I’ve conducted research interviews with some key characters for our film, but we’re sure there are a lot more stories out there. Our publicist Yvonne Hellmers placed a story in the Blue Mountains Gazette to ask for people’s recollections and I’ve been absolutely swamped with calls and emails. 

So many people were profoundly affected by the Leura fire of 1957! Each of their stories are so specifically about their own experience, so we are gradually piecing together a patchwork of stories to build up a picture of what actually happened on the day. There are so many amazing stories, it’s hard to know which people to include in the film.

Tricia Hogan remembers the fire coming down Leura Mall and helping the nuns save the children from the Catholic school

Jim Chivas has been a Rural Fire Service Group Captain and knows more than most about the behaviour of bush fires