It's six months since bushfires wreaked havoc across East Gippsland, taking lives, destroying homes, damaging infrastructure and laying waste to the local tourism economy.
Although the news cycle has moved on, the pain and frustration remains for residents that are trying to rebuild their lives.
Mallacoota resident Mark Tregallis said the torment of the aftermath – exacerbated by the other disasters that followed the fires – meant communities had effectively suffered a "double tragedy".
"The fires, followed by the floods, followed by coronavirus have made it extremely difficult," he said.
"We are at the six month anniversary and we are only now just finalising quotes for insurance companies."
Buchan and District Neighbourhood House manager Evelyn Schmidt said the drawn-out recovery period had been exhausting for residents.
"We are noticing that our community is tired, there are frustrations," she said.
"It certainly has its stresses on everyone, I think for each of their own reasons, whether there is a hiccup in their building or fencing, whatever the case may be.
"I think we are all very aware and we are all very empathetic with each other — but it’s certainly taking its toll."
Delayed reaction
Renowned clinical psychologist Rob Gordon has worked as a consultant to the Victorian Government and Australian Red Cross on emergency recovery for the past 25 years.
He has been researching the effect of bushfires on individuals and communities since the Ash Wednesday fires of 1983, and was involved in the recovery process after the Black Saturday fires of 2009.
He says he has observed the six-month mark after fire events as being a significant milestone for people suffering from post traumatic stress, which is often characterised by a paralysing fatigue and weariness with life.
"I've noticed a consistent pattern in many different disasters and other trauma situations where people only really react when they come out of the busyness of a situation," Dr Gordon said.
"You only feel what it all means some months later after all the busyness is settled."
Dr Gordon said that it was important for people to maintain a big picture perspective and to re-energise themselves by actively taking time out to build joy back into their lives.
He said spending time with friends and family could help with decision making.
"People tend to not see all the options when they are distressed," he said.
"So don't make decisions if you are feeling depressed or fatigued."
Brave faces
Bruthen and District Neighbourhood House manager Annie Pearce has observed a mood of "patience and politeness" in town that she believes masks residents' underlying anxieties and fatigue.
"I think a lot of the Bruthen and District people are tired, very tired," she said, adding that that the horrors of the summer had been preceded by a financially devastating drought.
She said the stress is further compounded by the ailing timber industry, people's health issues, and the effects of isolation and people not being able to see their families.
"It's not a great outlook," Ms Pearce said.
"There is no end date."
Typically, community recovery after a traumatic event involves bringing people together to reconnect, reconvene and re-establish routines.
But with social distancing restrictions in place, bans on group gatherings have made this difficult.
"There is certainly a large, long, drawn out trauma that people need to deal with," Ms Pearce said.
"There is a lot of support needed and there is a lot of healing that needs to be done."
