Sep 2019, Nambucca Heads, NSW

There’s a family camped next to the Prado’s with an old pop top. They’re an arty bunch and their caravan is brightly coloured and getting brighter as they all chip in hand painting it with patterns and motifs.

It’s a sunny Sunday arvo, there’s a stiff breeze from the south. It feels like a beach holiday. The surf roars continually. The wind whispers in the sheoaks, campers and dogs doze in the sun. The neighbours continue to paint designs on their van, pelicans snooze by the lake. Amorous pigeons strut and coo and ladybirds flit.

Late afternoon and there’s another bushfire only this time it’s in Nambucca only 4kms away.

We traipse over to the camp kitchen with the ingredients for a cook up. Dumplings, spring rolls and the makings of a fried rice. Madam Secretary brings a Thai Curry and we set to cooking and munching with a break to gawk at the smoke-stained sunset. We’re trying to work out the best way to go home and Toothless is scratching his head “Is it really 3 months since we left home?”