Milusa Giles and her husband Kevin have been living in a caravan on their Sarsfield property since catastrophic bushfires tore through East Gippsland on December 30 last year.
The fire reduced their home to twisted metal, melted glass and mounds of bricks.
Ms Giles gets emotional when she talks about her new home, under construction nearby.
"It just feels really amazing. I've picked out my furniture — I know where everything is going in my new home."
Their flower farm's once-beautiful crops of proteas and wildflowers were also left blackened and burnt beyond rehabilitation.
When ABC Radio Melbourne went to Sarsfield in February, the couple were still coming to terms with the damage and deciding if they would make the five-year commitment to replant.
Now green shoots are emerging from the ashes.
"We are definitely rebuilding the farm," Ms Giles told the Conversation Hour.
"We are having some plants propagated, we've got feeds being propagated."
Clean-up finished
Things look very different in the small farming community.
After years of drought followed by the summer bushfires, Sarsfield has had a lot of rain in recent months.
The grass is green, the dams are full and now — finally— most of the wreckage has been cleared.
"It's lovely to see it all cleaned-up," Ms Giles said.
"Everyone can now move on, whether they decide to stay on their properties or sell their properties."
Across Victoria, the post-bushfire clean-up is nearly complete, according to the CEO of Bushfire Recovery Victoria Lee Miezis.
"I think we are sitting on about 99.5 per cent at last count," Mr Miezis said.
"We've now rolled out regional support services, as we help people through the journey of getting planning and building permits."
Bushfire Recovery Victoria has distributed $137 million in grants and will continue to offer psycho-social, financial and practical support.
"Gippsland has been through drought, fire and now COVID," Mr Miezis said.
"People are doing it tough."
Getting permits 'frustrating'
In March the clean-up began on the Giles' property.
"Kevin and I were very fortunate; we were the very first property in Sarsfield to be cleared."
It took four weeks, which at the time seemed like forever.
Then they tried to apply for building permits.
"It was so frustrating considering the shire was supposed to be fast-tracking the bushfire rebuilds," Ms Giles said.
"They certainly did not. It took a long time."
Now, eight long months after the horrific fires, they are well on their way to "a lovely new home".
The roof has gone on, and bricklayers are coming next week. They hope to move in before Christmas.
"We have changed the house, not just the design but the position," Ms Giles said.
They have no garden, and the plantation is still very sparse, work is underway to prepare the soil for planting.
It will take years for the flower farm to be profitable again, so the Giles are looking at diversifying their crops and income — today Ms Giles is starting a new part-time job.
Community scarred
The fires' toll is still visible on the landscape and within the community.
"There are still a lot of people out there who actually haven't asked for help," Ms Giles said.
She urged people, trying to cope on their own, to "open up" and ask for help.
"There are still a lot of people hurting."
