By Melissa Grant
TONIMBUK Black Saturday victim Fred Wailes is settled into a new abode, just six months after the Bunyip Ridge Fire destroyed his home of 50 years.
The February 7 blaze left Mr Wailes with little more than his ute and a bunch of clothes, but he is well and truly back on his feet thanks to the generosity of the community.
The World War II digger was the only Cardinia Shire resident to lose his home during the Black Saturday fires, a tragedy which left 173 dead and destroyed more than 2000 homes in Victoria.
Mr Wailes became one of the first to be rehoused, moving into a two-bedroom granny flat in June – a slight upgrade from the ‘shanty’ on his old 40-acre bush block.
“I’m living in luxury,” he said with a laugh.
Mr Wailes’ new home is perched on the two-and-a-half acre property of his friends Peter and Marlies Izzard in Tonimbuk, overlooking the Bunyip State Park. Looking out from his verandah, patches of green can be seen sprouting from the black landscape.
The community opened their hearts and wallets for Mr Wailes – a Drouin couple sold the flat for a steal, a transport company erected it at a reduced price, while tradies installed the amenities at a discounted rate.
Their kindness enabled Mr Wailes to move into his new home just four months after the devastating fire.
Mr Wailes doesn’t remember much about that fateful day, but says he was lucky to survive.
“It’s just a vague memory – I wasn’t in there, I was down the track when it went up,” he said.
“Once the fire came in there was no way out – I was just lucky I was already out.”
Mr Wailes’ most treasured possession, a .303 rifle, was badly damaged during the fire. Although he was able to salvage the gun from the fire, the metal had melted.
“It was handy,” he joked.
After the blaze, Mr Wailes lived with friends Gwen and Jim Harvey for three months before moving into the Izzards’ home for a month while his granny flat was built.
Initially the 83-year-old was going to live in a Moe retirement village for returned servicepeople – but friend and Cardinia Shire mayor Bill Pearson said that wasn’t to be.
“They were going to send him up to Moe but that lasted half a day,” he said. “He likes to be on his own in the bush.”
Mrs Izzard said she couldn’t imagine Mr Wailes, whom she has known for all of her married life, living in a retirement home.
“When we heard about that. we said that’s not Fred,” she said.
“We’re just happy Fred’s so happy here.”
An afternoon tea was held on Saturday 18 July to thank those involved with building Mr Wailes’ new home and restoring his way of life.
Cr Pearson said he was extremely proud of how the community had rallied around Mr Wailes.
“Fred, I understand, is the first in Victoria to be rehoused and to have his assistance completed,” he said.
Mr Wailes, a man of few words, had a simple message for those who helped him get back on his feet again.
“Thankyou,” he said.
