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A gust of wind carries both warnings and fearsome memories for Fuel East Lynne co-owner Angela Curnow. It evokes the horrific weather conditions that fed the Currowan Fire as it descended on her business in December last year and then spread along the South Coast. A year after the bushfire started, windy days could also signal yet more disruptions for the shop, which has endured power outages and long waits for restored phone and internet connections. One gust, and a fallen tree branch could knock the electricity out again. “Coming into this period, it makes you unsettled because you are feeling that it’s almost like the anniversary is coming up for that period, and it was really windy at that time, and hot,” Ms Curnow said. “This is just bringing all those memories back again.” East Lynne was among the first communities to fight off the Currowan Fire when it hit the area on December 2 and 3 last year. Fuel East Lynne co-owner Bede Cooper stayed behind to help defend the store, which was surrounded by 13 fire trucks along with firefighters carrying water cannons, ready to fight the blaze. “It came, and it came with ferocity. There were spears flying through the air, they looked like 35 foot long spears flying all over the building,” Mr Cooper said. The fire burnt holes in the store’s roof and threatened to wipe out the building. Firefighters saved the business from the onslaught. Not long after the fire’s initial advance, crews had to return and defend East Lynne again. “The trees were all catching fire here, everything was catching fire,” Mr Cooper said. “Even after the fires, trees were just bursting into flames because the roots were on fire.” The business lost a skip bin full of pies – about 7500 in total – as the bushfire knocked out the electricity. “All our alcohol and milks, they were blowing up when I was getting them out of the fridge,” Mr Cooper said. He had to throw out the store’s stock of ice cream and fishing bait. The business made another 2700 pies as it worked towards reopening before Christmas. Again, bushfire destroyed the stock when it burnt power lines in Nowra. “We got a massive power surge and it burnt all the electrical equipment again. So we had to throw everything out,” Mr Cooper said. READ MORE: Later in the summer, as a much larger Currowan Fire killed residents and destroyed homes throughout the region, East Lynne once again fell under threat on New Year’s Eve. Panicked customers tried to stock up on drinks and fuel up, only to get caught in a long, snaking traffic jam of vehicles trying to return to Sydney. The fire has slowed Mr Cooper and Ms Curnow in their project to make a local attraction of the business, which has a bike museum and outdoor space they want to use for shows and market gardens. About 16 months after they bought the business, COVID-19 has brought further complications. Flooding in the area also threatened to wash away the store ten weeks ago. “It’s been a hell of a ride for a new business,” Mr Cooper said. He is confident the store will catch up despite delays to his plans to build it as an attraction. Mr Cooper expects the pandemic will lead to a busy summer. “This is going to be the biggest Christmas this place has ever seen, because you can’t travel overseas.”
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A gust of wind carries both warnings and fearsome memories for Fuel East Lynne co-owner Angela Curnow.
It evokes the horrific weather conditions that fed the Currowan Fire as it descended on her business in December last year and then spread along the South Coast.
A year after the bushfire started, windy days could also signal yet more disruptions for the shop, which has endured power outages and long waits for restored phone and internet connections.
One gust, and a fallen tree branch could knock the electricity out again.
“Coming into this period, it makes you unsettled because you are feeling that it’s almost like the anniversary is coming up for that period, and it was really windy at that time, and hot,” Ms Curnow said.
“This is just bringing all those memories back again.”
East Lynne was among the first communities to fight off the Currowan Fire when it hit the area on December 2 and 3 last year.
Fuel East Lynne co-owner Bede Cooper stayed behind to help defend the store, which was surrounded by 13 fire trucks along with firefighters carrying water cannons, ready to fight the blaze.
“It came, and it came with ferocity. There were spears flying through the air, they looked like 35 foot long spears flying all over the building,” Mr Cooper said.
The fire burnt holes in the store’s roof and threatened to wipe out the building. Firefighters saved the business from the onslaught. Not long after the fire’s initial advance, crews had to return and defend East Lynne again.
“The trees were all catching fire here, everything was catching fire,” Mr Cooper said.
“Even after the fires, trees were just bursting into flames because the roots were on fire.”
The business lost a skip bin full of pies – about 7500 in total – as the bushfire knocked out the electricity.
“All our alcohol and milks, they were blowing up when I was getting them out of the fridge,” Mr Cooper said. He had to throw out the store’s stock of ice cream and fishing bait.
The business made another 2700 pies as it worked towards reopening before Christmas.
Again, bushfire destroyed the stock when it burnt power lines in Nowra.
“We got a massive power surge and it burnt all the electrical equipment again. So we had to throw everything out,” Mr Cooper said.
Later in the summer, as a much larger Currowan Fire killed residents and destroyed homes throughout the region, East Lynne once again fell under threat on New Year’s Eve.
Panicked customers tried to stock up on drinks and fuel up, only to get caught in a long, snaking traffic jam of vehicles trying to return to Sydney.
The fire has slowed Mr Cooper and Ms Curnow in their project to make a local attraction of the business, which has a bike museum and outdoor space they want to use for shows and market gardens.
About 16 months after they bought the business, COVID-19 has brought further complications.
Flooding in the area also threatened to wash away the store ten weeks ago.
“It’s been a hell of a ride for a new business,” Mr Cooper said.
He is confident the store will catch up despite delays to his plans to build it as an attraction. Mr Cooper expects the pandemic will lead to a busy summer.
“This is going to be the biggest Christmas this place has ever seen, because you can’t travel overseas.”
