Australian Apocalypse: The Consequences of the Australian Bushfires

Dates

2020 - 2020
Author

Christina Simons
Locations Australia, Bairnsdale, South Australia

The late 2019 to early 2020 bushfires have ravaged over 10 million hectares of Australia, killing nearly 30 people and an estimated half a billion animals. The country is left in a ravaged state, which suggests our climate crisis is at a tipping point. Here is the devastation these bushfires around Australia left behind.

The whole world was aware of the fires in Australia earlier this year. The smoke itself travelled around the globe. Unfortunately due to the Covid19 crisis this major environmental event has been all but forgotten everywhere in the world but where it actually happened. I think the greater worldwide community would like to know.

Whilst I am not Australian I call Australia home. The fires had a profound impact on my family and myself. Though our home was not directly impacted the areas not far from home were. The country is left in a ravaged state, which suggests our climate crisis is at a tipping point.

Whilst the Wild Fires of California currently burn its beautiful forests not unlike the fires here earlier in 2020 the visual evidence of global warming is palpable.

© Christina Simons - Image from the Australian Apocalypse: The Consequences of the Australian Bushfires photography project

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A kangaroo that survived the Australian wildfires fires only the day before in Waterholes, Victoria, Australia on Monday the 6th of January 2020

© Christina Simons - Image from the Australian Apocalypse: The Consequences of the Australian Bushfires photography project

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Survivors. A mob of kangaroos that managed to survive the fires gather for a feed at Stokes Bay, Kangaroo Island, South Australia, in March 2020. Stanton’s been taking in orphaned wildlife since he was a boy. In his distinctive high-pitched yell, he calls out into the wind, cutting open donated bags of fruit, vegetables and kangaroo pellets. Almost immediately kangaroos and wallabies tentatively emerge from every direction and before long a mob has gathered. There must be at least 100 kangaroos. It’s a blessing to see them in such numbers, given the devastation of their population.

© Christina Simons - Image from the Australian Apocalypse: The Consequences of the Australian Bushfires photography project

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Jason Nicholson’s jeep driving through the burnt out bush on the road to Waterholes, Victoria, Australia on Monday the 6th of January 2020.

© Christina Simons - Image from the Australian Apocalypse: The Consequences of the Australian Bushfires photography project

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Paul Stanton surveys his home in March 2020 as his new reality still is difficult to accept, months after the fires destroyed his home. “I started building it 46 years ago; it was nearly finished. I had even kept some of the walls from the original cottage I grew up in. This house had so much love in it,” Paul says sadly. Gone are the countless hand-me-downs and family mementos. Gone too are the animals from the sanctuary. “That’s the hardest thing,” he says quietly. “That’s why Katja has trouble coming back – she can picture exactly where all the animals were in the house. Kanagroo Island, South Australia March 2020.

© Christina Simons - Image from the Australian Apocalypse: The Consequences of the Australian Bushfires photography project

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Paul Stanton’s been taking in orphaned wildlife since he was a boy. This is one that survived the fires which he raised from when he rescued it when its mother was hit by a car. Kangaroo Island, South Australia, March 2020.

© Christina Simons - Image from the Australian Apocalypse: The Consequences of the Australian Bushfires photography project

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Kai Wild, rescuing a fire affected koala in a tree on Kangaroo Island. Kai is an arborist and wildlife conservationist spent months rescuing fire-affected koalas as a volunteer on Kangaroo Island. Kanagroo Island, South Australia March 2020.

© Christina Simons - Image from the Australian Apocalypse: The Consequences of the Australian Bushfires photography project

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Susan Pulis, a wildlife carer and the founder of the Raymond Island Koala and Wildlife shelter, which recently moved to Waterholes and Wendy Hendrickson feed five of Susan’s kangaroos, in Wendy’s spare bedroom transformed into a temporary shelter for the 5 kangaroos on Raymond Island, Victoria, Australia on Monday, the 6th of January 2020

© Christina Simons - Image from the Australian Apocalypse: The Consequences of the Australian Bushfires photography project

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Susan Pulis, provides water and care to traumatised Kangaroos that survived the fires. Susan Pulis, a wildlife carer and the founder of the Raymond Island Koala and Wildlife shelter, in Waterholes, Victoria, Australia on monday the 6th of January 2020

© Christina Simons - Image from the Australian Apocalypse: The Consequences of the Australian Bushfires photography project

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The remains of a swing set on a property destroyed by the bushfires in Sarsfield, Victoria Australia on Tuesday the 7th of January 2020.

© Christina Simons - Image from the Australian Apocalypse: The Consequences of the Australian Bushfires photography project

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Injured Koalas recovering from their bushfire related injuries at the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park & Aquarium on Kangaroo Island, South Australia, Australia on Wednesday the 15th of January 2020

© Christina Simons - Image from the Australian Apocalypse: The Consequences of the Australian Bushfires photography project

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An aerial image of the damage the bushfires have done to Kangaroo Island, South Australia, Australia on Thursday the 16th of January 2020.

© Christina Simons - Image from the Australian Apocalypse: The Consequences of the Australian Bushfires photography project

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A rescued young Koala is held by Lt Susie Rattigan while RSPCA volunteer Brad Ward inspects the Koala for injury in a makeshift triage tent at Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park & Aquarium on the 15th of January 2020

© Christina Simons - Image from the Australian Apocalypse: The Consequences of the Australian Bushfires photography project

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American Kelly Donithan, a Humane Society International Senior Specialist in disaster response rescuea a severly injured Tammar wallaby in the bush about a 45 minute drive west from the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park & Aquarium , where she will take him to be euthanized on the 15th of January 2020.

© Christina Simons - Image from the Australian Apocalypse: The Consequences of the Australian Bushfires photography project

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Burnt out bush as a result of the Australian Bushfires on the road to Waterholes, Victoria, Australia on Monday the 6th of January 2020

© Christina Simons - Image from the Australian Apocalypse: The Consequences of the Australian Bushfires photography project

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An aerial image of the damage the bushfires have done to Kangaroo Island, South Australia, Australia on Thursday the 16th of January 2020.

© Christina Simons - Image from the Australian Apocalypse: The Consequences of the Australian Bushfires photography project

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Simon Kelly at one of the several pits he has had to dig to bury all of his sheep. Of 9000 he has had to bury more than 5000 of his sheep. This pit has two of his cows and a couple dozen sheep in it. This group of sheep have mostly died more recently since the fires due to lung damage from smoke inhalation, on Thursday the 16th of January 2020, on Kangaroo Island, South Australia, Australia Jason Wheaton (light blue shirt) and his sons Jack (high visibility jacket - 14yo) and Tom (blue jumper 15yo) Wheaton came to Simon’s property to help him clear the burnt land of deceased animals and fallen trees as well as any other things he might need help with since the fires. (This speaks to the community support that has gathered around the people who have lost so much.)

© Christina Simons - Image from the Australian Apocalypse: The Consequences of the Australian Bushfires photography project

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A koala is found in the Australian bush after the wildfires a few days before. The koalas feet are burnt beyond recovery so they decide to put him down on Thursday the 16th of January 2020, on Kangaroo Island, Australia.

© Christina Simons - Image from the Australian Apocalypse: The Consequences of the Australian Bushfires photography project

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The burnt remains of a property destroyed by the fires that hit Clifton Creek, Victoria Australia on Friday the 24th of January 2020.

© Christina Simons - Image from the Australian Apocalypse: The Consequences of the Australian Bushfires photography project

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A kangaroo mother and her baby joey perished together from the Australian bushfires on Kangaroo Island on the 15th of January 2020.

© Christina Simons - Image from the Australian Apocalypse: The Consequences of the Australian Bushfires photography project

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Trees begin to show regrowth two months after the wildfires on Kangaroo Island razed its luscious landscape. Kangaroo Island, South Australia, March 2020

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