Blog

The history of Bowral Fire Brigade, its formation and growth, reflect the grit and resilience that has long defined country towns and those who reside in them. As early as 1886, residents of Bowral began expressing their concern over the lack of a fire brigade in town. They feared that the town was ill-prepared for a large fire, especially since they had no reticulated water supply and relied solely on wells and tanks. This fear came to fruition when a disastrous fire swept t

*DISCLAIMER - The following incident contains the mention of deceased persons and showcases photographs from the horrific incident, reader discretion is advised. Before the sun even rose on Christmas Day 1975, a devastating fire engulfed the Savoy Private Hotel on Darlinghurst Road in Sydney’s Kings Cross district. The five-story hotel was packed with around 60 guests, a mix of local workers and holiday travellers who were taking advantage of the festive season. Within minute

Burwood Fire Station, c.2005 [Museum of Fire Collection] The Establishment of Burwood Fire Brigade   The rapid growth of Burwood in the late 1800s necessitated local fire protection measures, as relying solely on fire companies from metropolitan Sydney, which at the time was considered too distant, proved inadequate. The Burwood community was acutely aware of the fire risk, having experienced a devastating fire on 2 January 1879 that destroyed the Burwood Congregational Churc

What is Urban Search and Rescue? Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) is a multi-agency task force comprised of a variety of specialists from Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW; previously NSW Fire Brigades, NSWFB), NSW Police Force, NSW State Emergency Service (SES), NSW Ambulance, engineers from NSW Public Works, and several federal government departments. Usually consisting of 72 individuals, predominantly made up of FRNSW members, the task force is led by a senior FRNSW officer respons

Between 1950 and 1957, the renowned fire engine manufacturer Merryweather produced a variety of equipment including pumps, turntable ladders, and specialized tenders with 138 of these items being installed on AEC’s Regent III or Regal III bus chassis. These hybrid creations were assembled on a special production line at the Maudslay Motors factory (by then owned by AEC) and became iconic examples of post-war engineering ingenuity. AEC Merryweather turntable ladders at an unkn

2000 Coffs Harbour State Championships Crest [Image Courtesy of John Hand] The Firefighter Championships began as ‘Demonstrations’ or...

On Sunday 14 September 2025, the Museum of Fire hosted our annual History Week Keynote Presentation. At the Museum of Fire, we have...

Volunteer Origins Several discussions were held in the early 1900s to form a fire brigade in the West Wyalong district. By March 1907, a...

Manual Fire Engines  Today, fire engines are a sight to behold, their bright red colour, flashing lights, and loud sirens herald their...

Life Before the Brigade Born on the 12 August 1911, Vivian Lowther began his career in 1927 working as an apprentice with the NSW...