I'm still in Sydney and therefore safe and far away from all the Victorian bushfires, but it is affecting the whole country. All the flags are at half mast, and red cross collection buckets are everywhere - it's Wednesday and already 45 million Australian dollars have been raised. The climate is a lot cooler now but some fires are still burning and the winds are gusty. The police keep making arrests because there is evidence of arson.

There are extended editions of the news on throughout the day but along with the tragedy they are also showing the massive help effort that is going on - so many volunteers and politicians, celebrities etc are helping out. The financial crisis has taken a bit of a backseat at the moment - last week the prime minister and the leader of the opposition both made televised announcements about it all but this week they have all been talking about the fires and both the prime minister and the deputy PM have been seen crying. It's very personal and you get the sense all of Australia is feeling it and supporting each other. What struck me is that there have been so many donations of clothes, toys and other supplies for the families that have had to leave their towns and live in camp sites set up for them, but because of the nature of Australians, they are all so strong and proud no one that is coming to collect anything, they are just soldiering on and helping each other. Over a million native animals have died in the fires and there is an incredible video of a koala accepting water from a firefighter - apparently it drank three bottles it was that dehydrated.

It was very hot last weekend so I stayed inside and went to the Australian museum, which was brilliant. It was so relaxed and interesting and I learnt loads - did you know a group of wombats is called a wisdom? And that's not all, oh no - their poo is cube shaped! How delightful. On Friday I went to Palm Beach, the set of Home and Away, with my new roommate Claire. They weren't filming that day but it was still a lovely day, although there were loads of Bluebottles, otherwise known as Portugese-Man-of-Wars. Everywhere! I have officially had a run-in with Australian wildlife now. Hooray!