A Dubbo mum has told of the "frightening" experience of being on the NSW South Coast as a massive out-of-control bushfire claimed lives and property nearby.
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Corrine Medlin, husband Mick and their three children were holidaying at Sussex Inlet on New Year's Eve as the Currowan blaze threatened.
As the wind blew up, they watched and waited to see what path the fire would take, unable to leave because the roads were closed.
Mrs Medlin said they were "lucky", but was saddened by the devastation close by.
"In Lake Conjola, which is only about five kilometres away, as the crow flies, they lost 89 houses," she said.
"We were lucky though, because if it had have been a southerly wind, a pure southerly, it would have come straight through our caravan park, but luckily it was a south-easterly, so it went around us.
"It could have been a lot worse."
At the caravan park where the Dubbo family were staying, people prepared by moving their cars out to a clearing and preparing to go down to the beach.
"There was all rumours going around the caravan park that the wind was going to change direction and then we'd have to get out," Mrs Medlin said.
"It was actually fortunate, with Mick having his fire knowledge, he kept everyone calm, he said, 'it's okay, the wind's a south-easterly, it's going to go round,' and he was right.
"But it was pretty scary because on New Year's Eve when we went to bed, it was a bit unknown about what was going to happen, it was really windy and quite frightening."
Morning came, with the news of the heavy damage done at Lake Conjola.
The family and thousands of other tourists left when the opportunity arose, escorted by police.
"We were lucky, we had half a tank of diesel, so we were right to get out...," Mrs Medlin said.
"It took us five hours to go 15km, that's how congested the roads were.
"And because they had to keep closing the highway as well, it was a waiting game to get out of there.
"But once we got on the highway, we had a clear run, because it had been closed for so long.
"Once we got to Nowra and then out through Kangaroo Valley, it was a big relief I think, just to be out of there.
"When we were driving out, you could just see all the devastation from the trees burnt down, it was not nice."
The community came together in the midst of the challenge.
RFS volunteers came along with water bottles to give to the cars queued along the road and everyone was sharing food, Mrs Medlin said.