The last six months have been 'one hell of a ride' for Paul Miscamble.
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The Bobin farmer first spoke with the Times last year after his property was decimated by a ferocious bushfire.
Now in the possession of a temporary housing pod, Paul has looked back at the horrific events of November 9, 2019, the incredible efforts of Bobin residents to fight the fires, and the generosity of the Mid Coast community.
He remembers when the bushfire came over a ridge near the property and broke containment lines.
We had harrowing stories of neighbours in creeks for hours with dogs, neighbours passing out from the heat and the fire passing over them while they were lying in the culvert trying to get out from their place.
- Paul Miscamble, Bobin resident
Bobin Public School was severely damaged the day before and with a wind change the fire began to bare down on his property.
"We had put in some preparation, we had graded an earth firebreak out in the paddock around the shed behind us as an attempt to stop any fire and help us backburn," Paul explained.
Paul watched as trees began to explode from the heat of the flames, which he estimated to be four metres tall.
Spot fires began to flare up in a paddock and before long the property was in real danger.
"When the tanks started to bubble and melt we knew that we couldn't fight it anymore," Paul said.
From there Paul and his son evacuated. The fire then destroyed his home, sheds, stables and equipment.
Instead of focusing on his own recovery, Paul chose to spend the next three weeks helping the Bobin community combat fires.
Aerial bombers couldn't battle the blazes due to heavy smoke.
"It was basically down to five firefighters and the community to save properties and make sure people survived," Paul revealed.
Bobin was one of the hardest hit towns in NSW.
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A sense of shock was felt in the immediate aftermath of the fires.
"You just couldn't believe how much it had nailed us," Paul said.
There was also disbelief among the community that everyone managed to survive the horrifying disaster.
"We had harrowing stories of neighbours in creeks for hours with dogs, neighbours passing out from the heat and the fire passing over them while they were lying in the culvert trying to get out from their place," Paul said.
Paul held back tears as he spoke about "a heart-felt joy that you can't explain because of the generosity of people".
"The way people in the Bobin community have come together has been astronomical," he said.
The Bobin Hall committee ensured food and clothes were provided to those in need. There was also constant support from both Taree and Wingham evacuation and disaster relief centres.
They stayed in swags at a neighbour's property for a while before returning to the property.
Paul then borrowed a caravan from a friend. He dubbed it a 'glam camp' for providing a remarkably better form of accommodation than the swag.
The new housing pod, delivered last week, has improved the standard of living substantially.
Months on from the disaster, strong and pungent smoke has been replaced by a cool breeze.
Trees that were once nothing but smoldering bark are now regenerating green shoots.
As he looked at a vacant block where his house once stood, Paul said some of the destruction left behind by the fire remains on the property.
A small pile of debris is a reminder of where water tanks used to be. Scorch marks are still present on a shed which was warped by the heat of the fire.
Looks can be deceiving when looking at the front of a tractor. The heat from the fire forced the radiator fitting to completely dislodge.
A large fig tree in the centre of the property was left untouched.
"You could see the way the wind and intensity just blew the fire on different paths," Paul reasoned.
He thanked Service NSW, disaster relief centres, his case worker, all levels of government and the Minderoo Foundation for their support in the recovery phase.
After telling his story to numerous media publications, Paul's story has gone nationwide. This sparked an outpouring of supportive messages.
"You can't describe that but it touches you," Paul said.