Nyssa Hart’s story
Story and photos by Tracie McMahon
The Forged by Fire Festival was not the ‘usual’ Bushfire recovery or resilience event. Instead of focusing on consequences of fire, the Lithgow City Council event focused on human relationships with fire. Tracie McMahon ran a storytelling booth at the event, asking what does ‘Forged by Fire’ mean to you? The answers were surprising, uplifting and sobering. (NB. This story contains images that some readers may find distressing.)
Key Points:
- Fire is an integral part of human existence, but everyone’s experience is unique.
- Storytelling is a tool which can be used to share knowledge as well as learn and better understand our own relationship with fire.
- Community events such as Forged by Fire enable the sharing of knowledge and experiences, exposing people to new ideas and different perspectives.
When I was approached to participate, I was intrigued by the naming of the event and asked: “what do you mean by ‘Forged by Fire’?”
Verity Brookes, Lithgow City Council’s Community and Cultural Development Coordinator, explained, “We are looking at ways we master fire: like pottery, blacksmithing, cooking; and ways we live with and manage fire: such as Landcare, Rural Fire Services, and landscape adaptation. Fire is something that is part of our everyday lives, and we think it would be good to have an event with a broader focus.”
As we spoke, I realised that fire had become a bit of a ‘boogey man’ in my psyche. When I bushwalk and the wind picks up, I start checking the horizon for puffs of faraway smoke, fearful they will join me in my bush idyll. Perhaps it was time to reflect on what ‘forged by fire’ meant for me and to invite others to do the same. I suggested to Verity that we could have a story telling booth, where people could share their experiences.
At first, I had ideas of emulating Trent Dalton and sitting with a typewriter on a little desk. Perhaps this would be a bestseller, ‘Fire Stories’ instead of his ‘Love Stories’. But where would I find a functioning typewriter? I puzzled over what my novelty drawcard would be to ensure someone would visit the booth.
The day before the event, I attended Lithgow’s citizenship ceremony and listened as the Australia Day ambassador Bruno Efoti, founder of Tradies Insight, a mental health support service for tradies, told his story.
Bruno told a story of a head of Lifeline responding to his concerns that he had ‘not much’ to do all the things he wanted to do to help others. The mentor asked him to hold out his open hand and replied, “Seems to me you have everything you need.” Bruno went home, turned on his barbeque and opened his home. Soon a shed was required and over five thousand people had joined Bruno to chat. All that was needed was a space, and a willingness to listen.
So, I packed up the ‘stuff’ that feeds my own storytelling: pencils, paint, paper, books, a laptop and some example stories, and took it to the Foundations. Bruno’s mentor was right, the stories came thick and fast. We packed up by torchlight, as they switched the lights off to allow for the visual installation and music.
Following is an amalgam of the amazing stories shared at the Lithgow Area Local News story booth. Stories in word, voice, picture and anecdotes. Thank you to all who shared their stories and for agreeing to be part of this story.
What does ‘Forged by Fire’ mean to you?
Margaret Hart, sharing years of experience as a Rural Fire Service and Rescue Service volunteer.
Margaret Hart
“I feel like no one listens to local knowledge because we’re old. We need to share our knowledge and experience and we need to listen, not sensationalise it. When I see it on TV these days, it looks like chaos. When there is confidence, clear direction and knowledge, we can all work together, as one.”
Cass Coleman and Mark Macauley
Councillor Cass Coleman and Mark Macauley shared their experiences and how the Black Summer fires have forged their story.
The Kerr Family
The Kerr family were on the final leg of ‘the lap’ of Australia and would soon be returning to their home in the Northern Rivers. Lochlan declared this was his “favourite place” on the whole trip. They had been to the River Caves and Deep Pass and walking in the Grose Valley.
I asked about their experience with fire. The family of four discussed the slow creeping cultural burning fires they had driven through in Cape York and how different they seemed to the roaring bushfires TV screens had shown during Black Summer.
Lochlan’s picture story showed the charcoal landscape left behind in an unmanaged landscape. He wrote: “I painted this because bushfires happen everywhere. We can reduce that by controlled back burning and being prepared.”
Ruben told a story of bees that rush away in a fire to avoid the crackling flames. He said, “when the fire is over, the bees return and help stick the tree together, so the bees and the trees are saved.”
Lochlan (L) and Ruben (R) Kerr share their stories of their travels and thinking about fire.
Zayden Palmer
When I asked Zayden Palmer what he thought fire could be used for he was quick to point out that his favourite things, steam trains, relied on fire.
Zayden Palmer, adding the billowing smoke to his steam train story
Steam trains are an integral part of Lithgow’s history. The construction of the Zig Zag deviation created access to the Western Coalfields, and opportunities for the founders of Lithgow’s industrial past, including the Portland Cement Works, which occupied the building in which we were now sitting.
Kay Shirt
South Bowenfels resident, Kay Shirt, pops by to offer a different perspective.
“For forty years we have sat around bonfires with friends, drunk our wine and solved the problems of the world, sharing stories and laughing long and hard. The latest version of the bonfire is a repurposed satellite dish. Some of our ‘stay until the sun comes up’ people are gone, but always remembered as those friends forged by fire.”
Bonfires and friendships: the author’s own bonfire friendships in Little Hartley.
Ross Gurney
Ross Gurney, Director of Finance and Governance at Lithgow City Council, tells yet another story.
He writes: “My connection with the Lithgow community was very much forged by fire. I was the acting General Manager at the time of the 2019/20 Gospers Mountain Fire. In the days following, I organised a Mayoral tour of Clarence and Dargan and the damage was heartbreaking. We had community meetings, and both the Australian and Indonesian army joined our recovery team. Listening to the needs of the community and visiting affected community members in their homes is something I will never forget.”
The devastation in Dargan witnessed on the Mayoral Tour in December 2019 (Courtesy Ross Gurney).
As more children pop by, drawn to the colours, I am amazed by their response to the question of what do you think of fire? One asks for more green paint. She wants to paint the new trees.
Young eyes see and tell a story of the landscape recovering.
Mackenzie James with her before and after story: from flames to flannel flowers.
The James Family
Mackenzie James draws a story of the pink flowers that emerged after the fires. I suspect pink may be a favourite colour.
As the rest of David and Tess James’ brood of five busy themselves telling stories with watercolours and pencils, we chat about the adult experience and what ‘forged by fire’ might mean for them.
David says: “Check these out – it’s a hobby I started during Covid in 2020 after the fires. It’s one of my best sellers.” He shows me a handcrafted shaving brush with a resin handle. Flames leap from the base in molten red and orange.
Fire is a part of the everyday human experience, but that experience is not the same for everyone. For some, it comes with memories of trauma and loss, for others it is symbolic of change and creation. No one story is absolute. They are all our stories, worth telling, hearing and sharing.
Thanks to all those who dropped by the story booth to share their story and to help forge this story.
Take Action:
- Reflect on your own experience with fire. It may surprise you.
- Listen to another’s story. The Blue Mountains Planetary Health Initiative will be hosting In Time of Fire: a poetry performance by Harry Laing from the Southern Highlands. It will be followed by an opportunity to reflect on the experience of fire across the country. The event is free but bookings essential here
- If you feel that you are experiencing discomfort or worry around fire, consider seeking professional advice: The team from Headspace Lithgow who were at the Forged by Fire event, offer support with these issues among others; Lifeline can also be contacted here
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This story has been produced as part of a Bioregional Collaboration for Planetary Health and is supported by the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (DRRF). The DRRF is jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales governments.
News From Around The Region
Thank you to everyone who participated in our second Planetary Health Day last Saturday at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba. It was an inspiring and very enjoyable community event and you can see some of the highlights in this short video. A lot of our research and previous presentations can be found in the videos on our YouTube channel (link in profile). Please subscribe and share! Our next Community Day will be the Interfaith Gathering at 2pm on Sunday 30 March. #planetaryhealth #planetaryhealthday #planetaryhealthparkland #communityday #katoomba #bluemountains
Thank you to all the participants at Planetary Health Day on Saturday and to everyone who tied a ribbon around the Peace Pole and struck the gong for Peace. And particularly to @tinamariepizel for creating the space for this to happen! #peace #peacepole #peacegong #planetaryhealth #planetaryhealthday #notowar #community #love
Feeling the heat? Planetary Health Day will be cool!!!! As well as a program of inspiring speakers, an exhibition of the Frogs of the Blue Mountains and workshops (all in air conditioned comfort!), there will be live music and Plant Based Food stalls on Saturday 1 March. We’ll also have a wide variety of stallholders in our beautiful parkland: Earthrising Mushroom Farm with mushroom grow kits; Michael Trickett with his mobile saw mill; Clifftop Harvest with fresh local produce; Permaculture Matters with info about permaculture, upcoming courses and a chance to win Rowe Morrow’s book: Earth Restorers Guide to Permaculture; Blackheath Community Farm with garlic and seeds; Fire Halo with their bushfire prevention invention that featured on Shark Tank; Katoomba RFS with their fire truck; Vegan NSW with cookbooks; WIRES with information on how to care for our wildlife; Bushcare with how to regenerate our bushland to increase habitat; Blue Mountains Conservation Society and Wildplant Rescue with plants and info; The Repair Network; Boomerang Bags and Lacebrook Stitchery. We’ll also have a Bushcare session on site at 1.30pm and outdoor chess, games and activities for children courtesy of Sarah from Kindlehill School. View the full program and register here (link in profile): bit.ly/42HZ623
#planetaryhealth #katoomba #bluemountains #familyday #planetaryhealthday @clifftopharvest @permaculturematters @kindlehill_school @Lacebrookstitchery
@blue_mts_conservation_society @wildplant.community.nursery @bbagsbluemtns @wireswildliferescue @vegannsw @firehalo.au @earthrisingau
Physicist Hans Coster will be giving a presentation at our Planetary Health Day event this Saturday on Life, Energy and the Biosphere, including what he`s chosen to do at his property Middle Earth with nickel iron batteries. Reserve your place via the link in our profile. #nickelironbatteries #energy #life #biosphere #planetaryhealth #planetaryhealthday #community
So much to see and do on Planetary Health Day this Saturday! The Planetary Health Precinct & Parkland is looking stunning with the first hint of Autumn. Here`s the Speaker Program and Music Schedule to help you plan your visit. There are also workshops, demos, games, stalls, coffee and plant based foods, and a Peace Pole and Peace Gong to remind us that we are all connected and Peace is essential for a healthy planet. You can register for the day here (link in profile): bit.ly/42HZ623
#planetaryhealth #peace #program #katoomba #speakers #bluemountains #community #familyday
Fill this Saturday 1 March (Planetary Health Day) with art, music, food, fun, community and getting lots of boxes ticked: native plants, fresh produce, garlic for planting, and mushroom grow kits purchased; plant based cheese tasted and tips for making it picked up; clothes upcycled and repaired and Repair Network joined; Boomerang Bag made; mobile saw mill, fire halo to reduce ember attack, nickel iron batteries, passive house and natural building, and the best bushfire sprinklers investigated; FrogID app tried and frog calls of the Blue Mountains matched to photos; Bushcare experienced; the knowledge of a leading physicist addressing the question ‘where to from here’ in relation to our biosphere absorbed; and information gathered on how to do a Permaculture Course, how to help our wildlife (WIRES), and how to protect our vulnerable World Heritage area (RFS, Blue Mountains Conservation Society and Blue Mountains Wildplant Rescue Service & Nursery). Thank you to Blue Mountains Folk for this great musical line-up. View our full program and register here (link in profile): bit.ly/42HZ623
#livemusic #planetaryhealth #community #art #freshproduce #permaculture #worldheritage #learn #beinspired #greatfood #nativeplants #nickelironbatteries #firehalo #plantbased #katoomba #bluemountains #planetaryhealthday
On Sunday the @rotary_club_lower_blue_mtns enjoyed a Family Day at the Planetary Health Centre. They had the first glimpse of the Frogs of the Blue Mountains exhibition opening this Saturday 1 March. They also toured the Centre`s Water Demonstration site and thoroughly enjoyed the plant based cheese making demo and tasting. Planetary Health Day will be another great Family Day. Check out the program and register to attend at the link in our profile. #familyday #planetaryhealth #katoomba #bluemountains
Check out this stunning photo by @cam__candy in our Frogs of the Blue Mountains exhibition, opening on Saturday 1 March at Planetary Health Day. Do you know what type of frog it is, or what the other 20 or so known frogs of the Blue Mountains are called? Did you know that the Blue Mountains is home to Whistling, Screaming and Laughing Tree frogs? We’re thrilled that Britt Mitchell from the @australianmuseum will officially launch our exhibition with her presentation on FrogID: People-powered Frog Conservation. She’ll explain how we can all become citizen scientists to help protect these extraordinary amphibians. Britt will also talk about her PhD on the impact of urbanisation and climate change on frogs and how FrogID helped with that research. Come and see what every frog in the Blue Mountains looks like, and listen to their calls.
You can read about our other Planetary Health Day events and reserve your spot for Britt’s presentation here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4gQkju5
#planetaryhealth #frogs #bluemountainsfrogs #planetaryhealthday #citizenscience #frogID #biodiversity #frogcalls
We are in for such a treat on Planetary Health Day next Saturday 1 March! We`ve partnered with Vegan NSW and local providers to showcase the most delicious plant based food. Come for coffee and breakfast, stay for morning tea, invite your friends for a lunch meet-up and then stock up with delicious meals and local produce for the week, including mushroom grow kits to keep you going into the future! Try out the Little hm caravan for coffee, treat yourself to the amazing cakes and pastries from Secret Creek Cafe and Morley`s Recipes, and give your tastebuds a hit with the delicious snacks and meals from Bibi`s Kitchen and the Thai Street Food of Plant Based Eatery! PlantInspired will be doing one of their fabulous plant based cheesemaking demos and tastings, Clifftop Harvest will be sharing fresh local produce, Earthrising Mushroom Farm will be selling Mushroom grow kits and Vegan NSW will have a Vegan Info Hub and Refreshing Lemonade Stall! Don`t forget to let us know you`re coming by registering for the day here (link in profile): bit.ly/42HZ623
@vegannsw @plantbasedeatery @secretcreeklithgow @bibis_kitchen_au @morleysrecipes @earthrisingau @clifftopharvest @little_hm_caravan @plantinspired99 #vegan #plantbased #vegetarian #planetaryhealth #planetaryhealthdiet #planetaryhealthday #katoomba #bluemountains #delicious
Read about the steps to create a green roof in this week`s Planetary Health newsletter (link in profile). Mark Liebman will be speaking about how to manage water to reduce impacts of fire, flood and heatwave at Planetary Health Day on Saturday 1 March at the Planetary Health Centre in Katoomba ( link in profile) #greenroof #planetaryhealth #viking #longhouse
Dismayed by the global news? Check out our latest inspiring local stories by local people in this week’s Planetary Health newsletter here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/41o7kvf
1. A Green Roof on a Mini Viking Long House in Blackheath
2. Life & Energy, Middle Earth & Nickel Iron Batteries
3. The Next Generation of RFS Volunteers Encourages Others to Join
4. Birds of Australia at the Springwood Hub and the Frogs of the Blue Mountains at Planetary Health Day
5. Plant Based Cooking Classes Inspiring Katoomba Locals, a Plant Based Cheese Demo and Tasting, and a Plant Based Market
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#greenroof #vikinglonghouse #planetaryhealth #planetaryhealthday #energy #biosphere #volunteer #birdsofaustralia #solutionsmedia #hyperlocalnews #goodnews #frogs #plantbased #vegan #bluemountains #katoomba #springwood #blackheath #lithgow #wentworthfalls
@wentworthfalls_rfb @blue.mountains.theatre @bluemountainscitycouncil @plantinspired99
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