Fire @Arbour Avenue, Alamanda Estate, Point Cook

Around 3 PM on Monday, 4 Mar 2019, just like any regular day, Alice drove out of her suburban house at Arbour Avenue (Alamanda Estate, Point Cook), to pick up her two children from Alamanda College, a nearby residential school attended by kids from neighbouring houses.
Together with her husband and two children (8-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son who had just started Prep), they have lived in this house for the past five years. Alice was pregnant with her son when she moved into this house and for the young family, this was the only home they’ve ever known.
Alice was away for a total of only 20 minutes — when she returned to the house, smoke was already billowing from the roof. Her neighbour from across the street had seen the smoke (see Youtube video linked) and after making sure Alice and her family were not in the house, alerted surrounding residents to evacuate to a safe distance.
The house that Alice had been renting since 2012 when she moved here from Melbourne CBD is now in a state where it’s too structurally dangerous for the family to even enter to retrieve anything they needed. As they had been renting, unfortunately, they did not have contents insurance to cover their belongings — including all their photos, memorabilia, personal sentimental items.
When Alice left her house, she only had her mobile phone and driver’s license, she even left her wallet behind as it was only a short drive to the school – and she can’t even retrieve that now, neither could the kids return to retrieve any toys, school uniforms or clothes.
For now, a family friend is providing them a place to stay over, but essentially this young family has lost all of their possessions — all gone up in smoke — in just a matter of minutes. They are having to rebuild their lives all over again starting from scratch.
When we spoke to Alice on the phone at 8:30pm the same evening, she was at K-Mart buying socks for the children for school. Life can change in an instant, and but for the grace of heavens above, there goes us.
For neighbours in Alamanda Estate, Point Cook, or anybody else who hears this true story and is willing to provide an item donation, please register your available item in this registry. Alice and her family will contact you once they have settled into their new future lodging on collecting the items they may need.
[Note: This fund has been set up by concerned neighbours who have consulted with Alice’s family on their needs. The organisers of this fund will in no way receive any part of any donations.]
Please kindly forward this link to any chat groups, Facebook page, or any individuals you know who might be willing to help in any way.