Melbourne: A sombre Prince William met on Thursday with emotional survivors of last year's deadly wildfires in southern Australia, doling out comforting words and occasional kisses to those who turned up to greet the prince.
The prince's trip to Victoria state, on the last day of his Australia tour, came two weeks shy of the first anniversary of the fiery disaster that has become known as Black Saturday, when hundreds of blazes raced across huge parts of the state, killing 173 people and destroying more than 2,000 homes.
The 27-year-old prince wore a yellow ribbon to honour those affected by the fires and greeted locals at a relief centre in the close-knit community of Whittlesea, which has served as a hub for survivors who once lived in the devastated surrounding towns.
There, the second in line to the British throne quizzed Victorian Premier John Brumby about the fires, and looked through a book of photos showing the damage from the blazes.
"It's terrifying what it can do, isn't it?" he said.
Debbie Morrow told the prince about losing her home. He asked about her family, who now live in a caravan and shed.
"He was very concerned and wanted to know if we would be rebuilding," she said.
Another woman burst into tears and thanked William for supporting those affected by the fires.
"Not at all," he told her. "It is a privilege to be here."
Hundreds turned out to greet the prince, who stopped to shake hands and pose for pictures outside the centre.
Later, the prince travelled to nearby Flowerdale, where he met about 200 residents at a temporary village set up outside the devastated town.
William got to work, putting on an apron and helping to cook a barbecue lunch for locals.
The sight of the charred landscape made an impact on the prince.
"I could not believe it when we drove through," he said. "The vast scale of it all. It really brings it home."
The prince has had a packed itinerary on his unofficial three-day tour of Australia. He spent his first two days in Sydney, where he visited a local Aboriginal community, met with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, stopped by a military base and enjoyed a barbecue feast along the city's glittering harbour.
He is scheduled to return to Britain on Friday.
Bureau Report
First Published: Thursday, January 21, 2010, 13:59