Peeking through the doors of the Fire Services Museum, you’re about to embark on a journey through time. This museum is dedicated to preserving Victoria’s firefighting history. The Fire Services Museum Victoria opened its doors in 1979. It all started in 1972 as the Melbourne Fire Brigade Historical Society.
Back then, people worried about historic MFB items being thrown away. These concerned citizens gathered interesting items. They shared their finds, inspiring others. This led to the creation of the museum we see today.
Initially, the museum focused mainly on Melbourne’s fire service. But in 1991, it expanded its scope. It became the Fire Services Museum of Victoria. Now, it preserves and displays the broader history of fire services across Victoria.
Inside the Fire Services Museum, you will discover over 10,000 fire-related items. The collection includes memorabilia, photographs, documents and uniforms. You’ll find items not only from Victoria but also from interstate and overseas. It’s one of the largest collections of firefighting memorabilia in Australia.
Before 1891, fire protection in Melbourne was a fragmented affair. Insurance brigades protected their clients. Volunteer brigades served various organizations. Municipal brigades were funded by city councils. Even private companies like Carlton United Breweries had their own brigades.
Imagine a chaotic scene. Insurance company brigades would arrive at a fire. If they saw a competitor’s fire mark on the building, they might leave it to burn. There was no coordinated command. Brigades fought over water mains and fire control. Equipment was incompatible. Some brigades simply returned to their stations.
To address this chaos, the Victorian Government passed the Metropolitan Fire Brigades Board Act in 1890. This act disbanded all existing fire brigades in the Metropolitan Fire District. Members were invited to join the newly formed Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB). The MFB had both career firefighters and partly paid retainers until the mid-1960s.
The Fire Brigade Board met for the first time in April 1891. They decided to buy land for a headquarters. The location was on Eastern Hill at the corner of Victoria Parade and Gisborne Street. It cost 12,000 pounds. Eastern Hill was chosen because it was the highest point in Melbourne. This provided a downhill run for horse-drawn fire carts in all directions. A lookout tower was planned for an unobstructed view of Melbourne.
A design competition was held for the building. It had to include a 150-foot lookout tower. It also needed three engine bays, a ladder house and accommodation for the Chief Officer. The budget was 16,000 pounds. Smith & Johnson, along with Lloyd Taylor & Fitts, were appointed joint architects.
T. Cockram & Co won the construction tender at 16,000 pounds. The contract was signed on November 15, 1892. The building had to be completed by September 1893. The firm had built many well-known buildings. These included the Federal Hotel, Windsor Hotel, Princess Theatre and Captains Cook Cottage.
The Eastern Hill fire station was designed in the Queen Anne style. It used red bricks. The fire station officially opened on November 3, 1893. Many people attended to inspect the station. They also witnessed a parade by the brigade. The parade included eight steam fire engines, the Hayes extension ladder and 20 hose carts. 200 firefighters marched past Chief Officer D. Stein.
The Fire Services Museum of Victoria has a working fleet of vehicles. Volunteers, including retired mechanics, restore these vehicles at Newport. The museum needs new members. New members would allow the museum to open on additional days.
Originally, the watchroom was a hayloft for stables. After the last fire horse was sold in 1919, the hayloft was converted into a watchroom. The watchroom operated from 1927 to 1984. It was monitored until 1991. Three firefighters manned the watchroom 24 hours a day. They processed up to a thousand fire calls a week.
Before telephones were common, two firefighters were stationed in the 150-foot lookout tower. They scanned the Melbourne skyline for fires. They would then relay the details to the watchroom. The southern side of the building had a structure for firefighting drills.
Today, the Fire Services Museum of Victoria stands as a testament to the dedication and bravery of firefighters.