Coledale Fire Brigade - A Brief History 1930 - 2024

A fire brigade was first established in Coledale in January 1930, with the first station premises being a garage-type building consisting of a single room and made of weatherboard, concrete floors and an iron roof. The Board of Fire Commissioners of NSW leased this building from Mr. E. Meades for an original tenancy of five years, although this would remain the brigade’s home for over 26 years. Initially, five volunteers called this rented premises home and were equipped with a hose cart, three scaling ladders, a chemical fire extinguisher and over 700ft (approximately 215 metres) of hose to be able to provide fire protection to the coastal village. 

Coledale Fire Brigade, crew of five with hose cart c. 1930s [Museum of Fire Collection]

Following two decades occupying the station, the Coledale Brigade grew in membership and firefighting equipment had improved. The current station, unable to house the larger modern fire engines of the 1950s led to the investigation of a new site and construction of a new station. In 1953 the Council of Greater Wollongong accepted in principle that a new fire station ought to be constructed. The Board of Fire Commissioners of NSW were not in a position at that time to fund the construction of a new station and requested the assistance of the Council. Assistance was granted and in 1956 Coledale received a brand-new station. Relocated to Lawrence Hargrave Drive, the new station was better equipped to house a motor fire engine, accommodate the growing numbers of the brigade, and better positioned to respond to incidents. Six years later in 1962 the station was then purchased by the Board with the station then under complete ownership of the NSW Fire Brigades.  

Besides serving the local area in rescue operations and the extinguishment of fire, Coledale have also been a staple in their community. The brigade over the course of their history have hosted a variety of balls and fundraisers and continue to do so, being renowned for contributing to the betterment of the Coledale area.  

Coledale Fire Station with an International 1710B, c. 1990s [Museum of Fire Collection]

Coledale have also participated in firefighter demonstrations, now known as championships, from 1954 to 1992. During their time at championships Coledale found success during the 1970s to 1980s from the hose reel and ladder event, placing first at Port Macquarie in 1976 and second at Tweed Heads in 1980, to finding acclaim having also achieved a placement in the top two for the hose reel event at Queanbeyan in 1978 and Port Macquarie in 1982.  

Stepping into the twenty first century, as the brigade developed and technology advanced, Coledale Station once again needed to adjust. Renovations that took place from 2023-2024 saw to the implementation of an internal breathing apparatus store, a new PPC room, extensions to the engine bay, new lockers for crews and an improved exhaust system which helps to create the clean area principle which sees firefighters kept safe from contamination from incident related contaminants. The refurbishment to the station also saw the establishment of inclusive facilities such as unisex bathrooms as well as female and male locker rooms in an initiative of Fire and Rescue NSW to improve its facilities in service of its rich and diverse workforce. 

Here is a highlight list of all of the captains who have served at Coledale to date, as well as a list of their appliances that they have used to protect the community throughout their history: 

Coledale Captains

Name	Date of Appointment	Date of Resignation
W. Speed	1930	1938
F. Meades	1938	1939
A.  Speed	1939	1975
J. Cook	1975	1981
K. Dingwall	1981	1983
C. Barton	1983	1993
J. Brandsma	1993	1998
G. Rays	1998	1999
N. Dawson	1999	2012
C. Kubara	2012	Present

Historic Appliance List for Coledale

Year	Make/Model	ME Number	Type
1929	-	122	Hose Cart
1937	Dodge 6	036	Motor Hose Carriage
1952	Dennis 250 sv	162	Pumper
1965	Dennis Light 4	276	Pumper
1969	Bedford J1	185	Pumper
1979	Dennis D-600 Mk1	428	Pumper
1980	Ford Thames	096	Pumper
1984	Dennis D-600 Mk 1	396	Pumper
1994	International 1710B	571	Pumper
2005	International 1810C	306	Pumper
2006	Isuzu FTR-900 4x2	605	Pumper

-Blog by the Museum of Fire Heritage Team