The Burn

Exactly twelve weeks after the horrific wildfires of summer, we decided to return to one of our favorite vineyards that was in the heart of the devastation that day. We had first stopped at Sutherlund Estate with Anna's parents on a rainy November day and were impressed with the Pinot Noir and Tempranillo wines and the beautiful setting in the rolling hills of the north Yarra Valley. The owner had suggested that we return in the fall to see the grape leaves turn color. After the fires in February, though, we weren't sure we would actually get to see any leaves this year. Fortunately we were not disappointed.

By shear luck not a single vine or building at the winery was lost in the fire. Most of the trees surrounding the estate we scorched but somehow the fire stopped just short of the vineyard. The grapes suffered smoke damage and had to be discarded but the vines survived.

Just across the road, the hillside was charred.

Further up the road, we passed through some of the worst hit areas. What had been a lush green forest full of majestic gum trees and tree ferns was now blackened.

But when we took a moment to look a little closer we found that the forest was already coming back to life. Green shoots were sprouting directly from the charred tree trunks and neon green fronds were curling out from the top of the tree fern stumps. All this in a mere twelve weeks. The Australian bush thrives after a fire and most native plants require it to reproduce and regenerate. Simply amazing.