More than 2,000 people are living without adequate housing in bushfire-prone areas in western Victoria, which advocates warn is risking catastrophe
There are two garden sheds nestled on Lisa Ashdowne’s acreage home in the town of Pomonal in Victoria’s Grampians region. A large tarp hangs between them, forming a makeshift home decked out with a toilet, shower, sink, fridge and outside washing machine. “It’s tight and a bit awkward, but it’s home,” Ashdowne says.
The 62-year-old lost her house in the Pomonal fires in February 2024, just after separating from her partner and two weeks before she had a heart attack. She wasn’t adequately insured and says her casual work at a nearby prison does not provide enough money to pay for permanent accommodation elsewhere.
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