Just as news of the South Coast's bushfire crisis spread across the globe, so did sympathy for those affected.
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While the hurt is being felt by so many, it's particularly sharp for former locals watching from afar.
Phoebe Dowling (nee Atkins) grew up just outside Wolumla and spent most of her youth on the Far South Coast.
A year ago, she moved to Boise, Idaho, but said this region remains very close to her heart and she loves coming back to visit this beautiful part of the world.
To that end, Ms Dowling, along with two other ex-pat friends, held an Australia Day fundraiser that blew away all expectations.
"It's a pretty awful and helpless feeling when you move away from your home soil and are watching the devastation from afar, wishing you were there but knowing there's not really much you can do," Ms Dowling said.
"When I left home from Christmas in the Bega Valley with my family, the day we flew back to America was the day my parents first evacuated, only days after we said goodbye to them at their property in Wolumla.
"This, combined with the fact my good friends parents lost their home in Buchan and my brother in law's parents lost their home near Cobargo over the new year period, I felt pretty distressed."
Ms Dowling said she arrived in Idaho feeling scared and sad, but an Aussie girl who was consoling her, Felicity Blake - formerly of Cooma - had an idea of how they could "do our bit" from the northern hemisphere.
"With the help of her amazing husband Jimmy and another Aussie girl Emma Pattinson, we began planning a small community fundraiser - and as the days and weeks went on, the community interest and support intensified," Ms Dowling said.
"Although the situation in Australia was not communicated extensively in the US media, the fires are relatable to many of the locals here in Idaho, not only due to their big hearts, but due to the support that has been sent from here in the form of fire bombing aircraft and support personnel.
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"Before too long we were offered the school hall as a venue, had local celebrities interested in attending and had thousands of dollars worth of items donated for our silent auction."
The ex-pats and assorted helpers held their fundraiser event on January 26, Australia Day - "and the support was incredible".
Hundreds of community supporters and volunteers attended and a total of $16,000USD was raised.
Simplot Australia very generously matched those funds dollar for dollar, meaning the equivalent of about $50,000AUD will be going towards relief efforts from this one event on the other side of the world.
"We are so humbled and grateful for the local support and proud to be able to donate this back to the Australian communities that have been and continue to be affected by the devastating fires," Ms Dowling said.