The Aussie Spirit.

I'm not much for the jingoistic yah-yah Aussie Mateship Forged at Gallipoli myth. What I DO know, from personal experience, is that when the going gets tough, most Australians just shut up and get on with what needs to be done. It's a media myth that we do so out of some collective feeling of "mateship". I believe it's more out of a sense of "there's no point whingeing about it". So, in the aftermath of the recent, devastating bush fires, there has emerged hundreds of tales of phoenix-like re-building.

One such story that is far too little to be touted on A Current Today Tonight Tomorrow In 60 Minutes is the story of Dennis.

Dennis is in his late 60's. Dennis ran the Henry VIII Manor House in Narbethong for over 20 years. On Black Saturday, the fire came up out of the gully, racing towards the hills. Dennis and his partner had less that 5 minutes to decide what to do.

They jumped in their car and left, hoping that the road to Lilydale was still open.

When they returned, their livelihood was burnt to the ground.

According to Dennis, he's "lucky". The Manor was fully paid off and fully insured. Re-building will be easier for him than some.

But until he re-builds, he is still open for business.

There's only one thing on the menu. Pancakes.



And they're served in the dining room.


Cooked in the kitchen.


So, if you actually want to make a real difference, on the ground, to real people affected b the bushfires, head up to Narbie and pay $6 for a plate of pancakes at Dennis'.

Henry VIII Manor House, 607 Maroondah Highway, Narbethong, 3778, Vic.

Ph: 5963 7167

Everyone who drops by gets a $5 off voucher for when the Manor is rebuilt.

And in talking to Dennis about that day, and his plans, and his dreams, and my want to blog about him, he only asked one thing.

"Take a picture of this" he said. "After 2o years, this is the sum total of my worldly goods. Take a picture and show people. This is all that's left."