To our friends in the Land of Oz (Australia)

Oh my goodness...I just saw this thread. Plenty of and prayers going out to everyone affected by this.

Originally Posted by sarahp

We're still waiting to hear from relatives in Victoria to make sure they're ok. They are all elderly, and are in a rural area, but we're not sure if their area was affected by fires.

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Off the top of my head Sarah-
beechworth
Narbethong
Marysville
Buxton
Yarra Glen
Kinglake
St Andrews
Bendigo
Pakenham
Wandong
Arthurs Creek
Whittlesea
Humevale
Kilmore
Murrindindi
Strathewen
Flowerdale
Chum Creek
Healesville

There might be more but that is the bulk of it.
Herald Sun, the Age and news.com.au have message boards and some people are posting unofficial survivor lists too.


Tristans town has a population of 1500, 22 of those confirmed dead =(


Toll up to 173 now =\\

That's terrible I'm glad Tristan and his family are ok.

I think my rellies are near Bendigo. Mum will let me know if they hear anything.

Originally Posted by sarahp

That's terrible

I'm glad Tristan and his family are ok.

I think my rellies are near Bendigo. Mum will let me know if they hear anything.

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Thanks. I hope you find out soon.

This may sound a bit harsh to some people, but if they find the arsonists, i personally want to string them up by their genitals and let them get torn into tiny pieces by wild animals while their heart is still beating..

Somehow jail doesn't seem enough

Originally Posted by Dragoriana

Thanks. I hope you find out soon.

This may sound a bit harsh to some people, but if they find the arsonists, i personally want to string them up by their genitals and let them get torn into tiny pieces by wild animals while their heart is still beating..

Somehow jail doesn't seem enough

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If there is justice in the universe, they will have already perished in the flames of the infernoes that they have started.....OMG - I saw pics of perished horses.. and to think that fate happened to children, to the elderly, and all the other victims

Originally Posted by catsknowme

If there is justice in the universe, they will have already perished in the flames of the infernoes that they have started.....OMG - I saw pics of perished horses..

and to think that fate happened to children, to the elderly, and all the other victims

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That would be a no, it seems they are hunting down this possible person, which means he/she is in fact alive. A picture may be released in a few days.

My thought and best wishes are with all Australians right now. I can't look at the pictures. On AOL there is a picture of a firefighter sharing water with an injured kaola bear and it breaks my heart. All that devastation.

If there was an arsonist I hope he gets exactly what he deserves.

Originally Posted by peachytoday

My thought and best wishes are with all Australians right now. I can't look at the pictures. On AOL there is a picture of a firefighter sharing water with an injured kaola bear and it breaks my heart. All that devastation.

If there was an arsonist I hope he gets exactly what he deserves.

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OMG! That pic of the firefighter sharing water with the koala bear is amazing. I assume that's a WILD koala... and for the animal to trust the guy....wow.

I see that some of the forests are the bear's natural habitat-- eucalyptus, right? Isn't that what they eat mostly?

This is soooo sad! They say that some of the fires are a result of arson

Originally Posted by AddieBee

OMG! That pic of the firefighter sharing water with the koala bear is amazing. I assume that's a WILD koala... and for the animal to trust the guy....wow.

I see that some of the forests are the bear's natural habitat-- eucalyptus, right? Isn't that what they eat mostly?

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Yes their diet is eucalyptus.

You should've seen when we had our heatwave a couple of weeks ago. Koalas were sneaking into peoples back yards to drink out of swimming pools and dog bowls. There were more pictures of them drinking from water bottles people were holding. They are wild, they can be dangerous. But i think when it comes down to it, if you were an injured, exhausted animal, you would take water and care from anyone you could. They know we wouldn't hurt them.

Has anybody heard from Danielle yet? Hope her and Chris and the babies and Tipsy and Cedar are okay?

Originally Posted by sandra

Has anybody heard from Danielle yet? Hope her and Chris and the babies and Tipsy and Cedar are okay?

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that they are OK! I haven't seen Dan post. Maybe one of the mods has heard from her?

Originally Posted by sandra

Has anybody heard from Danielle yet? Hope her and Chris and the babies and Tipsy and Cedar are okay?

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She was online today at 04:48 PM.

Originally Posted by Moz

She was online today at 04:48 PM.

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that is a load off !!

Here is a story explaining a pic that showed up on the Internet of a firefighter giving sips of water to a wild koala.

http://enews.earthlink.net/article/t...90210723363886

Here's one with the piccie..
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/0...dfires_koala_1

Originally Posted by sandra

Has anybody heard from Danielle yet? Hope her and Chris and the babies and Tipsy and Cedar are okay?

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Yep. They're OK. I had a short Skype exchange with her on the weekend. It's smokey as all get out and lots of ash, but the worst fires are at some distance from them, though they did have to put their fireplan into action on Saturday. They got the all clear Sunday morning.

Tipsy was having a problem with one of his eyes, probably a result of all the smoke. Dan was on the way to the vet with him just after we signed off. She was hoping to be on later on that day, but who knows the twists and turns life takes at times like this.

Hope Tipsy's OK, and things are not too crazy, Dan. You're all in our thoughts.

On Friday Coles are donating the entire days profit to the bush fire appeal, on another forum it was suggested to stock up as much as you can, especially non use-by items.

For anyone else reading in SA, our next cat show Feb 22 we are accepting donations to send over to Vic.
http://www.felineassociationsa.com/

One of our clubs is donating money from their entries of their next show [April] to the fund - but they are going to buy things like litter trays, food bowls and send it over. I hope the NZCF pulls through and makes a donation too.

Originally Posted by Dragoriana

Yes their diet is eucalyptus.

You should've seen when we had our heatwave a couple of weeks ago. Koalas were sneaking into peoples back yards to drink out of swimming pools and dog bowls. There were more pictures of them drinking from water bottles people were holding. They are wild, they can be dangerous. But i think when it comes down to it, if you were an injured, exhausted animal, you would take water and care from anyone you could. They know we wouldn't hurt them.

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How are the fires near St. Andrews?

i saw a very touching pic in yesterdays paper about this. there was a fireman squating down holding out a bottle of water to a koala (however you spell it!) and the little fella was drinking it like a baby

was very cute, and touching that he took the time to help the little guy!

made me think of my little monkey, wanted to rush home and give her a cuddle!