One word can sum up 2018 for the Bega district – Bushfire.
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From March's devastating Reedy Swamp/Tathra bushfire that destroyed 69 homes and damaged hundreds of others, to the winter fire of Bemboka that burned through inaccessible national park for more than a month, fire dominated everyone's thoughts throughout the year.
As we prepared a Google Analytics report into 2018's most-read articles published on begadistrictnews.com.au, those fires were clear standouts in a year of tragedy and triumph.
Given fires claimed nine spots in the top 20, coupled with four separate articles updating readers on the double stabbing and car jacking tragedy of June, we had to dig a little deeper to come up with the 10 most-read stories/topics of the year.
Join us as we count down from 10 to one and be sure to let us know in the comments below what your most memorable moment of 2018 was.
10. Body found in Bermagui River
On the afternoon of May 12, police were appealing for witnesses after the body of a 26-year-old man was found in the Bermagui River, opposite South River Road.
The man had been reported missing earlier that morning from his home nearby. He was located with injuries consistent with a motor vehicle crash the man was reportedly involved in the night before.
9. Meet the new owner of River Cottage's Tilba property
In a weird quirk, we can only assume meant some other site shared a link to our content, a story from July 2017 made it into the most read article for 2018.
According to Google Analytics, 5882 people read an interview with the man who purchased the Tilba property where top-rating TV series River Cottage Australia was filmed. A great story with links to a very popular show that featured plenty of local faces...but how it came into popularity 12 months on, we'll probably never know.
8. Shocking photos of Tathra show devastation
While the photos of Tathra's March bushfire were devastating on a regional scale, they came with stories of personal tragedy...and relief.
Fairfax photographers Karleen Minney and Alex Ellinghausen, along with AAP pool photographers, were on the ground in the wake of the fire and captured some truly heart-breaking images.
Paired with the stories of locals reuniting with loved ones amid the chaos, and the shock of both those who evacuated to safety and those who stayed to defend properties, it was gripping reading.
7. Vicious Bega High student attack filmed, shared
A school and indeed an entire community was in shock in June after a vicious assault by one young student on another was filmed and then shared via social media. The BDN also received a copy of the brutal mobile phone footage, which was passed on to police.
In the video, other students can be seen doing little to stop a 13-year-old girl as she throws the victim into a brick wall then punches and kicks her as she lies curled up on the ground. The victim was taken to hospital with eye and head injuries and the attacker charged with assault and intimidation.
In July she pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a 12-month good behaviour bond in Bega Children's Court.
In the days following the assault, the principal condemned the actions of both the attacker and the student who filmed it. Meanwhile several students spoke out against bullying and planned to hold a rally, but a leadership assembly was convened instead.
6. Police investigate boy’s death
Unconfirmed reports of a snake bite were thought to be responsible for the death of a 17-year-old at Wallaga Lake in March.
Two ambulances responded to the emergency call, but found the boy dead at the scene.
5. Toad and Mandy tackle House Rules
In June and July, Candelo couple Toad Heffernan and Mandy Stone were the shining stars on our screens, selected to contest the latest season of House Rules.
The home renovation TV show pitted the likeable down-to-earth dairy farmer Toad and his bubbly fiancee Mandy against other couples vying for the $355,000 first prize.
In a coup for the small town, the Candelo couple won the 2018 title's major prize, and had their run-down farmhouse given a top-notch makeover in the process.
4. Bemboka bushfire out of control
Bemboka also suffered the wrath of bushfire, when a blaze ran rampant for more than a month – in winter no less.
At the height of the fire on August 15 there were more than 100 firefighters in 30 firetrucks being supported by five aircraft.
Due to the difficult terrain, the fire was fought from the air and on the edges, but when conditions turned for the worse on September 15, it again broke containment lines, closing the Snowy Mountains Hwy and threatening more properties.
All up, the fire destroyed four homes and burnt out more than 20,000ha, mostly national park. The Rural Fire Service put the cost of fighting the fire around the $2.4million mark.
3. Two dead, man arrested after stabbings, car jacking
In one of the biggest and worst incidents of 2018, a Bega man was arrested after a horrifying night in Bega and surrounds, that led to the death of two people and the critically injuring of a third.
On June 1, reports of a stabbing in a Bega home around 3.30pm led police on a manhunt with ground and air searches throughout the afternoon. During the manhunt retired Merimbula police officer Mick Horne was attacked during a car jacking and later died from his injuries.
The man charged with the fatal stabbing of Gail Winner, the killing of Mr Horne and the stabbing of Thomas Winner, is the Winners’ grandson Murray Deakin. Mr Deakin has pleaded not guilty, with the case to return to court early in 2019.
2. Fire destroys three businesses in Tathra
On January 23, witnesses were shocked to see plumes of smoke and tall flames engulf a trio of businesses in Tathra.
The fire, which authorities believe started in the Laundrette, also destroyed Bliss Stylists and Tathra Cellars Little Bottler.
There was an immediate response from the community to raise funds in support of the trio of local businesses, including the release of a tribute song.
When the proverbial lightning struck twice and the March bushfire claimed Cliff Place, touted as the bottle shop's new temporary digs, that article also resonated enough with readers to be among the year's most-read.
Click here for the breaking story and here for the updated version
1. Bushfire emergency in Tathra
Unsurprisngly, the March 18 bushfire emergency was the highest ranking article on the Bega District News website for 2018.
While coverage of this fire and its aftermath by the BDN was extensive, comprehensive and ongoing, it was the initial emergency blog and rolling updates that saw more readers than anything else we published this year.
Fires broke out across the Bega Valley as the mercury soared amid hellish conditions. However, it was a fire that began in the Vimy Ridge/Reedy Swamp locality that tore up the gully and engulfed the seaside town of Tathra.
By 3.45pm that fateful Sunday, residents were told it was too late to leave and to seek shelter immediately. An evacuation centre was established at the Bega Showground, while residents on the north side of town who were able to leave made their way to the Bermagui surf club.
Incredibly, while 69 homes and 30-plus caravans and campers were destroyed and hundreds more damaged by the worst fire many people have experienced, not one person died.
By October the official appeal fund to support residents who lost homes, businesses and possessions in the fire had surpassed $1.5million.
There are too many stories to list them all here, suffice to say they are all available to read via begadistrictnews.com.au
A few standouts though include:
- What was your most memorable story for 2018? Let us know in the comments below, via www.facebook.com/BegaNews or email ben.smyth@fairfaxmedia.com.au
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Ben Smyth
I have worked as a journalist since 2005 and am now Editor of Australian Community Media mastheads in Bega, Merimbula and Eden
I have worked as a journalist since 2005 and am now Editor of Australian Community Media mastheads in Bega, Merimbula and Eden
