Under a towering canopy of eucalyptus trees, families splash in the Yarra River. Others meditate in the shade, and some plunge into the cool, calm water to be baptised.
The bushland around Millgrove is a sanctuary for many in the rural Victorian community, but a sense of dread lingers in the air.
“We live in one of the most bushfire-prone areas in Australia,” local Maureen Halit told AAP.
“I’ve lived through three fires. I heard my family talk of the 1939 fires and what they did to survive; it impacts your mental health, and it can ruin your life.”
So Halit got to work. The 75-year-old president of the Millgrove Community Action Group last week led volunteers in clearing exits through the bush and removing fire fuels like bark, leaves and noxious weeds….