In parts of NSW and Victoria tens of thousands of people barely acknowledged as the clock passed midnight and left 2019 behind.

Many feared their houses were gone, or worse. Many others had travelled to some of Australia's most beautiful spots for the summer break, only to find themselves huddled on beaches and fearing for their lives.

In areas where the fires were horrifying images on screens the New Year's Eve festivities went ahead, but after a southerly howled up the coast it muted many events, and cancelled some.

But on the second day of 2020 it is worth noting this new millennium is not so new anymore. All the promise of that landmark event - when 1999 became 2000 and one thousand-year period slipped into another - seems such a long time ago.

In 2000 it seemed like the world's spotlight shone on Australia for the Sydney Olympics. We responded accordingly.

But it was only the next year that the world staggered with the shock of the 9/11 World Trade Centre terror attacks, and we haven't really recovered from the consequences. It feels like we're living in uglier times.

It is worth remembering the capacity of humanity to rise to the occasion when needed, and how fortunate we are, still, to live in a country where we are free to work, love, speak, argue, protest and generally go about our business without too much trouble. And in recent years where governments have seemed to push up against those freedoms, we've been free to protest and push back. That is a gift and a blessing that we can never forget.

New year is a time for renewal. A new decade even more so, if we choose.

Around the country, even for many who spent a sleepless New Year's Eve and saw the dark first hours of New Year's Day, there were resolutions made.

Each year we resolve to eat less, drink less, exercise more, work harder or less hard, take time to smell the roses.

We remind ourselves that life is relatively short, and we only have one of them.

Those fleeing fires often take comfort in knowing loved ones are safe. Property can always be replaced, is what we tell ourselves. But in the months ahead many thousands of Australians will feel grief as they try to rebuild their lives. For 2020 we hope for stoicism and resilience.

Issue: 39,492.