Station Focus: No. 220 Bellbird Fire Brigade (1925-2026)

The history and formation of Bellbird Fire Brigade is inseparable from the area’s coal mining history. The establishment of mines in the area began in the early 1900s, and with that brought the establishment of a nearby village in 1908. The looming threat of fire and the destruction it wrought, was soon made apparent after the Bellbird Mine disaster of 1923. Explosions at the Bellbird Colliery, one of the busiest coalfields in the region, on 3 September 1923 caused a number of underground fires, resulting in the death of 21 miners. The lack of proper rescue and firefighting equipment became clear to the community, prompting discussions within the Cessnock Shire Council to extend the Cessnock Fire District to encompass Bellbird, along with nearby Kitchener. These discussions were successful, and on 1 January 1925 the Bellbird Fire Sub-Station was formed under the leadership of H. (Toby) Kempe and connected to the nearby Cessnock Fire Station. Bellbird Fire Brigade was equipped with a hose reel and necessary equipment, with temporary accommodation set up in a shed behind B. S. Kempe and Co’s Store on the corner of Hetton Street and Wollombi Road.

Following a visit in March 1926 by the Board of Fire Commissioners of NSW (BoFC) to all three sub-stations in the Cessnock Fire District, that being Bellbird, Kitchener, and Kearsley, they decided it would be of greater benefit to the firefighters and the community for them to all run as independent brigades. This was approved, and in April 1926, Bellbird Fire Brigade became independent with H. Kempe promoted to Captain.

During this same visit, the BoFC began to look for a site in Bellbird on which to construct a permanent fire station. Unfortunately in 1926, there was no suitable Crown Land available that was both centrally located and had the necessary water facilities to meet fire brigade requirements. A suitable site was eventually found on the corner of Ruby and Hetton Streets and was purchased in November 1928, but despite the acquisition, progress would ultimately stall. Initial sketch plans were submitted by BoFC Architect McNiven in 1930, but a shortage of funds, a result of the Great Depression, meant that work could not go ahead. This would prove to be a recurring pattern, with sketch plans submitted on a number of occasions facing setbacks such as a post-war focus on directing materials toward the construction of homes in 1947, and an inability to advertise for tenders due to newsprint rationing in 1948.

In the meantime, Captain Kempe continued to campaign for a new fire station, as the shed the brigade was housed in had only ever been intended as a temporary solution and had fallen into a very poor state of affairs, coupled with the fact that he wanted the space to expand his store. Since Bellbird Fire Brigade was still operating out of this shed, they were unable to receive a motorised fire engine and were still protecting their community with nothing more than a hose reel. This became the final push for the BoFC to construct a proper fire station in Bellbird, so the brigade no longer had to rely on Cessnock's motorised fire engine.

The first Bellbird Fire Station, photographed c. 1980s [Museum of Fire Collection]

Unfortunately, even after tenders could be advertised following the end of newsprint rationing, the BoFC received no submissions. Instead, they turned their attention to a new solution: reusing materials from a timber-framed fibro vehicle storage shed the BoFC owned in Alexandria, which was being demolished. This approach allowed the BoFC to construct a fire station for Bellbird at a time when there continued to be a shortage of labour and materials following World War Two, and it also led to a speedy construction. The materials were sent to Bellbird on 26 April 1949, and by 13 May the small, single-bay fire station was ready for occupation. With a new fire station finally built, Bellbird Fire Brigade received a Garford Hale motor fire engine in 1950, increasing their ability to protect their community.

Although the fire station had only been constructed as a interim solution, Bellbird Fire Brigade would continue to call it home for many more decades. In 1981 the BoFC looked into the possibility of constructing a new fire station to be prefabricated off-site and transported to Bellbird, but this was put on hold while the BoFC sought to address the need for new fire stations across the district in the same manner. By 1985, Bellbird Fire Brigade had truly outgrown their station, with their new International 1710 fire engine having to be removed from the building just to give firefighters enough room to change into their turnout gear when called to a fire. In the early 1990s, Bellbird Fire Station was even in danger of being closed. However, due to public pressure and the recognition of three firefighters, N. Tomlinson. B. Janes and B. Parkes, with Australian Bravery Awards for their actions during the 1994 Bushfires, the brigade was saved and a new fire station was approved.

Then, on 7 October 1994, a violent windstorm swept through Bellbird, shifting the fire station from its foundations and rendering it unsafe for use, speeding up the timeline for receiving a new station. While the new station was being built, the brigade moved their fire engine to a nearby firefighter's house and responded to calls from his backyard. A shipping container was also installed beside the old fire station to store the brigade's equipment and serve as an office space. The remainder of the double-engine-bay fire station was prefabricated off-site and reconstructed in Bellbird. This lightweight galvanised steel fire station was one of the first of its type to be built in NSW. It was completed in July 1995, with an official opening ceremony held on 8 November 1995. The station has received minor renovations over the years, and the brigade remains a vital part of the local community, providing essential protection and fire safety education to the people of Bellbird.

The second Bellbird Fire Station, photographed 2016 [Courtesy of Bellbird Fire Brigade]

Historic Fleet List 

Year	Make/Model	Motor Engine Number	Type
1925	Butler and Wilkins	017	Hose Reel
1950	Garford 15	133	Pumper
1967	Dennis 250/400	229	Pumper
1970	Dennis F1	007	Pumper
1973	Bedford J1	065	Pumper
1980	Ford Thames	181	Pumper
1985	International 1710A	564	Pumper
2001	Isuzu FTR-800	440	Pumper
2018	Isuzu FTS-800	174	Tanker

Captain’s List

Name	Appointment as Captain	End of Service as Captain
H. Kempe	1925	1946
W. Hitchcock	1946	1953
G. Baldwin	1953	1965
N. Scott	1965	1968
N. J. Scott	1968	1969
N. Tomlinson	1969	1996
B. Janes	1996	2002
C. Fowler	2003	2007
D. Schreiber	2008	Present

Want to learn more about the history of Bellbird Fire Brigade? You can purchase a copy of the Bellbird station book either in-store or online by visiting www.museumoffire.net/product-page/station-books

- Story by Museum of Fire Heritage Team