COMMENT: Disaster Relief Australia volunteers' selfless dedication is clear, so is their anguish

Then it dawned on me, these are volunteers, dropping everything in their own lives to help others.

And more than that, the ranks of DRA primarily come from backgrounds in armed services and first responder emergency services, so they often, understandably, have their own traumas to contend with, let alone what's involved in embedding themselves in the lives of disaster victims.

I then learned the crew I joined briefly three years ago during their first visit were among those volunteers back in the Valley - including the Norwegians who had travelled here for the sole purpose of lending their skills and hands.

Catching up with them again was bittersweet. I can't help but be overawed by their dedication to assisting others in need.

But to also see how they were affected by returning to this area after three years and seeing elderly couples still living in shipping containers or caravans and garages, seeing the volume of work still needing to be done to get properties cleared of burnt trees, was heartbreaking.

They spoke about almost being brought to tears. I was right there with them.

Encouragingly, they see the camaraderie in the work they are doing and the friendships forged as essentially a form of therapy for themselves, even as their efforts assist the disaster-affected residents. And their assistance cannot be underestimated.

That it is still required after three years is a travesty - and a black mark against our various levels of governments and their agencies. If this is the road to be travelled then will our flood affected families still be wrestling with their problems in 2025?

Communities have been left to look after themselves - and to be clear, they are doing an incredible job of that. Just look to the various bushfire relief centres and community volunteer organisations leaping in to help their neighbours throughout the Bega Valley and beyond.

Governments need to be reminded those affected are still in need of help.

Groups like DRA certainly haven't forgotten.