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The original Wiggles bushfire fundraising gig sells out in five minutes

The original Wiggles bushfire fundraising gig sells out in five minutes

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Golden Globes 2020: Russell Crowe, Nicole Kidman and Cate Blanchett address bushfires

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Camilla’s secret act of kindness for Aussie bushfire victims

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Celeste Barber's Facebook fundraiser has broken a record

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EXCLUSIVE: Chris and Liam Hemsworth join Celeste Barber at Byron Bay fire fundraiser

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Prince Charles reveals his despair over bushfires

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Turia Pitt sparks movement to help businesses in bushfire-affected areas

Turia Pitt sparks movement to help businesses in bushfire-affected areas

William and Kate melt down Instagram with devastating update

William and Kate melt down Instagram with devastating update

Royal family get vocal about devastating Australian bushfires

Royal family get vocal about devastating Australian bushfires

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban donate a staggering amount to bushfire crisis relief

This image of Steve Irwin taking care of bushfire victims has people in tears

This image of Steve Irwin taking care of bushfire victims has people in tears

Comedian Celeste Barber's bushfire fundraiser hits a staggering $17 million

Comedian Celeste Barber's bushfire fundraiser hits a staggering $17 million

Singer Pink donates $500,000 to Australian bushfire crisis relief

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“We have to leave now!” Sunshine Coast family narrowly escapes raging bushfire

Their house was saved, but everything is smouldering. - by Sabrina Rogers- Anderson
  • 12 Nov 2019

After moving into their dream home less than two months ago, this Cooroibah family almost lost their property to a severe bushfire.

WATCH: Our reporter on site at the fire-ravaged property on the Sunshine Coast

“Mum, we have to leave now!” The desperation in her 14-year old daughter’s voice made Katerina Cosgrove snap her head up from her computer where she’d been working.

 As she peered out the window of her Cooroibah home on the Sunshine Coast, her jaw dropped. “There was so much smoke and it had gone from grey to reddish-black,” says Katerina. “The QFES (Queensland Fire and Emergency Services) hadn’t given us an evacuation warning, but I knew we had to go right away.”

 

 

The family's property after the fire

The family's property after the fire

Sabrina Rogers-Anderson

When they were far enough from danger, Katerina parked the car on the side of the road to wait for her husband Nick, who’d gone back to the house to rescue her computer. “We waited and waited and he just wasn’t arriving,” says Katerina. “We started to panic that he was going to get caught in the fire. But we finally saw his car appear. We were so relieved.”

Burnt trees and washing line

The burnt trees and washing line in the garden

Sabrina Rogers-Anderson

The family spent three nights with friends before they were allowed to return to their home. While they were incredibly thankful that their house was still standing thanks to the tireless efforts of the rural fire brigade, the property they came back to didn’t even remotely resemble the one they’d left three days earlier.

The property before the fire

The family's Cooroibah property before the fire

Sabrina Rogers-Anderson

 “You expect to see lush green when you look outside, but it’s all black,” says Katerina. “The fire was less than a metre from our deck. All the herbs growing on our deck were burnt and our orchards were decimated. There was an inch of ash all over everything in the house because we hadn’t had time to close the windows. As I look outside the window now, I can still see small fires smouldering. We’re very lucky that our house was spared, but it’s so sad to see how much our property has changed. This has been quite a wake-up call.”

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Home and Away opening title
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Royal family get vocal about devastating Australian bushfires

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This image of Steve Irwin taking care of bushfire victims has people in tears

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Comedian Celeste Barber's bushfire fundraiser hits a staggering $17 million

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