A Victorian farmer, who captured national attention for his desperate improvisation during the bushfire crisis, has now shared a heartbreaking plea for support as he confronts the widespread destruction of his property.
Desperate measures to save a livelihood
Greg Conlan, whose farm is located at Molesworth in Victoria, watched in horror as the Longwood blaze tore through his land. In a now-viral act of necessity, he was forced to use his Bonds underwear as a makeshift face mask to protect himself from the thick, hazardous smoke while fighting to save his cattle and property.
Confronting footage shared by Conlan shows the terrifying moment he tried to calm his panicking herd as flames closed in. "Stay there, girls. Stay there. It’s all right," he can be heard saying in the video, attempting to soothe the animals. He explained that the cattle were running from the fire but heading straight towards dangerous metal stockyards, a situation that could have proven fatal for many.
A farm and a life in ruins
The toll of the fires has been immense. Conlan estimates that around 80 per cent of his property has been destroyed, with pastures essential for feeding his livestock wiped out. Despite this catastrophic loss, he considers himself fortunate in one critical aspect: he did not lose any of his cattle.
"I was just doing anything I could. And look, I speak to them every day. This farm is my life. The girls are my life," Conlan said, fighting back tears during a television interview. "It’s my happy place."
The physical and emotional strain is evident. Over four days of relentless firefighting, Conlan managed only about six hours of sleep and has since developed breathing problems from prolonged smoke inhalation.
Turning heartbreak into help for others
Despite his own significant losses, Conlan's focus has shifted to supporting his fellow farmers who are in even more dire straits. He highlighted that while he has some feed left for his animals, many others have lost everything—pastures, haystacks, and all.
"I actually feel like I’ve fared OK," he said, demonstrating remarkable perspective. "I’ve lost 80 per cent of my pastures ... we’ve lost so much here, but there’s so many people that have lost so much more, and they’ve got no feed for their livestock today and tomorrow and so on."
To channel aid where it's needed most, Conlan has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for farmers impacted by the Victorian bushfires. The community response has been overwhelming, with the fundraiser having collected $55,181 of its $60,000 goal at the time of reporting.
Conlan is urging anyone who can to donate or provide essential supplies, emphasising that the road to recovery for Australia's farming communities will be long and requires collective support.
