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*This information is an extract from the colour-book produced by the Museum of Fire's Heritage Team to celebrate the station opening of the brand-new fire station of Oran Park Fire Station on February 27, 2023. Should you wish to use any of the information and pictures provided we ask that you please reference the Museum correctly and contact the Museum for permission where applicable. History of Oran Park In the early to mid-19th century when land within Sydney’s southwest w

In the Museum’s collection is a wonderful historic fire engine, the 1923 Merryweather Turntable Ladders, which celebrates its 100th birthday this year. In honour of such it has been commemorated as the Museum of Fire’s vehicle of the year for 2023. Whilst a somewhat allusive fire engine in the historical record, the Merryweather has certainly got some stories to tell over its 100-year tenure. Early History of Merryweather and the Petrol Fire Engine Revolution The turntable la

*This information is an extract from the colour-book produced by the Museum of Fire's Heritage Team to celebrate the history of Kingscliff Fire Brigade/Fire Station. Should you wish to use any of the information and pictures provided we ask that you please reference the Museum correctly and contact the Museum for permission where applicable. The Establishment of a Fire Brigade in Kingscliff The first record of the town of Kingscliff requesting fire protection for the area wa

During the mid-1800s, after military brigades had been disbanded due to their limited success as firefighters, private insurance companies began to form their own private fire brigade units. These were in theory, designated to protect those whose homes and businesses caught on fire for a price. Insurance fire brigades originate from England, with these companies' providing homes and businesses with “fire marks”, a plaque which consisted of the company's logo and was installed

Commer first began in south London around 1904 as Commercial Cars Ltd, manufacturing a variety of vehicles with a forward control aiming to implement better petrol-electric transmissions that relieved drivers of needing to master the art of the “crash gear box’. Commer would participate in the fire engine industry as early as 1910, teaming up with Henry Simonis and Co of Watford. Simonis was an established fire engineering company and provided the firefighting equipment and b

For this week’s blog we are taking a quick trip into the Museum’s Library to see what was making the headlines in “Fire News”, the official publication of the New South Wales Fire Brigades, NSWFB (now Fire and Rescue NSW, FRNSW). The year began, as they often do in New South Wales (NSW) with bushfires dominating in media reports. The most publicised was the 2003 Canberra bushfires which impacted almost 70% of the natural pastures of Australia’s capital city territory. After b

*This information is an extract from the colour-book produced by the Museum of Fire's Heritage Team to celebrate the history of Gulgong Fire Brigade/Fire Station. Should you wish to use any of the information and pictures provided we ask that you please reference the Museum correctly and contact the Museum for permission where applicable. The Gold Rush Fire Brigade (1875-c. 1880) With the discovery of gold in 1870 at Red Hill (the present-day site of Gulgong) the New South W

My last blog took a look back at the last year so it's perfect that this blog now looks to what we have planned for 2023! Our team at the Museum have a busy schedule of events planned for the year and I’m excited to see lots of visitors pass through our doors. Our calendar of public events kicks off on Sunday 12 February with our first Heritage Day of the year. The theme for this event is ladder, platform and aerial appliances. The two feature vehicles of this display day wil

30 years ago, on 27 December 1992 at 6:39pm fire crews were called to the Hampton Court Hotel at Kings Cross on Bayswater Road. The hotel had caught alight, beginning on the ground floor and was first noticed by staff working in the foyer office. The fire raged through the ground and first floor affecting the nightclub and bar present, with smoke damage affecting the upper residential levels of the hotel. The flames reached intense temperatures making it difficult for firefig

The “Blitz Truck" concept evolved in the mid-1930s from the desire of the British War Office to produce a standardised range of military vehicles for all British Commonwealth countries, except England itself, involved in war efforts. It was decided that these vehicles would be designed and built in Canada, due to the ready availability of materials, and expertise of American manufacturers. Both Ford and General Motors had plants in Canada at that time. Between 1939 and 1945 s