Dr Jeffrey Lee survived the mega bushfire that swept through southeast NSW during New Year’s Eve. He has worked in the small town of Cobargo for more than three decades, but after his practice was destroyed he set up a makeshift surgery in his solar-powered caravan to continue tending to his traumatised patients.

“We live on an old dairy farm in Cobargo. It’s a small town, not much more than 700 people, with the nearest hospital about 45 minutes away in Bega. It is clear, quality grazing country — it’s not a bush block — so historically it’s not generally prone to bushfires.