Station Focus: 210 Balgownie Fire Brigade 1925 - 2025

Attempts to Form a Brigade 

Consideration regarding fire protection in the North Illawarra District began to be explored by the Board of Fire Commissioners of NSW (BoFC) as early as October 1922. Local interest in forming a brigade was expressed in June-July 1924 when the School of Arts wrote to the BoFC to enquire about the possibility of a fire brigade in the Balgownie area. Similar sentiments were expressed in the neighbouring town of Corrimal, and it was in October that establishing a brigade was at the forefront of community discussion.  

On 17 October 1924, the North Illawarra Fire District was proclaimed under the Fire Brigades Act, instituting the North Illawarra Fire Brigade on 1 January 1925. The North Illawarra Fire Brigade, consisted of Corrimal and Balgownie, with Corrimal as the head station and Balgownie as a sub-station.  

From Temporary to Permanent Fire Station  

Balgownie’s sub-station experienced some difficulties in the early years. The fledgling brigade of four members struggled to secure a site to serve as their sub-station. As efforts to find a suitable building failed, the School of Arts was approached about the suitability of erecting a shed to house the brigade’s appliances on their property, albeit this endeavour would ultimately fail. Whilst Balgownie attempted to secure housing for its appliance, fires in the district were attended by brigades from Bulli and Wollongong.  

Whilst Balgownie was in the process of determining a site for their sub-station, Corrimal also experienced some early difficulties in establishing their station. Originally, Captain Sunderland of the North Illawarra Fire Brigade, who looked after both Corrimal and Balgownie, housed the two hose-reels that belonged to Corrimal and Balgownie at his home. In late January 1925, Senior Firefighter Tucker from Balgownie assumed responsibility for their hose reel, housing it at his home instead. As a result, Tucker received an increase in his retainer for the added responsibility of caring for the hose reel, and progress to establish a proper residence for their equipment hastened. In June 1925, a site was purchased by the BoFC, having frontage along Balgownie Road and being in a prime position with slightly higher elevation and ease of access.  

Balgownie’s first station was a simple shed that was meant only to be a temporary measure and, as such, Balgownie would receive its second, more permanent fire station in 1929. Following the plans created by the BoFC, construction began on the new Balgownie Fire Station with invitations for tenders advertised in March 1929. The BoFC employed A. Howarth from West Maitland to undertake the construction, and work began in early May that same year. Building work was completed at the end of August, and the station was ready for occupation by early September. Balgownie Fire Station was officially opened by the President of the BoFC on 26 November 1929. 

Watercolour drawing of Balgownie's second fire station, 1929 [Museum of Fire Collection]

Separation of the North Illawarra Fire Brigade 

Corrimal also received a brand-new, purpose-built fire station in 1929. The two brigades were well-equipped, able to maintain their respective areas, and no longer needed to preside under the joint management of the North Illawarra Fire Brigade. Hence, on 1 December 1929, the two brigades officially split, now able to operate independently from one another. The following decades would see to a more efficient arrangement of managing the fire district; however, the fire protection needs of the suburb of Balgownie soon outgrew the station it had been given. Although the town had been largely isolated when it had been brought under the BoFC, by the 1950s, what was once open land had been densely settled. Balgownie Fire Station had not been constructed to house appliances larger than a motor hose carriage like the Essex Super Six and Dodge Six from the 1930s. By the late 1950s, these appliances were becoming obsolete and were not ideal for providing fire protection in the ever-growing suburb of Balgownie. Whilst the BoFC experimented with the idea of purchasing a new site and the construction of an entirely new station, it was ultimately settled upon in 1960 that a timber extension be added to the existing engine bay so as to accommodate larger appliances such as a Dennis 250, which Balgownie did receive their very own in that same year.      

Balgownie’s Third Fire Station  

Looking to expand their premises, the Mt Pleasant Sports and Social Club approached the BoFC in 1966 about the potential of purchasing the land on which the existing fire station stood, and in exchange, offered an alternative plot of land that adjoined the Club that could be utilised for the purposes of a fire station. Whilst this offer ultimately did not go ahead, the BoFC were open to negotiating with the Club and would revisit the conversation in 1969. 

By November 1969, an agreement was reached between the Mt Pleasant Sports and Social Club and the BoFC. It was agreed that the Club would transfer ownership of Lot 7, 113 Balgownie Road to the BoFC and contribute $14,500 (approximately $212,800 today) to the construction of the new fire station in exchange for ownership of the land on which the present station stood. A final agreement was made in February 1970 that saw the BoFC sell its fire station property to the Club, whilst the Club sold a new parcel of land in return. 

Requests for sketch plans of the new proposed station were made in May 1970, and were submitted and approved later that month. The BoFC hired Sewell and Hughes Pty. Ltd. to undertake the construction of the new station building. Construction predominantly took place in the first half of 1971, with the Brigade’s motor appliance, gear, and equipment transferred to the newly complete site on 12 May 1971.

Balgownie Fire Brigade's third fire station, c.1990s [Museum of Fire Collection]

Balgownie Fire Brigade after its Station Developments 

Balgownie, over the latter half of the 20th century has been pivotal in the firefighting community, being a brigade that has significantly contributed to the Firefighter Championships in recent history. Whilst the brigade would make their original debut in 1939, it would be their triumphant return in 1978 that would be the beginning of 30 years of success competing. Having not only done well in the competition, Balgownie has also hosted the Zone Firefighter Championships over a number of years, as well as their own Captain, Greg Fredericks, being a pivotal individual in the Championship community, serving as President of the Firefighter Championships Association for over 15 years.  

Today, the Brigade serves the community valiantly, being one of the busier fire stations in the Illawarra, attending incidents more so than fires, and playing a key role in delivering fire safety education to the community and to schools.  

Captains List 

Name	Appointment as Captain	End of Service as Captain
T. Sunderland*	1925	1930
C. W. Tucker	1930	1965
W. Tucker	1965	1983
P. D. Priest	1983	2003
K. J. Lawrence	2004	2014
G. W. Fredericks	2014	2018
L. Rowles	2018	Present

 *Prior to 1930, when the brigade operated as a sub-station within the North Illawarra Fire District, they were under the Captaincy of T. Sunderland of the Corrimal Fire Brigade. 

Historic Fleet List 

Year	Make/Model	Fleet Number	Type
1925	-	-	Hose Cart
1929	-	-	Hose Cart
1937	Dodge 6	063	Motor Hose Carriage
1952	Essex Super Six	156	Motor Hose Carriage
1959-60	Garford 15	145	Pumper
1960	Dennis 250/400	112	Pumper
1966	Bedford J1	188	Pumper
1971	Ford Thames	127	Pumper
1979	Dennis D600 Mk1	422	Pumper
1985	International 1710B	645	Pumper
1992-3	International 1710C	102	Pumper
1995-6	International 1810C	128	Pumper
2002	Isuzu FTR-800	498	Pumper
2015	Mercedes Atego 1629	404	Pumper

-Story by Museum of Fire Heritage Team