All has not been lost for a Lake Ōhau couple whose home was destroyed by the recent blaze.
Nearly 50 homes and other structures were lost in the inferno which devastated the lakeside during the first weekend of October.
Norman Mackay’s home was one of those destroyed.
“Your heart drops and you think, 'My god, 28 years of my house and all my possessions gone, all gone,'” he told 1 NEWS.
However, while sifting through the remains today, Mackay found his wedding ring.
“I'm surprised it survived, being 22 carat gold,” he said.
His father’s World War II medals were also found – but they had been mangled by the fire.
“It's a bonus to find anything that survived this fire. I’d like to find more of my wife’s stuff.”
Also found four days after the fire was Mackay’s beloved dog Milo.
“She’s got a couple of little burns on her nose, but all in good order,” he said.
The couple’s cat is still missing, unfortunately.
They now hope to rebuild on the spot where their old home stood.
“We will get back onto it. This time next year, it'll look a lot better.”
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