A Co Tyrone family trapped by raging Australian bushfires were able to make a dash for freedom after authorities reopened some roads on New Year’s Day.
The group of 10, which spans three generations and included young children, became trapped at a campsite on the New South Wales coast on Tuesday morning.
Their holiday soon turned into a “nightmare” when they woke to find the sun had disappeared in a cloud of “black dark” smoke and ash early on Tuesday morning as bushfires edged closer.
Following an evacuation and the threat of having to escape the nearing blaze into the sea, the family has nothing but praise for emergency services and locals at Bermagui and Wallaga Lake who helped them.
“They held a meeting every three hours to let us know what was happening,” one told the Mirror.
“We tried to get out yesterday (on Tuesday) but had to turn back.”
They said all they could see was red in the distance while trees along the road burned.
Some members of the family had travelled 16 hours from Brisbane while others came from Melbourne to meet them.
What they had planned was a New Year’s Eve in the sun together but what they got instead was a “really scary” experience.
Meanwhile family in NI say they were "worried sick" as they were unable to reach them for around 24 hours because mobile phones were completely down.
Following the evacuation from Wallaga Lake to Bermagui beach where they joined thousands of others, the family was advised they could return to their campsite as they would be just as safe there.
But they describe apocalyptic scenes where people were wandering in the dark while ash poured onto tents which had to be hosed down in case they caught alight.
“We had a pool of black water in the middle of our tent from the ash,” they said.
They made a bolt for safety again on Wednesday morning (Australia time) following advice from police and fire officers.
But had to drive hundreds of kilometres through thick smoke and raining ash in a bid to escape.
Seven people are now thought to have perished following the fires along the southeast coast while two people remain unaccounted for.
Police in New South Wales said two are yet to be formally identified.
Other victims range in age from 28 to 72 - including those who are unaccounted for.
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