Two couples visiting the Bega Valley who supported survivors during the Tathra and district bushfire returned to hold a reunion in the region 12 months on.
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"People said 'why did you come back?' We said we just felt we needed to," Denise Pleydell said.
She and her partner Gordon Muir are from Tambo Upper in Victoria, and on March 18 one year ago were visiting Bega when they saw a smoke cloud rising to the east.
"It was just incredible, not knowing where things were at the time," Ms Pleydell said.
In the afternoon survivors of the bushfire began to arrive at the Bega Showground, where she and Mr Muir were camped.
The two decided they could not just sit back and leave everyone to it, so began to help out, assisting with bringing food from Woolworths as well as cooking and cleaning, making breakfast, lunch and dinner.
They also helped individuals escaping from the fire with more personal tasks. For instance, when a woman pulled up next to their caravan with her cat Mr Muir looked after the cat until late that night.
"A lot of people came in their shorts and t-shits, some had no shoes," Ms Pleydell said.
"If you could imagine the smoke out there, what would you do, sit here and do nothing?
"Poor things, we felt so sorry for them."
She also recalled the moment a woman from Tathra approached her with a tray of baked food and asked if she could donate it to feed the people sheltering at the showground.
Ms Pleydell said yes of course, but the woman asked if she could take a photo of the food first, because she thought it was the last time she would see something made in her kitchen.
"Everyone we have spoken to was really grateful for what we'd done," Ms Pleydell said.
"I'd do it again, not that you'd want to do it again, but I would if I had to."
She, Mr Muir and a couple from Lithgow who also helped at the showground during the bushfire returned for the anniversary commemorations in Tathra on March 17 this year.
They also met up with people from Bega they worked with from the Sunday to the Thursday during and after the fire, supporting people sheltering at the showground.
"It's good to be back, it's a great spot here," Mr Muir said.
"When we went to Tathra a lot of people had their building happening. It's good to see they are trying to progress on - there's still a lot more to do though."
The aim was the make the reunion an annual event.