AS devastating as natural disasters can be, they are more often than not followed by acts of generosity which succeed in bringing the community closer together.
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Such was the case last Friday as a group of mates gave up their time to help a friend in his time of need.
Farmer Kevin Rosten was among the worst hit by the latest fires with damage to the majority of his 700ha property.
He has not been left to face the arduous recovery by himself, with his colleagues from the council banding together to assist Mr Rosten in his efforts to repair the damage left by the flames.
Dave Hayden, Dave Cooper, Danny Powick, Darren Morn and Gary Partridge each spent their registered day off out at Kevin’s property helping to pull up the old boundary fence so a new one could be installed.
Mr Rosten said the sheer size of the job would have made it nearly impossible to complete on his own.
“The fire definitely made a fair mess of it,” he said.
“What isn’t totally destroyed is definitely damaged. The guys have rallied together which has made a big difference.”
Caroline and Kevin Rosten would also like to thank Glen Clark, Raylene and Robert Thurgood, and Peter and Craig Rosten for their assistance.
The fires at Bellimbopinni and Collombatti burnt hundreds of hectares of bushland and pasture, and destroyed fences and farm buildings.
The fire at Bellimbopinni also claimed the life of local man Herbert Brown, who died after apparently succumbing to heart problems while defending his family property last Friday.