WARRUMBUNGLE shire mayor Peter Shinton came to Kinross Wolaroi School on Tuesday to thank students for their fundraising efforts for bushfire victims.
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It may be five months since a huge blaze ripped through 53,000 hectares at Coonabarabran, but some residents are still homeless and coming to terms with the devastation.
Cr Shinton, accompanied by his wife Julie, said the $4220 raised by Kinross students was a tremendous effort.
“We came here because the money was raised by kids,” he said.
Kinross students raised the funds through a raffle at their school and have donated it to the Warrumbungle Shire Mayor’s Bushfire Appeal.
Kinross students, sisters Brooke and Talor Hamilton were behind the fundraising effort and said there were several Kinross boarders who came from the Coonabarabran area.
“We always do the big things like shave for cancer, but thought it would be good to do something closer to home,” Brooke said.
The blaze destroyed 53 homes and 113 outbuildings, while countless stock and fencing was lost and farm machinery burnt.
Cr Shinton said the appeal had been able to help residents who continued to be affected by the fire.
“We’ve raised over $720,000 and every cent of it has gone [to fire victims],” he said.
Cr Shinton said while some residents rebuilt their homes immediately, others had left the region for good.
nadine.morton@fairfaxmedia.com.au