STORY - "Rising from the Ashes "


Tara and Robert Skinner toiled to create a comfortable home and
loving environment for their sons, Tyler, 6, and Riley, 4. They found their two-storey dream home on a few acres outside Clarence Town, with a cat, dogs and chickens to complete their idyllic rural setting.

On Thursday 21 September last year, their lives irrevocably changed when the home was burnt to the ground. Tara and Riley stood in disbelief, terrified and screaming as they watched the flames spread. “I kept thinking the fire people would be here any second, if they come now, it is just the lounge room…. To me it felt like an hour”, but fire investigators told them it takes only eight minutes for most homes to be razed.

The noise was appalling; “There was explosion after explosion.” Then the fire reached the gas oven, “It was like a big mushroom and the whole roof collapsed in.” Reality kicked in and Tara knew it had all been lost. Her next horrifying thought, “How do I tell Robert?” At that moment, Rob was deep underground repairing equipment in a mine at Moranbah, two hours from Mackay in North Queensland, a distance that must have felt like a far-off planet to Tara in her distress.

Suffering smoke inhalation and shock, an ambulance took Tara and Riley to Dungog Hospital . The police rang Rob's boss who came directly to stay with them, but it took much longer before Rob actually received the news. He was alarmed for his family, but reassured of their safety. The company rapidly arranged for his long return journey. The family was joyfully reunited that evening, many hours later.

Tara remembers, “You have nothing, only the clothes you stand in.” While they were still at the hospital, Peter Treloar, then principal of St Joseph 's Dungog where Tyler was in kindergarten, arrived and had arranged for a counsellor, clothes and food. The Skinners were overwhelmed; goods came flooding in as soon as the community and district heard the heartbreaking news. The response was swift. “If you didn't have your community, you wouldn't have anything. Everyone just looked after us.”

The loss of their precious family photos was disconcerting. Shortly after, a photographer friend encouraged them to have a portrait taken. This now holds pride of place on a wall in their rented home. “It did us the world of good to get dressed up, we made it a fun day.” Family and friends have also rallied by reprinting old snaps, even making up a new wedding album.

Tara and Rob can never appropriately express their gratitude. The school held a fundraising disco, the local pre-school a trivia night, Rob's work a benefit night, his cricket friends a golf day, with local service clubs involved too. Tara says, “They don't really know how much they have done. It was like a huge hug.”

Having survived this ordeal, they now know what to do. Tara would like to write a book of hints for those who undergo a comparable experience. When she heard of another family whose home had been burnt, Tara 's first thoughts were, “We're ready, we know how to help. We received doubles of some things, so we took the spares to them.” This process was repeated for an East Maitland family who suffered similarly soon afterwards.

When the family do return to their property, they would like to hold onto the goods donated to them. But not to keep; an entire household will be waiting, ready to be offered to others. Tara would like to go to the distressed family and hand them everything. When they have finished, she and Rob will take it back and then continue to convey where needed.

“I would like to be a co-ordinator for house-fire affected families, they will get so many phone calls, let me take messages, let me be a base to drop off donations, till they can get something sorted. You can't think straight, everything is confused.” Having undergone her own traumatic experience, no one is more qualified than Tara .

Their attitude has changed. Tara was a hoarder, “but I don't need all these things anymore.” People are more important than material objects. Rob's outlook puts everything into perspective; “I would rather be re-building my home than burying my family.” They hope to finally clear away the charred wreckage soon, and begin again on a newly constructed home, with a positive, bright future. They have a greater understanding of human generosity, and a desire to return that kindness tenfold.

Postscript : As the house burnt, Tara chased the terrified animals out of harm's way, all except for one hen nesting under the house. She imagined the worst. Several days later, Rob returned to find the hen brooding over her eggs at the base of a gum tree next to the burnt-out house and close to the boys' melted trampoline. Rob left her there, bringing food each day. Later he arrived to find eleven healthy chicks. Out of the ashes….

Trish Bogan

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