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Command vehicles, also known as Fire Control vehicles or Incident Command vehicles, serve a unique purpose within the fleet of firefighting appliances. Command vehicles have not always been a staple however, as the concept was only truly introduced 1972 as the NSW Fire Brigades (NSWFB; now Fire and Rescue NSW, FRNSW) began exploring the opportunities and possibilities of what a Command vehicle might look like. Originally the concept envisioned by the brigade involved the usag

Establishment of a Fire Brigade in Coraki Established in 1849 before becoming a bustling riverside port in the 1880s, Coraki looked to establish their own fire brigade under the Fire Brigades Act at the start of the twentieth century. The town was then successful in achieving incorporation under the Fire Brigades Act in the year 1912. Unfortunately, due to miscommunication between the Coraki Council and the Board of Fire Commissioners of NSW (BoFC) the Council missed out on

Did you know that it has been a decade since the Hon. Robyn Parker, Minister for the Environment and heritage attended the Museum to announce the listing of several of the Museum’s collection items onto the NSW State Heritage Register. What is the heritage register? The NSW State Heritage Register was created to identify places and objects that are of significance to the state of New South Wales. These places and objects help provide us with insight to previous generations

History of Pulpit Point and the Mobil Oil Depot Pulpit Point, located in the suburb of Hunters Hill in Sydney, was the home of one of Sydney’s most integral oil depots since the city’s early history. Situated along Pulpit Point to Fern Bay, sailing ships and cargo vessels delivered oil related goods as early as 1895, unloading stock such as kerosene, petrol, and lubricating oil. In 1907 the oil depot become known as and operated under the name of the Vacuum Oil Company which

It’s time for another look back at what was happening in the world of the NSW Fire Brigade (NSWFB, today known as Fire and Rescue NSW, FRNSW) thirty years ago, twenty years ago and ten years ago! Here is a quick spin through thirty years of history! Thirty Years Ago - 1994 Thirty years ago, in 1994, there were a lot of legislative changes being enacted by the NSW Government that directly affected the NSWFB, specifically through amendments to the Fire Brigades Act (1989). The

The 1994 State Championships was hosted by West Tamworth at Scully Park, part of the West Tamworth Leagues Club complex. Training segments were conducted by the NSWFB Training Section throughout the week. Cordage, Recue, BA/Hazmat, Appliance Driving & Pump Operations and First Aid made for a busy week for all the competing teams. With 96 teams entered from across NSW, Victoria and New Zealand, making competition intense. The turn out of this State Championship with so many te

We are excited to bring you our most recent update to our New and Noteworthy exhibit. To showcase the vast collection we have at the Museum of Fire, this exhibit gives us a chance to showcase new donations or noteworthy objects in our collection. The objects chosen for this display highlight Australia’s bushfire history, ranging from board games and education kits to collectable limited-edition figurines. The exhibit is on display for a limited time only so be sure to catch i

Establishing a Brigade in Mullumbimby In 1911 recommendations were put forward for the extension of the Fire Brigades Act 1909 to include Mullumbimby. In November of that same year, Inspecting Officer Thomas Nance (later Chief Officer of the New South Wales Fire Brigade, NSWFB, Today FRNSW) was dispatched to determine the suitability of Mullumbimby for the establishment of a dedicated fire brigade. The application of the Fire Brigades Act was proclaimed in the Government Gaz

On Sunday 8th September 2024 the Museum hosted our annual History Week Keynote Presentation with this years theme being "Marking Time". As the official heritage partner to Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) the Museum is in the habit of commemorating and remembering the role of firefighters and the history of firefighting each and every day. This year marks 140 years since the establishment of FRNSW with the passing of the Fire Brigades Act 1884. We remember this milestone with spec

Warning: Readers are advised that some of the images contained in this blog may be confronting and cause distress On 7 September 1994 at 2:30pm an automatic alarm alerted brigades to a fire at the Sydney Bowlers Club at 95-99 York Street, Sydney. Firefighter Darren Moore responded to the incident on the initial call. On arrival at the scene, he was carrying out his duties as the driver of the City of Sydney’s salvage appliance when he noticed movement inside a window of the f