.

Local residents watch the Churchill-Jerrelang fire as the sun sets over the LaTrobe Valley. Picture: Stuart McEvoy

A CFA firefighter walks towards the roaring flames defending a property near the Pinnacles on Blacks Flat Road in the Mudgeegonga region. Picture: David Caird

CFA volunteer David Tree helps a distressed koala in burnt-out forest at Mirboo North. Pic: Russell Vickery

The Victorian bushfires through the eyes of a volunteer. Stephen Henderson was a volunteer with one of the first CFA strike teams into Taggerty, and he took these photos.

If you’re on Flickr please visit Picture Australia and post some of your Marysville Photos as a memorial of the beautiful place this used to be.