"We’re safe, we’re fine, totally good," Amanda Sharpe said in a telephone interview from a campground near the border of Victoria and New South Wales on Tuesday.
"We’re all a bit nervous but we’re safe, all together."
Mrs Sharpe (nee Elder), formerly of Riversdale, Southland, now lives in Melbourne with her husband Matt.
On Monday morning Mrs Sharpe sent a text message to her mother, Mary Elder, and stepfather Wayne Parsons, of Dunedin, saying she and her husband had been directed to the Narooma Town Hall.
This holiday season they had made their annual trip to the Narooma campground but matters took a turn for the worse when bushfires closed roads to the camping ground and cut power.
Narooma is on the coast, about 500km northeast of Melbourne.
A man had died near the town as a result of the fires.
Mrs Sharpe (40) said she felt safe because a nearby beach provided a secure retreat for her and Mr Sharpe, as well as other young members of their extended family.
Ironically, Mr Sharpe works for Fire Rescue Australia, which provides specialised equipment, including self-contained breathing apparatus, for firefighters and others.
The couple had checked on the fire situation before leaving Melbourne and everything seemed OK at that stage — "unfortunately things changed later".
Ms Elder yesterday said her daughter did not know when she would be able to get back to Melbourne.
