It's been a new beginning for Leanne and David Brown.
Having lost everything in last year's October bushfires after spending 25 "great" years at their home in Moray Street, Winmalee, they have put down new roots in Blaxland and carried on.
"It felt like it could be home," Mrs Brown said, about that first inspection of their new home after they had rejected many others.
They are now five minutes' drive from Glenbrook Public School where David Brown is the principal and where the tight-knit school community has rallied around the Browns over the past year.
Mr Brown was away supervising the Year Five's school camp to Bathurst at the time of the fires and his wife escaped as the fire closed in around her and their prized eight and four-year-old boxers Eisha and Lena.
"The dogs were waiting at the dog door ready to leave ... They're the reason I got out," she said.
Mrs Brown escaped with the clothes on her back, just as a gust of wind slammed the front door shut behind her leaving her minus a phone, wallet, the precious packed-up photos and her handbag with keys in it.
"Our fire plan always covered two people not one," she said simply.
They have kept in touch with their Moray Street neighbours but Mrs Brown said it was emotionally difficult to go back because much of the street remains empty and only three of the eight homes lost look likely to be rebuilt.
The Browns have been overwhelmed by the generosity of the Mountains and wider community. As Mrs Brown is a keen quilter, one store in the Macarthur region gave her a new sewing machine soon after the event so she could continue her much-loved hobby.
"People at shops were just amazing in the days afterwards, giving us things. At the school they follow our story still. One little girl said recently 'I'm so glad you bought a house'," she said.
They have no special plans on how they will mark the anniversary but Mr Brown is back on camp duty with the now Year Six children.
"I don't know how I'm going to feel about it," Mrs Brown said.
"It's a bit like grieving if you've lost someone, you remember that day," Mr Brown said.
Luckily a memorial to their daughter, Rebekah, who died at birth, was spared and it's now one of the statues out the front of their new place.
