Lee Prime and his wife, who is also named Lee, had a knock at their front door at 4.30am on New Year's Eve.
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It was their neighbour in the Thowgla Valley telling them to get out quickly.
A massive fire front was encroaching.
"Our neighbour Ryan said we had 20 minutes to leave our home," Mr Prime recalled.
"We threw a few things in bags and drove out in our cars; as we did we saw a wall of flames with fire spinning in the middle.
"I was worried trees would fall on us but we got through.
"We were told at about 10.30am that our solid brick home went up within two hours of us leaving it."
The Primes' home of about two decades was reduced to rubble by an unforgiving fire front, propelled by 127km/h winds.
They lost all of their belongings, their garden shed melted and with it all of Mr Prime's tools; even a gun safe with a gun was reduced to twisted metal.
Their lovingly-tended 2-acre garden was struck off the map.
An avid downhill skier even now aged 80, Mr Prime was drawn to the Upper Murray by the beauty of the mountains.
The couple did not expect to be starting over at their age; a process made considerably more manageable by community spirit and moral support beyond compare.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Having rented a house at Corryong for most of the year, the couple bought a property on the fringe of town a few months ago.
Mrs Prime said they were overwhelmed by the support from neighbours, friends and Corryong FoodShare to help them back on their feet.
She said they relied on FoodShare Corryong for furniture and clothing.
It was not unusual to arrive home from an outing to a FoodShare delivery, she said.
"It's been marvellous," she said.
"We'd go out for a few bits and pieces from the supermarket and come home to a box of supplies; we've been absolutely blessed.
"We haven't had to fork out the last of our pension each time on pantry staples.
"I grew up in Warburton and I thought they had pretty good community spirit but Corryong has been amazing. We've never known friends like it."
This week Corryong FoodShare has delivered about 110 Christmas hampers to clients throughout the valley.
Wunderbar Aluminium Products (Wodonga), Rotary Club of Albury and Corryong churches donated money for food vouchers and Corryong Bakery Christmas cakes and puddings. Red Cross supplied knitted bears.
Corryong FoodShare Services spokeswoman Pastor Carol Allen said the donations allowed them to support local businesses.
"We bought vouchers for IGA, fruit and vegetables and the butcher," she said.
Corryong FoodShare has 120 clients on its books, up from 30 regulars before the summer bushfire crisis.
Together with 12 volunteers and husband Pastor Douglas Allen, Mrs Allen has got emergency deliveries to all ends of the valley including Nariel Valley, Cudgewa, Lucyvale, Walwa, Khancoban, Thowgla Valley, Biggara and Corryong this year.
Corryong FoodShare still needs to raise $160,000 to buy a new building after the Scouts reclaim their hall next month. For details visit corryong.asn.au or contact Carol Allen on 0427 762 051.
