The Good People Of Nerriga

Bushfire survivors tell the story of the Black Summer fires in an original locally produced half-hour radio documentary, THE GOOD PEOPLE OF NERRIGA.

The documentary, the first of a planned series of six stories from award winning filmmaker Clare Young and community producer Rose Ricketson,

THE GOOD PEOPLE OF NERRIGA centres on the experience of Phil and Sarah Smith, whose pub, the Nerriga Hotel, became a refuge for a town in crisis. The documentary is comprised of the voices of more than thirty bushfires survivors, who tell of the story of how the community sheltered at the pub, as fire fighters battled the blaze when the firestorm hit their isolated village on 21st of December 2019.

“It’s been exciting to work locally with Braidwood FM to create this story. Gordon Waters, from the inception of the idea, encouraged us to develop an original voice and style for the pilot. The Nerriga Community have an authentic edge and a lot of heart, so it’s been an honour to weave their voices into this story” says Young. THE GOOD PEOPLE OF NERRIGA
will premiere at a private community event at the Nerriga Pub hosted by the QPRC Bushfire Recovery team where Braidwood FM will broadcast live. Braidwood FM Station Manager, Waters says “There are so many unique and heart wrenching stories out there and they all
need to be told. This is a personal way for these stories to be passed on.”

The full oral histories recorded for the production will be hosted at the Nerriga Museum and Braidwood Historical Society. The documentary was funded by the Braidwood Community Bank, Queanbeyan Palarang Regional Council and the Braidwood Help Fund.

Further episodes will focus on the human stories from other bushfire-affected towns in the region, with the aim of using storytelling as a tool for healing and community regeneration.

AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW:
GORDON WATERS, STATION MANAGER – BRAIDWOOD FM – 0422 921 269
PHIL AND SARAH SMITH, PUBLICANS – NERRIGA HOTEL (02) 4845 9120
CLARE YOUNG, CREATOR/DIRECTOR – 0409 778 278
ROSE RICKETSON, PRODUCER – 0449 187 430