Standing not much higher than your knee and with a relentless passion for carrots...he's an unlikely hero of the "Black Saturday" bushfires.

He's "Shorty" the miniature horse and his miraculous survival is seen as a beacon of hope for so many as they reel from the impact of the tragedy which killed 173 people.

As the inferno approached Wandong in Central Victoria on February 7th, "Shorty's" owner Graeme Kurzman locked the horse and his four dogs in a tennis court and fled with his wife. He narrowly escaped. "The shed exploded and the flames chased us up the driveway," says Graeme.

Two days later Graeme and his shell-shocked family returned to their property and found absolute, total devastation. The home ,his veteran car collection, the sheds, the fences, the bird aviaries all destroyed, all rubble. The heat so extreme the gearbox on Graeme's ruined tractor was molten metal. On the tennis court ,they found the four dogs dead. But there standing in the middle with only minor burns and a singed tail was "Shorty". He trotted over to them ,then jumped in their car as if nothing dramatic had happened! No-one has any clue how he survived. "To this day I just can't understand why the little bloke's still here!" says Graeme as he gives "Shorty" a hug.

The problem now for Graeme is that "Shorty" can't stay on his property. He gets in the way of the massive sifting and clearing operation there and, anyway, all the paddocks are burned and there's no feed for him. So Graeme has arranged for him to go on tour for six months, to stay with friends in Melbourne a week at a time. Graeme has given specific instructions to all the 'pony-sitting' families to spread the word of "Shorty's" survival. And, as a result, the little fella has become something of minor celebrity ! He's visited schools, kindergartens, day care centres and been feted at a garden tea party. As he guzzles carrots and nuzzles up to everyone he meets, the kids are told his story. They're learning all is not lost in the bushfire areas after Black Saturday. It is a small positive for young minds after weeks of horrendous news.

As 'pony sitter' Sue Nottas said , the kids are learning ",that not everything was black and disastrous, that there are still stories of hope and this is one."

Melissa Robertson, who hosted "Shorty's" tea party, said the children loved hearing his story. She was determined ", for the kids to hear, y'know, just one of the positive stories that've come out or something that's been pretty inspirational."

Now as Graeme struggles to get his life back together when things get on top of him he thinks about "Shorty".

"He's me mate!" he says fighting back tears as he grabs "Shorty's" head and rubs it ferociously..

"We'll be back .We'll start again, won't we mate? We'll start again."

At times of great stress, miracles and inspiration can come in small ..and in this case "Shorty"..packages.