Blog

Winner's Announced for the Museum of Fire 2025 Art Competition

On Thursday 15 January 2026, we hosted the awards ceremony for our 2025 Art Competition. In 2025, Fire and Rescue NSW marked 40 years since women were first formally allowed to join the brigade as firefighters, a milestone that transformed the service and paved the way for generations of trailblazers. To honour this important anniversary, the Museum of Fire proudly presents Trailblazers , a special exhibition celebrating the courage, achievements and enduring legacy of the

Museum of Fire Heritage Team

Jan 175 min read

The Armidale Amazons: The First Women's Brigade Established in NSW

The Establishment Of The Armidale Amazons Forming in 1901 under the guidance of Captain T. Webb from the Armidale Fire Brigade, the ‘Amazons’ as they are affectionately known as were a brigade of incredibly well trained young women. Literature at the time of the NSW Fire Brigade’s existence confirms they were established as a ‘novelty performance group’, but despite this, their skill became well known both around Australia and overseas, with American newspapers even reporting

Museum of Fire Heritage Team

Oct 28, 20252 min read

Dr Kristine Klugman: Opening the Doors for Women in Firefighting

Dr Kristine Klugman, Deputy President of the Board of Fire Commissioners of NSW, 1984 [Museum of Fire Collection] When Dr Kristine Klugman was appointed Deputy President of the Board of Fire Commissioners of NSW in 1982, she became the first woman to take on a senior leadership role in the then 98-year-old organisation. Her appointment not only made history—it also set in motion a chain of reforms that would ultimately lead to the inclusion of women in active firefighting rol