Former South African resident shares experiences of raging Fraser Island inferno

Graham Bebington, who has lived in Hervey Bay with his family for more than 15 years, said fires on Fraser Island are almost an annual occurrence, but 2020 has been very different.

“Occasionally in the past the smoke has blown this way, but recently it has been relentless. There have been a few days when the smoke has made things really uncomfortable,” said Bebington.

On bad days he said the only option was to close all the windows and turn up the aircon to try and filter the air.

“I have never experienced smoke this bad in Hervey Bay before,” he continued.

He said it was sad to see the fire raging on Fraser Island, but was mindful that fires do occur in Australia’s hot conditions.

“Fraser Island is an incredible place, almost sacred in its beauty. The tropical rainforests are spectacular, with fauna and flora that is unmatched. It has some beautiful spots, incredible inland lakes and creeks and some of the best camping and luxury resorts in Australia.”

Despite the hazy outlook at the moment, Bebington was confident the island ecosystem would recover.

Regular bouts of thick smoke prompted local health authorities to issue an alert.

They warned people with respiratory problems and heart conditions - as well as the young and elderly - to remain indoors.

“Anyone experiencing any health effects from the smoky conditions should seek medical advice,” the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service said.

The bushfire has been burning on the World Heritage listed island since October 14.

Queensland’s Department of Environment and Science said initial indications were the blaze was sparked by a poorly extinguished and illegal campfire.

Since then, it has burnt through more than 75,000 hectares of pristine natural environment.

Fraser Island, or K’gari – the traditional name given to it by the local Butchulla people, is known around the world for its freshwater lakes, rainforests, uninterrupted and sweeping beaches, coastal dune formations and wildlife, among other things.

The world’s largest sand island is a popular tourist attraction and is a major cog in the Fraser Coast’s tourism machinery.

Hervey Bay is also referred to as the whale watching capital of the world.

Thousands of humpback whales can be spotted in local waters during their annual migration.

However, whale watching is a seasonal spectacular that only runs from July to November.

Tour operators and resort owners on Fraser Island were hoping the upcoming December holiday period would help stimulate their businesses and keep cash flowing into the tourism industry is what has already been a difficult year for them.

This after the Covid-19 pandemic forced them to close during the initial lockdown period.

Strict regulations aimed at preventing the spread of the virus were then enforced after operators were given the greenlight to begin trading again.

With Queensland opening up its borders to neighbouring states as of December 1, many businesses were optimistic the island would attract more visitors and their wallets to the region – located about 3-and-a-half hours north of Brisbane.

With one of the Fraser Coast’s primary attractions out of play for the time being, the financial repercussions of the fire are yet to be known.

But the economic impact of the disaster is not the main concern.

The damage caused to the natural environment is the biggest talking point, with the bushfire having already raged through more than half of the island’s natural forests.

Photos from the island, shared by firefighters and local authorities, show bare sand and burnt bushland where thick green vegetation would normally be growing in abundance.

The incident has sparked fresh debate over the best ways to manage and control large tracts of land and natural forests with the aim of reducing the impact of bushfires.

But, the Department of Environment and Science says many of the native fauna and flora have adapted to fire over time.

“Fire is a natural part of Queensland’s landscape and the vegetation communities on K’gari have adapted to survive bushfires, with some species of flora and fauna totally reliant on it for regeneration or future food source and habitat,” a spokesperson said.

However, climate change has been blamed for increasing the risk of bushfires across the country.

Despite the continuous efforts of firefighters to extinguish the Fraser Island inferno, heavy rainfall is believed to be the only real solution to the burn.

No significant rain is on the cards for the Fraser Coast over the coming week or so and the country is in the middle of a heat wave, with dry and windy conditions fanning the fire.

Firefighters have been water bombing the blaze from the air to try and prevent it from spreading towards villages and resort buildings.

Incident controller James Haig said in a video posted on the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service Twitter profile that crews were doing all they can under very difficult conditions.

He said firefighters were working together with the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and the Butchulla Aboriginal Corporation to mitigate the impact of the fires.

“Conditions are really challenging but we are doing our absolute best,” he said.

Haig said teams are prioritising safety but have also recognised the special values and cultural significance of K’gari.

As efforts to control and douse the bushfire continue, locals are looking up to the skies, pleading for rain.