HAWTHORN Coach Alastair Clarkson says you’ve got to see the destruction caused by the Tasmanian bushfires to believe it.
Clarkson flew to Tasmania on Wednesday morning, three days prior to the Club’s NAB Cup game against Richmond at Aurora Stadium to further assist bushfire relief efforts.
Head of Coaching and Development Chris Fagan and forward Brendan Whitecross joined Clarkson in working with bushfire relief teams to build fences in outer Hobart suburb, Boomer Bay.
The Hawks coach said he and the Club will do whatever it can to assist with relief efforts in the Club’s second home.
“We’ve got a real firm commitment, obviously playing some of our games down here in Tassie and whatever support we can provide is going to be provided,” he said.
“It has been good to get down to this community, it has been pretty harshly hit with the bushfires that came through here a few weeks back.
“It’s good to come and help out here in this fire stricken community.”
Clarkson said the severity of the fires in Boomer Bay shocked the group as they approached the site.
“I couldn’t believe how far back the fire started, I was expecting to wait until I got down to this district – I couldn’t believe how vast it was,” he said.
“You hear about the bush fires when you’re up on the mainland in Victoria, but you can’t actually picture it until you get down here and see it.”
Fagan, a product of Tasmania echoed Clarkson’s sentiments.
“It’s been great down here today, we’ve been cleaning up around some fences and putting in some fences in,” he said.
“It has been a real pleasure to come down here on a beautiful Tassie day.”
Alastair Clarkson and Fagan put their upper body strength to the test, carrying a log across the site.
It was a group effort to push this tree across the ground.
It looks like Clarkson was in his element, digging a hole with a pick axe.
Brendan Whitecross certainly looked the part and wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty throughout the day.
Clarkson gives the day and the efforts of all involved the thumbs up!
Clarkson, Chris Fagan, Brendan Whitecross, Clarkson's son Matthew and nephew pose for a photo with the Blaze Aid crew at the bushfire site in Boomer Bay.
