Her beautiful old majestic eucalyptus tree in her garden on Whiffens Lane, Central Tilba was hit by a massive lightning bolt during one of the storms last week.

She was at the bus stop picking up Grace in the torrential rain and heard the massive crack of the bolt as it hit.

“Two friends witnessed it and said it lit up like a Christmas tree!” she said.

A large branch was blown off and her garden was littered with shards of wood and bark.

The rain prevented any fire but some locals have said it would have killed the tree to the root and is only a matter of time until it dies. “Amazing and sad,” she said. “I hope they are wrong.”

The bark has split down the length of the trunk and Todd Elliston from Narooma Tree Lopping said unfortunately the chances of the tree surviving were slim as in most cases even massive gum trees eventually died after receiving a direct lightning hit.

Click here to read a story about lightning hitting Narooma golf course