Three years after the Black Summer bushfires residents of Cobargo continue to struggle both mentally and physically with some still living in shipping containers, busted caravans and garages.
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A University of Melbourne study about Victoria's February 2009 bushfires found that after 10 years 37.5 percent of people in heavily impacted communities still did not feel they had really recovered and just 32.5 percent felt their community had substantially recovered.
Danielle Murphy who set up the Cobargo Bushfire Relief Centre in the showground on January 3, 2020, and now runs the Cobargo Community Access Centre with Chris Walters, said last Christmas had been the most upsetting.
"We have now had time to process and things are beginning to surface," Ms Murphy said.
"Mental health support and services are lacking because a lot of bushfire services have ended and are needed elsewhere."
It was an issue raised at a healthcare forum organised by the Greens last month by Tathra residents who were also impacted by bushfires in 2018.
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Not accessible, available or affordable
Dr Nadine Hills, who practices psychology privately in Bega, said three years on people are only starting to talk.
"This is a tragedy.
"People are sitting at home suffering, not talking about it and not getting the help they need."
Dr Hills talks about the three As for mental health support.
"You have to be able to access it.
"There has to be availability, which there is not, and affordable, which it isn't," Dr Hills said.
"People can't access it because they don't know how to and when they try, it isn't available or affordable."
Reliving the trauma
With bushfires, drought, COVID and floods of recent years and people not knowing whether or not to rebuild, "the greatest thing we have lost is the sense of predictability", Dr Hills said.
She said the federal government's 10 sessions of free or rebated counselling for people impacted by the 2019/20 bushfires that ended on June 30, 2022, were inadequate for psychologists to provide the support and treatment needed.
With El Nino conditions predicted for this year Dr Hills said people's trauma could be triggered again.
"When they hear that wind, when they smell smoke, it takes them right back to 2020," she said.
Ms Walters of Cobargo Community Access Centre said there is disillusionment because many promises made in January 2020 were not kept.
"If it wasn't for Red Cross, BlazeAid, Anglicare and Vinnies it would be a very different situation."
Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; Mensline 1300 789 978; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800; beyondblue 1300 224 636; 1800-RESPECT 1800 737 732.
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