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This year marks 140 years of continual service to the community by Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW). In highlighting this milestone, let’s go back in time to one of its first leaders. In 1884 FRNSW was known as the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) and whilst it was governed by a board, the chief firefighter in charge was known as the Superintendent and the first Superintendent was William Bear (1884-1898). Let’s take a look back at his history and his pivotal leadership which has s

This blog was written for History Week 2020 which looked at the oldest still in use fire station outside of Sydney. The Museum of Fire's Heritage Team would like to thank Orange Fire Brigade and the local community for their support of History Week 2020. It was in December 1868 that steps were taken by Orange Council to establish a local Fire Brigade. The records are sketchy but by February 1869 a Brigade had been formed as they wrote to Council seeking financial assistance t

*This information is an extract from the colour-book produced by the Museum of Fire's Heritage Team to celebrate the history of Warrawong Fire Brigade. 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 Port Kembla/Warrawong The present-day area of Port Kembla and Warrawong historically remained largely un-develo

The Black Saturday Bushfires of 2009 remain one of the most devastating emergency incidents in Australian history. A number of large bushfires across the state of Victoria caused devastation to communities and wildlife, with emergency services from across the country providing aid both during and after the event. Lives, houses, whole towns, and wildlife were lost in the tragedy, however, the strong Australian camaraderie, mateship and resilience never wavered. Australia had b

*This information is an extract from the colour-book produced by the Museum of Fire's Heritage Team to celebrate the history of Singleton 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 Singleton Volunteer Fire Brigade On Friday 16 April 1886, a public meeting was held at the Singleton Municipal Council Chambers to discuss taking

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

*This information is an extract from the colour-book produced by the Museum of Fire's Heritage Team to commemorate the opening of South West Rocks Fire Station at a ceremony held on Thursday 13 June 2019. 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 South West Rocks In February 1974 the Macleay Council wrot

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

*This information is an extract from the colour-book produced by the Museum of Fire's Heritage Team to celebrate the opening of the new Ryde Fire Station on 24 November 2023. The following is dedicated to the station's continuing history. 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. Establishing a Brigade in Ryde Like many other districts, the e