Six Years of the Museum of Fire Blog - A Look Back at a Year of Stories

It’s that time of the year again when we look back over the stories we’ve shared on our blog. One of the things our team really enjoy is being able to make history accessible to everyone, especially those who may not be able to attend the Museum and our blog well and truly meets that mark with almost 36,000 people taking time to read the stories our team have shared. 

Here are the most popular blogs from the last twelve months:

10."Leading the Brigade: A New Exhibit About the Leaders Who Shaped Fire and Rescue NSW"(Published 23 September 2025)

At the Museum of Fire, we’re constantly reviewing our exhibits that haven’t been updated in years. This gives us the opportunity to breathe new life into these topics and showcase more objects from our collection. Our latest exhibit, which we revamped earlier this month, delves into the history of the Commissioners and Chief Officers of Fire and Rescue NSW (formerly the NSW Fire Brigades and the Metropolitan Fire Brigade). We knew we had more stories and objects to share alongside this history, so we were thrilled to make this change.

To read the blog click here.

9."'We are the backbone of the community' - A look at the Career of Chief Officer Vivian Lowther" (Published 12 August 2025)

Chief Officer Vivian Lowther, 1975 [Museum of Fire Collection]

Born on the 12 August 1911, Vivian Lowther began his career in 1927 working as an apprentice with the NSW Government Railways as a fitter and turner. Once he had completed his apprenticeship in 1932, he began looking for work as a tradesman, however, due to the ongoing Depression he was unable to find work. During his job search he enquired about working in the NSW Fire Brigades (NSWFB) workshops, but while they didn’t have any positions going, they did suggest he apply to become a firefighter instead. So, six months later Lowther was accepted into the NSWFB at the age of 22, on 31 October 1933.

To read more about the life and career of Chief Officer Vivian Lowther click here.

8."Remembering Reg Varley: A Life of Service, Skill and Generosity" (Published 14 April 2026)

Reg Varley at the opening of the M12 Motorway on 14 March 2026

The Museum of Fire community is deeply saddened by the passing of Reg Varley, a long-time volunteer, supporter and friend whose contribution to the Museum and the wider firefighting community spans decades.

Reg’s connection to firefighting began in 1974, when he joined the New South Wales Fire Brigades at No. 79 Ingleburn Fire Station. Over a 23-year career, he rose to the rank of Deputy Captain, a position he held for 12 years before retiring in 1997. His commitment to the brigade was marked not only by leadership, but by a practical, hands-on approach that would come to define much of his life.

To read more about the life and work of Reg Varley click here.

7."The Watchroom - The Nerve Centre of a Fire Station (Published 14 July 2025)

One of our most well-loved displays here at the Museum of Fire is the watchroom. All communications were channelled through the watchroom and may have come from public phone lines, direct lines from other stations, connection to street fire alarm pillar boxes, public buildings - such as theatres and other high-risk locations - fire detection systems, and to the ‘call out’ bells in the homes of volunteer firefighters. All the information received in the watchroom was then recorded in real time in diaries called Occurrence Books (you can read all about the history of Occurrence Books here). You could find watchrooms located in fire district offices and in fire stations all across NSW, where they were staffed 24 hours a day.

To read more about the watchroom, click here.

Watchroom at Headquarters Fire Station, c.1940s [Museum of Fire Collection]

6."When a Bus Became a Fire Engine: AEC Regent III Merryweather Turntable Ladders" (Published 6 November 2025)

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.

To read the blog click here.

5."Remembering Chatswood Fire Station" (Published 7 August 2025)

At the Museum of Fire, our mission extends beyond simply housing historic objects. We exist to preserve and share the stories, memories, and moments that define our past, especially those belonging to our emergency first responders. This is particularly important in our role as a history museum, where we document and honour the legacy of firefighting across New South Wales.

Our commitment to preservation goes well beyond the museum walls. We work closely with Fire and Rescue NSW to protect the state’s firefighting heritage wherever it exists, whether in objects, stories, or buildings. Recently, that mission led us to participate in one of the more difficult realities of heritage work: advocating for recognition and remembrance when physical preservation is no longer possible. This was the case with the historic Chatswood Fire Station.

To read the blog click here.

Willoughby Fire Station (later called Chatswood), c.1900 [Museum of Fire Collection]

4."120 Year Ago: Forbes Interstate Fire Brigade Demonstration" (Published 29 July 2025)

The Firefighter Championships began as ‘Demonstrations’ or ‘Demos’, where fire brigades exhibited their skills to the local community. Events in the Demos were based on real situations firefighters faced daily and were designed to highlight their talent and expertise whilst having the extra benefit of being a form of training.

This week, our Championship historian and guest blogger John Hand, takes us back 120 years to the 1905 Annual Interstate Fire Brigade Demonstration held in Forbes.

Forbes, led by Captain Harrison, began their involvement in Fire Brigade Demonstrations as early as 1893 when the team was one of 39 who competed at Bathurst, competing again in 1899.

To read more about the 1905 Forbes Demonstration click here.

Large group of officers, captains and volunteer firefighters at the Forbes Demonstration, 1905 [Museum of Fire Collection]

3."The Savoy Hotel Fire, 25 December 1975" (Published 23 December 2025

*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 minutes, an inferno turned the holiday into horror. Fifteen people lost their lives, and 25 were critically injured in the blaze, making it the deadliest hotel fire in Australia at that time. The tragedy unfolding on a day meant for joy shocked the nation and remains one of the darkest Christmas mornings in Sydney’s history. 

To read more about the Savoy Hotel Fire click here.

Savoy Hotel Fire, 25 December 1975 [Museum of Fire Collection]

2."The Buckingham's Department Store Fire: Sydney, ANZAC Day 1968" (10 February 2026)

On 25 April 1968, one of Sydney’s most unforgettable fires lit up Darlinghurst, capturing the attention of thousands of city residents and leaving a lasting mark on the city’s history. The fire destroyed Buckingham’s Department Store, an iconic building on the corner of Oxford and Riley Streets, which had been a familiar presence in Sydney since it was established at the start of the twentieth century by Ashley James Buckingham. The store had earned a loyal following among the “respectable working class” of the surrounding suburbs, offering quality goods at affordable prices and pioneering one of the city’s earliest easy credit systems, which encouraged customers to buy now and pay later. Young women and working families alike passed through its doors, drawn by its accessibility and reputation for dependable merchandise. The Buckingham family retained ownership until 1967, when the building was sold, and within a year, it would be consumed by fire.

To read more about the Buckingham's Department Store Fire click here.

Buckingham's Fire, 25 April 1968. Firefighters run from a collapsing wall of Buckingham's store when a spectacular fire gutted it during demolition [Museum of Fire Collection, Courtesy of Bauer Media]

1."Major Gas Explosion at Kogarah - 4 December 1995 (Published 3 December 2025)

Fire and blast at Amusement Zone in Kogarah, 4 December 1995 [Museum of Fire Collection]

On Monday, 4 December 1995, a quiet afternoon in Kogarah was shattered by a devastating gas explosion at a family amusement centre on Railway Street. What began as a report of a strong smell of gas quickly escalated into one of the most serious incidents the area had seen in decades. Firefighters from No. 021 Kogarah and No. 029 Rockdale were dispatched at 2:00pm, but before crews could fully assess the situation, two powerful explosions ripped through the premises, hurling debris up to 20 metres from the building.

Recognising the severity of the incident, Station Commander Robert Finlay issued a “Red Message” requesting significant reinforcements. Appliances and firefighters from No. 020 Hurstville and No. 052 Campsie soon arrived on scene and swiftly began assisting firefighters in containing the burning gas and cooling surrounding exposures, despite the building continuing to vent explosive concentrations of gas.

We’d also like to pay tribute to the two most popular station blogs of the last twelve months: 

Station Focus 015 Burwood Fire Brigade 1882 - 2025 (Published 8 December 2025)

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 Church. The fire spread rapidly, and the absence of a local brigade saw a fire engine sent to the church by train, although this would ultimately prove fruitless due to the lack of water, leading to the destruction of the church. 

To read more on the history of Burwood Fire Brigade click here.

Burwood Volunteer Fire Brigade with their mascot, 1912 [Museum of Fire Collection]

Station Focus 083 Riverstone Fire Brigade 1925 - 2025 (Published 22 July 2025)

Interest in the fire protection of Riverstone was brought to the foreground in 1923. At this time, Riverstone was located within the Windsor Fire District and received protection from Windsor Fire Brigade, however, the brigade was unable to provide adequate fire protection to Riverstone due to the great distance between the two towns and Riverstone’s lack of a reticulated water supply. This meant Riverstone was at risk of being removed from the Fire Brigades Act unless a pumping engine was installed and a sub-station formed, with water to be drawn from private tanks until a reticulated water supply was installed. On 1 April 1925, a brick shed with a galvanised iron roof on Riverstone Parade, adjoining the Taylor Brothers Produce Store, was obtained by the Board of Fire Commissioners of NSW (BoFC) to serve as a fire station. The horse-drawn turbine pump was then delivered later in the month, and on 1 May 1925 the first two firefighters were appointed to Riverstone Fire Brigade, these were Captain J. W. J. Weaver and Firefighter A. Keegan.  

To read more about the history of Riverstone Fire Brigade click here.

Riverstone's second fire station, February 1968. [Museum of Fire Collection]

The most read blog of the last 12 months though was actually a blog published back in 2024, The Luna Park Ghost Train Incident 1979. Almost 5,000 people accessed this post over the last twelve months. 

To read the Lunar Park Ghost Train Incident blog click here.

~Story by the Museum of Fire Team