'It's business as usual'
Thank you to our clients and friends for all your messages and support during the recent fires.
We have been affected by fire like others but very thankful to have stayed and fort hard to have saved our shouse (shed house), workshop/eucalyptus farm shop, eucalyptus oil distillery shed, machinery, vehicles, cattle, house pets and most of all our lives.
If we did not stay and fight the three fire fronts that hit us that afternoon on Saturday 4th Jan '20, we would not have what we have left and both would never wish to go through anything like that again in our lives.
Paul has always said 'when buying/selling real estate it's location, location, location but for fire it's about preparation, preparation, preparation' and we could not have been anymore ready for it.
We are very grateful for what we have left as Paul and myself feel their is a lot more people out their that have lost more than us.
Would like to thank Nick n Jason Jespersen that came out to help clean our yard before the fire.
Smiley, for bein here preparing and fighting the fire on the day when you didn't have to be here, thank you.
Jeff Newell n Kristie Irwin, thank you for been here with anything at the drop of a hat. I was never happier to see you two after the fire, you know what I mean.
Justin n Lorrae, thank you for your skidder use in the preparation and during the fire.
Our son, Mitchell, amazing. Thank you for all your very hard work in the many days preparing and fighting the fire. Wouldn't have made it without you.
We will in time clean up while keeping the business going, it will be tough for all, but we are all a tough lot here in this southern end of the Gilmore Valley.
Our Narrow Leaf Peppermint 'Radiata' Eucalyptus Oil Trees are all gone/bunt which is sad since Paul's late father started cutting them way back in the early 50’s.
Paul has not yet been able to go into the bush part of our property yet to have a real close look at the damage as it is too dangerous due to big trees still falling from time to time.
In another 4 – 6 weeks he might be able to go in and have a look. His just busy gathering hay and feeding our cattle to keep them going.
We may lose a few older trees but they normally love fire to regenerate if the fire was not too hot in areas.
Our farm shop has plenty of stock of all our cleaning and personal care products plus approx 220kg of our Narrow Leaf Peppermint 'Radiata' Eucalyptus Oil and 550kg of Broad Leaf Peppermint 'Dives' Eucalyptus Oil.
We will not have power for more than 6 weeks (that’s what you get from been on the end of the line) and up to a week after the fire hit our generator had enough.
Thanks to Rowan Diggins who is fixing our old generator, Jeff Newell for bringing his spare generator up and to Guss Ashby for coming up that Tuesday after the fire and hard wiring the genie into our power box. Saves a whole heap of power boards and extension cords everywhere and to feel a bit normal.
Mark McAuley from Temora, thank you for your truck, time plus organizing a trip over with a very large generator supplied by Dave n Tracey Heindrick. This will be able to light us up like a Christmas tree (we will be able to match Visy's lights now, lol) and to continue to pump water for cattle and domestic use.
Just to have lights, hot water etc... and to even power a vac to clean the floors to feel a bit normal will be nice.
Bruce, Janet Robinson and boys from Bribbaree thank you for donating the large bales of hay.
These fantastic people, we can not thank you all enough.
So just writing to you all, reporting on where we are up to here at Yesteryear Plantations.
We have plenty of stock and are still taking orders via website, phone and social media.
Business as usual and we are very grateful to be here in this wonderful country.
Please support all Small Aussie Businesses as we all need that now more than ever, from drought now fire on top of it.
Take care to all for now.
Paul and Andrea Sturgess
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