'Forgotten' Wytaliba gets aid of Tamworth mental health service in second mission of mercy

In a week, a crew from Billabong Clubhouse will head off to Wytaliba for their second trip to the bushfire-affected community.

Billabong Community Engagement Officer Joe Miller said some locals are in urgent need of mental health support.

But he said the metropolitan public, and ultimately governments, have treated the small, remote community's plight as "yesterday's news". But the scars of last year's deadly blaze are still there.

READ MORE:

"I spoke to people and they told bloody horrendous stories," he said.

One Wytaliba resident told him she packed her children into a car planning to drive away from the fire-front. They overflowed and the doors wouldn't close, so she had to choose between taking some kids or none.

Fortunately another vehicle came along and they shared the passengers.

"That stuff there needs to be addressed, because that stuff was still raw with that woman.

"We want to go back there and show them there is people who bloody care."

Social worker Amy Ware said she had heard on the grapevine the community had received enough mental health support, but it was a different story on the ground.

"Because they're such an isolated community that increases their vulnerability enormously," she said.

"There's some people who would benefit from quite intensive support and there's others who need support in just processing what's happened. We've gone through drought and fires and floods and fatalities out there in a small community and that's a lot for a small community to process."

After a visit in June, Mr Miller vowed to the village "we won't walk away and we won't forget you".

Their next trip will take place on July 18.

Liberty Food Bank has issued the Clubhouse a pallet of food to distribute in the village.

Support the local news that keeps you informed - subscribe today.