An Adelaide Hills family who lost everything in this summer's devastating bushfires say they are grateful to receive a new, temporary "housing pod" this week so they can live on their Harrogate property while they rebuild.
Adelaide hills mum-of-three Gemma Seebohm and her husband Andrew were overwhelmed by support from the community after their property in Harrogate was burnt to the ground on December 20.
They are one of eight bushfire-affected landholders from the Adelaide Hills to receive temporary housing pods through a new $2.4-million partnership between the state government and Minderoo Foundation, with another 40 already on Kangaroo Island.
Mrs Seebohm said the addition of the new recovery pod would enable her family to have space again.
"We love Harrogate, we've got open space and the kids love it - the bushfire won't beat us, Harrogate is our home," she said.
Minderoo Foundation CEO Andrew Hagger said the foundation was humbled to have played a role in rebuilding SA communities devastated by bushfire.
"When our Fire Fund team visited KI and Cudlee Creek shortly after the fires, people on the ground told us their number one priority was to be able to stay on their land while they rebuilt," he said.
"This message drove the innovative thinking that led us to the design of the Minderoo recovery pods.
"One of the great things about the Minderoo recovery pods is that once a family has been able to rebuild their home, the recovery pod can be redeployed to another family to assist with recovery.
"This rebuild and recovery will take years, not months, and we will not leave until the job is done."
Local manufacturing business Australian Portable Camps are using locally-sourced materials and labour to build the recovery pods.
Human Services Minister Michelle Lensink said the new recovery pods were ready to live in when they arrive on site, and could house individuals, couples or families of up to four.
They are being provided for an initial 12 months, with the potential for longer agreements to be negotiated.
But the recovery pods are not designed for long-term accommodation, they are intended to provide a solution in rural settings where alternative accommodation near the property is not available.
The state government has also committed an additional $450,000 to support local economic recovery by engaging tradespeople in both regions to transport, install and maintain the recovery pods.
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