A PUBLIC hearing into the 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires will be held in Taree in 2022 as a part of a series of regional inquests by the NSW State Coroner.
The inquiry will begin with an opening address at the Coroner's Court of NSW, Lidcombe on August 25, 2021.
Public hearings have been scheduled to take place at various regional locations.
In September, the inquiry will travel to Cooma and Queanbeyan and in 2022 it will travel to other parts of regional NSW.
The inquiry is aimed at investigating over 40 blazes which burned through six per cent of the State, took 26 lives and destroyed nearly 2500 homes.
Mid North Coast communities were among those who still bear the scars of one of the worst bushfire seasons in decades that claimed two local lives.
At Johns River, where the State recorded one of several tragic deaths, isolation, communication and awareness about emergency action, emerged among the challenges. They were met with dangerously erratic conditions and fire with a ferocity no one could have predicted.
The fire claimed the life of resident, 63-year-old Julie Fletcher. The pain of losing one of their own still hurts this small community today.
Barry Parsons of Willawarrin was the fourth person to die after fire ripped through hectares of bushland near Kempsey.
He was discovered in bushland on the southern end of the Kyuna Track after a 'super-fire' tore a path of destruction through the area and destroyed homes.
The Coroner's Court will live-stream the opening address and all hearings via its website.
Hearings have been scheduled to take place as follows:
- Coroners Court, Lidcombe: 6 - 17 September 2021
- Queanbeyan Local Court: 20 September - 1 October 2021
- Lismore Local Court: 28 February - 4 March 2022
- Armidale Local Court: 7 - 18 March 2022
- Taree Local Court: 21 - 25 March 2022
- Cooma Local Court: 9 - 13 May 2022 (Good Good Fire only)
- Katoomba Local Court: 14 June - 1 July 2022.
Submissions have closed for the Southern Region fires.
Submissions for the Northern and Central Region fires have been extended and will be accepted until Friday, October 1.
To make a submission, use the online form located here.
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Tracey Fairhurst
The Port News has been at the heart of its community for more than 135 years. Your stories matter to us and so does local journalism. If you have a story to share, email tracey.fairhurst@austcommunitymedia.com.au
The Port News has been at the heart of its community for more than 135 years. Your stories matter to us and so does local journalism. If you have a story to share, email tracey.fairhurst@austcommunitymedia.com.au
