About 20km from Bodalla, lies the small village of Nerrigundah.
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Deb and Ron Threlfall count themselves among about 40 others who live there "to get away from the hustle and bustle".
When bushfire on New Year's Eve tore through the valley, it took their peace and pretty much everything with it, including a man's life.
Mr Threlfall captains the Nerrigundah Rural Fire Service (RFS) and said the fire was something the brigade had never experienced.
"There wasn't anything we could do about this fire," he said.
"All we could do was save what we could - which wasn't much."
Their neighbours are living in tents or temporary accommodation. Mr and Mrs Threlfall chose to make-do in their half-burned home.
What's left of the village is burned piles of rubble - once homes and sheds.
The ruins are a constant, painful reminder Mr Threlfall awakes to each morning.
"The biggest problem now is getting rid of all the stuff - the burned tin, all the sheds and houses that had been wiped out," he said.
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"If all that was gone, then we can start new."
However, the Threlfalls are unsure when and how the waste can be removed.
"Who know's? It could be six months," Mr Threlfall said.
In the meantime, he avoids working near the back of his home where most of the damage is.
His patience is wearing thin and his mental state is "not all that good" but he has kept his head up.
"It has been constant since the 31st; I just haven't had time to think about it," he said.
"I just keep myself going.
"If I go out, I am very sharp with people; if I am hassled in any way with paperwork, it's hard." He said time should heal the destruction on all levels for the community.
"All we need to do is try and recover the best we can," he said. "I know people who aren't coping and will hopefully seek help - it's just about getting the time to sit down and talk to them."
A visit from Narooma service clubs also helped, READ STORY HERE.
