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Contributors to Trailblazing: The History and Stories of Female Firefighters in Fire and Rescue NSW(FRNSW) at the book launch at the Museum of Fire, 30 October, 2025 [Museum of Fire Collection] In 2020, Assistant Commissioner Cheryl Steer set out to record the history of female firefighters in Fire and Rescue NSW. The culmination of her vision was the launch of the book “Trailblazing: The History and Stories of Female Firefighters in Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW)”. This book de

Fire can seem like an all-consuming destructive force as it tears through bushland, consuming houses, and causing irrevocable harm to people and animals. But fire has shaped the environment and almost every aspect of the human experience. Whether through natural adaptations by plants in fire prone environments or contained in machinery and contraptions, fire is an incredibly useful tool. Humans are defined by their ability to harness fire, applying it to the cooking of food,

Australia is one of the most fire-prone countries on Earth. Bushfires are not an occasional crisis, they are a recurring part of life that has shaped landscapes, tested communities, and pushed emergency services to their limits. To acknowledge this history, the Museum of Fire recently launched an exhibition highlighting this history. The fires in this exhibition span more than half a century, each leaving their mark not only in loss, but in what was learned - driving change i

The Leyland Crane with a Ford D400 at Five Dock Workshops, c.1970s [Museum of Fire Collection] This month marks ten years since the restoration of the Museum’s 1938 Leyland Crane. The Crane was purchased by the Museum of Fire in June 2010 and took just over six years to restore, with the Museum receiving a highly commended award at the National Trust Heritage Award. During the mid-1930s, recovering damaged or broken-down vehicles was a major logistical issue for fire brigades

If you've ever driven through regional Australia in summer, chances are you've seen one - a roadside sign with a needle pointing to a colour-coded scale ranging from low to catastrophic. The Fire Danger Meter is one of Australia's most recognisable pieces of public safety infrastructure. But behind that simple roadside sign lies a remarkably rich history of science, tragedy, and ongoing adaptation. A general view showing Greta Bushfire Brigade Station in the background, and a

At the Museum of Fire, visitors are often drawn to the fire engines themselves. From hand-drawn hose carts to large modern appliances, the collection spans more than a century of firefighting history. But behind every one of these vehicles is something rarely seen by the public. Before any engine is built, it begins as a drawing. Our latest exhibition, Illustrating Change: Designing Fire Engines for New Challenges , brings these hidden stories to life. Featuring a selection o

In 1985 when women were formally permitted to become firefighters in the NSW Fire Brigades (NSWFB, today Fire and Rescue NSW), they faced a lot of pushback in an organisation that had been male dominated since their formation in 1884. Although there are many aspects of this to be discussed at length about the challenges women have faced in the organisation and all the barriers they have broken, today we are looking at one aspect: why were women firefighters given a handbag as

In commemoration of its 100 th birthday, the Museum of Fire is pleased to announce the 1926 ME 88 Garford Hale as the 2026 Vehicle of the Year. This small but mighty appliance served for over 40 years in a number of fire stations across regional New South Wales, an exemplar of early firefighting history in our state. Museum of Fire 2026 Vehicle of the Year the 1926 ME 88 Garford Hale fire engine, 2026 [Museum of Fire collection] The Garford Motor Truck Company and its Role i

As we approach the conclusion of this year’s Museum of Fire Art Competition and prepare for our next temporary exhibition, it feels like an appropriate moment to pause and reflect on what this exhibition has come to represent for our museum and for the community that surrounds us. At first glance, an art competition may seem like an unexpected feature within a museum dedicated to the history of firefighting. Our collection is filled with fire engines, equipment, uniforms and

Firefighter Robert Lightfoot standing behind the Turbine Engine, c.1923. [Museum of Fire Collection] Before flashing lights and roaring engines, the race to a fire sounded very different. Instead of sirens, there was the pounding of hooves on dirt or cobblestone. Instead of radios, there were shouted orders, leather reins, and the urgent clang of a station bell. Fires were not only dangerous; they were social events of urgency. Residents often followed the brigade, forming bu