Blog

As we enter a new year there is much to look forward to at the Museum. These school holidays are already very busy with extra weekday fire engine rides available thanks to the dedication of our volunteers. The 2023 Art Competition Exhibit has also opened and will remain on show throughout the summer. The 2023 theme was “rescue”, and the caliber of entries was very high which has made the judging process very difficult. The winners will be announced at a ceremony to be held la

In the last twelve months the world has returned to some sort of normalcy, following what seemed like a never-ending series of lockdowns. While this is a good thing, we were unsure how it would impact visitation to the Museum. Despite the difficulties the pandemic created, it also aided in the growth of visitation to the Museum with many families and individuals looking for activities close to home. With the option to now travel further afield we were unsure how this would im

Considering the turbulent environmental issues experienced over the previous two Financial Years (FY), it is pleasing to report that this 2022-2023 FY we were blessed with some clear air and were able to get on with building, technological and collection improvements. This is not to say that challenges didn’t arise, but our staff and volunteers guided by our CEO Belinda McMartin we were able to efficiently and effectively deal with them. I think all that have visited the Muse

Our Halloween Rocks scavenger hunt is now entering its third year and it has been so popular in the past that we have extended it from Saturday 28th until Tuesday 31st October where the Museum will remain open until 7pm with fire engine rides running throughout the day until 6pm ( see website for details ). The best part is that ALL children who come in costume get in for FREE! So, get your kids Halloween costume ready & come join the team for a spookily fun adventure! *Terms

Last year for Ask a Museum Day 2022 we introduced you to the Heritage Team which at the time had some fresh additions to the team, Ben as the new curator (that’s me) and Ella as the Assistant Curator. A year has passed, and we still get questions each and everyday from people asking us about what it is we exactly get up to in our jobs, so we wanted to take the opportunity this year now that we have been in our roles for a little while to answer some of those questions! Interv

When it comes to operating a museum about firefighting, it may seem ironic that one of the greatest threats to a museum, is fire, or it may be the perfect opportunity to practice what we preach when it comes to fire safety. You may have noticed a few planned and sudden un-planned closures for the Museum this year and at the heart of all these closures has been our desire to ensure the Museum is protected when it comes to fire safety and the integrity of the building. Five ye

It’s time again for another CEO Blog and the speed at which they seem to come around only highlights just how fast this year is moving! Our team have been so busy reflecting on how demanding April and May were that the prospect of the upcoming school holiday period being just as eventful was relegated to the backs of our minds. Now as the end of the financial year and July fast approaches what’s up next for our team is at the top of our minds! For our heritage team, in the Mu

For the last 46 years (since 1977), International Museum Day has been celebrated by Museum’s all around the world. The theme is selected by the International Council of Museum’s (ICOM) and organisations, no matter what size, are encouraged to engage and share their stories. Ironically, I was so busy talking Museum’s at the #AMAGA2023 conference in Newcastle that the day almost passed me by, and I didn’t get my usual chance to reflect on what the day meant for our small organi

The Museum of Fire is proud to have been shortlisted in the 2023 National Heritage Awards in the category of Conservation – Interiors and Objects for the restoration of the 1959 Commer Fire Engine. The project saw an original 1959 Commer C5FT fire engine restored by our hard-working team of volunteers to a state of completeness unseen since 1983. The Commer C5FT is one of four in existence in NSW and is the only known one to have been restored to this degree. The Commer has

An update from our CEO, Belinda McMartin The team at the Museum have come to accept that April and May are now our busiest time of year with lots of activities at the Museum, school holidays and our attendance at the Easter Show as well as the Hawkesbury Show. Rather than be daunted by the numerous tasks at hand our team rally and tackle each event with new vigour. To allow these activities to take place our entire staffing body is required to lend a hand, all hands to the p