Buxton Fire Brigade

100% Volunteer

Brigade History

Highlights

This is a brief list of highlights. For a more comprehensive history of Buxton Fire Brigade, please refer to the Buxton History Book.

Also see the Honour Rolls for Awards and Officers.

Black Friday destroyed Narbethong and burnt parts of Buxton and Marysville. Subsequent Royal Commission orders creation of single organisation to oversee the autonomous bush brigades.

World War II begins, draining local manpower.

Buxton community formalises its fire brigade, electing Capt Maurice Keppell. Response boundary with Taggerty agreed.

Registered with Bush Fire Brigades Committee (BFBC), brigade no 588.

World War II finishes.

BFBC merged into new Country Fire Authority (CFA). Triangle locale in Healseville Shire so Buxton belongs to District 13 (Lilydale).

Maroondah Highway declared.

Joined Victorian Rural Fire Brigades Association (VRFBA).

Narbethong Rural Bushfire Brigade created.

Capt Maurice Keppel killed riding a horse on the highway, after 20 years as captain from inception. Capt Roly Fiske elected.

Buxton locale transfers from Healesville Shire to Alexandra Shire. The brigade now belongs to District 12 (Seymour) – unhappy at being separated form Marysville and Narbethong.

Joined Alexandra Fire Brigades Group (created 1962).

First CFA fire truck – a converted Willys 4WD jeep. Marysville was assigned a Willys at the same time.

Fire shed hastily constructed on recent highway realignment, using the bitumen as its (uneven) floor. Popcorn rental arranged later with Country Roads Board.

Capt Graham Fiske and Sec Jack Jones elected. They held office together for 27 contiguous years.

Yea fires – first time using portable radio in fire truck.

Willys fire truck replaced with very, very slow Austin. The Willys went to Golden Square about 1981 where it finished its days.

Marysville and Narbethong locales transfer to Alexandra Shire and District 12 – Triangle together again.

Reticulated town water available, including fire plugs. Brigade arranged overhead standpipe at fire station for refilling (easier than draughting).

Bingo machine introduced at Buxton Hotel for income.

New fire station, still on old highway surface but flat concrete floor. Old fire shed removed.

End of reign of Graham Fiske and Jack Jones.

Alexandra and Yea Shires merge to form Murrindindi Shire.

First fire station extension, at brigade expense: a meeting room.

Linton disaster sobered brigade; training became serious.

RIP Graham Fiske.

Started issuing cloth name badges for PPC.

Second fire station extension, again at brigade expense: a kitchen, toilet and comms room.

Pagers introduced.

Brigade purchased (VESEP assisted) own Landrover Defender dual-cab slip-on 4WD fire truck.

Black Saturday destroyed Narbethong, Marysville and much of Buxton.

Breathing Apparatus added to Tanker, recognising increased scope of responsibilities.

Major flood inundated lower parts of Buxton for several days.

Defibrillators (AED) on both appliances – a first for Victoria.

Junior Fire Brigade created, a joint effort of the Triangle brigades.

RIP Jack Jones.

VFBV state meeting held at fire station.

CFA digital radio piloted in Alexandra Group. This was a huge change in radio culture from Cat 5 (Group-managed) to Cat 1 (Vicfire-managed).

Third fire station extension, this time at CFA expense: a garage expansion for larger appliances.

Brigade-owned slip-on replaced with Light Tanker (VESEP assisted).

Emergency-only mode during COVID pandemic 2020-21.

Brigade wins grant to construct workshop at rear of station.

Applied some learnings from COVID period: adopted plan to construct gazebo, install new flagpoles, and improve garden to make station more attractive.

Grant auspiced by Buxton Progress Association to install the three new flagpoles and construct gazebo.

Five members awarded National Emergency Medal for their contributions to the 2019-2020 Bushfires across eastern Australia.

Brigade installs Battery Energy Storage System as emergency power supply for fire station.

Workshop completed, greatly improving safety and amenity within engine bay area.

Brigade celebrated 80th Anniversary with a Dinner, followed by an Open Day at station attended by more than 100 members of the public.

Brigade takes delivery of cascaded 3.4C Tanker to replace faithful but aged 2.4D tanker.