There are two garden sheds nestled on Lisa Ashdowne’s acreage home in the town of Pomonal in Victoria’s Grampians region. A large tarp hangs between them, forming a makeshift home decked out with a toilet, shower, sink, fridge and outside washing machine. “It’s tight and a bit awkward, but it’s home,” Ashdowne says.
The 62-year-old lost her house in the Pomonal fires in February 2024, just after separating from her partner and two weeks before she had a heart attack. She wasn’t adequately insured and says her casual work at a nearby prison does not provide enough money to pay for permanent accommodation elsewhere.
