Recent bushfires could have been the last straw for the residents of Wieambilla after a hellish few months, but the small western downs community has proven that, with a little help from your neighbours, it is possible to keep going.
A large crowd gathered at the Wieambilla South Country Club on Sunday, to thank emergency services personnel and rally behind members of their community who had fallen victim to the blaze and needed a little help to get back on their feet.
Locals picking up the pieces of fire-ravaged properties
Michelle Cullen was one of the locals who was forced to leave as the blaze threatened her property.
On the day of the fire, Ms Cullen was in sitting in her outside bathtub evading the 40 degree heat when she saw the smoke rising to the height of the treeline along the road and immediately raced to alert her neighbours.
"It came through so fast, we had not one warning, no text message, nothing, because it came through too fast for anyone to let us know," she said.
"It was that fast, we barely had time to think. It was such a high anxiety, because we didn't know what to do except get out."
Putting her evacuation plan into practice, Ms Cullen put her two dogs into the car and with only a handful of valuables, left not knowing what she would come home to.
Considering herself to be one of the lucky ones, Ms Cullen lost half of her home, an extension which she had only recently completed after a year's worth of work.
"I've lost half of everything but I didn't think I was going to come back to anything, so when I came back and saw the cabin I just broke down in tears. I thought, my god, I can't believe it survived," she said.
"There's a lot of highs and lows returning and seeing what you've lost but also being what's still there, and seeing everything burning, because we live in beautiful bush land and now it's all gone.
"The kitchen was brand new and I'd designed it myself, I put my heart and soul into it, so to see that was pretty devastating."
Like many in the district, Ms Cullen is now in the process of cleaning up and rebuilding, which she says has already taken its toll.
"I will rebuild and I am lucky compared to some of the people around here," she said.
"When I got home, I realised that I didn't even have a plate or cutlery to eat with, or a glass to get a drink of water, and it was all a bit much, so there's definitely the reality check of it all that kicks in at times.
"All the big gum trees have lost their leaves now and the place is just a mess, so you just look at all the work you've got to do, but the neighbours have all been banding together and the community has been amazing."
Ms Cullen thanked the volunteer firies who were on the scene, and said if it wasn't for them hosing down the house to stop it from catching alight, she wouldn't have a roof over her head.
Community rally together after multiple tragedies
The Country Club now stands out against the scorched country which surrounds the small building after it miraculously survived the fire event.
President of the club Kaylene Wright said it was a shocking day for the community, when the club, which was the designated evacuation point, had to then be evacuated as the flames made their way towards the area.
"This thing was just so scary and by the time the firies got there it was just too late, they could only save what they could save, and they saved a hell of a lot," she said.
"We're lucky that they've actually saved the club because when we had to get evacuated from here, I heard that the club got burnt down and I was very upset because I didn't know what had happened.
"They've all got to be proud of themselves, they're volunteers and they're risking their lives to save the community.
"We will rebuild again and we've had a lot of people come in with donations and the phone's been ringing like hot cakes."
Ms Wright said it had been a difficult time for the community and Sunday was an opportunity for them to thank volunteers, firies, and police who come to the aid of residents during recent events.
"It has been very tough for everyone, especially for the ones that have lost their properties," she said.
"Today is all about saying thank you, not just for helping us with the fires, but for everything that happened before Christmas with the shooting.
"It's been a rough couple of months for our little community, so we just wanted to do something to thank them all."
Western Downs firies still fighting after two massive months
It has been a big summer for firies across the downs, as they continue to front the fires currently burning across the region.
One volunteer from the local area said the recent event could be compared to the 2001 fires that destroyed a fair amount of the heavily timbered country which, combined with the heat and wind, was a recipe for disaster.
"Especially with people not backburning and clearing during winter, it just took off," she said.
"It's very dense out here as well and once it gets in that dead grass, away she goes.
"Not having any breaks in place as well, around the homes and the fencelines, definitely makes it harder to contain the fire.
"We had graders trying to put containment lines in place but once it gets in that grass it's very hard to get on top of it.
"We're just bloody lucky that there weren't any lives lost."
Firies said they were thankful for the crews which came from all over the state to join the front line, and encouraged more people to consider volunteering for their local rural brigade.
