A vase, teacup and golf club are the only things Terang's Beasley family salvaged from their home that was among the first to go in the St Patrick's Day fire.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
That house was only four years old when it burnt down on March 17, 2018, which meant they were able to quickly organise having a similar house rebuilt.
They plan to spend the first anniversary of the fire moving back into their new home which they started building mid-last year.
"It's a bit of a funny feeling. It was only four or five years ago we moved in the last time," Phil Beasley said.
"I think we said after the first one 'we're not doing that again'," wife Maree said.
"You just never know what's around the corner do you."
Firefighters were at their house within 25 minutes of the blaze starting at the Terang sub-station but it was too late.
The house was already alight. The wind was blowing directly towards their house. It took two homes around the corner in Depot Road before taking the Beasley's, and then the property across the road.
The family was at a friend's across town that night when their friend's cousin sent a photo of the fire at the sub-station.
You just never know what's around the corner do you
- Maree Beasley
"My brother's in the fire brigade, and about the same time got a message that there were fires," Mr Beasley said.
Mrs Beasley said it was a blessing they weren't home that night.
"With the conditions on the night, it wouldn't have mattered whether we were here or not, there was nothing we could have done about it," she said.
She said the way the community rallied behind the family was amazing. With the help of those around them, they had the site cleaned up and the perimeter fences done by the Wednesday after the fires.
"It's just blown us away. You know you're lucky to live in a small town, but when you really need people they do come through and get around you," she said.
The fire took the house, a shed, all the fences on their 80-acre property, grass and some farm equipment. It also took six of their 46 cattle.
Also gone were almost all of their daughter's presents that she had received for her 11th birthday just days earlier, including tickets to a Pink concert.
They were able to replace all the presents, even the concert tickets.
The fire was so intense the aluminium windows melted into balls, and there was no trace of Mrs Beasley's wedding and engagement rings that she'd left at home that night.
Replacing those was not easy. Mrs Beasley couldn't find anything similar or anything she liked, so she has had her grandmother's ring re-modeled because it at least had some sentimental value.
Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.