Fire Services Museum of Victoria: celebrating firefighting heroes and history

Nestled in the heart of East Melbourne, the award-winning Fire Services Museum of Victoria has proudly occupied the former Headquarters Station of the Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Brigade since 1980.

Boasting a remarkable collection of more than 10,000 fire-related artefacts from across the globe, the museum is dedicated to preserving and showcasing the rich history of firefighting and fire safety in Victoria. 

Its exhibits not only highlight the evolution of firefighting equipment, but they also provide insights into the people and the stories that have shaped the state’s fire services.

With many of the museum’s staff being retired firefighters, a visit offers more than just a glimpse into history; it’s an opportunity to hear at firsthand accounts and fascinating “fire brigade folklore” about the tools, traditions, and heroes that have defined firefighting in this region and world-wide.

“Fire brigades go back to the time of Rome. The first cut was various patricians with their own private fire brigades and groups of slaves fighting fires,” retired firefighter and museum volunteer Ian Munro said. 

“They turned up at your place, and you effectively had to sell your house for them to put the fire out,” he said. “Once they put the fire out, they’d sell the house back to you at a higher rate because they had saved the building.”

Before 1891, Victoria relied on a system of volunteer and insurance company fire brigades to manage firefighting efforts.

In that year, the Victorian Government enacted the Brigades’ Act, which established two separate boards, one for rural Victoria and one for the metropolitan area. This led to the formation of the Country Fire Brigades Board and the Metropolitan Fire Brigades Board.

Today, these organisations are represented by Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV), formed in 2020.

FRV serves major regional centres, and the volunteer-driven Country Fire Authority (CFA), which was established following a Royal Commission into the 1939 Black Friday fires. 

The Royal Commission’s recommendation for a single, unified firefighting authority in rural Victoria paved the way for the creation of the CFA.

Through the museum’s exhibits, visitors can explore the rich and often forgotten history of firefighting in Victoria, including the story of the Great Fire of Melbourne in 1897.

“It burnt out a whole block [between Swanston and Elizabeth streets, and Flinders St and Flinders Lane]; only two buildings weren’t damaged,” Mr Munro told Inner City News.

“One of them was on the corner of Swanston St and Flinders St, because the firemen went out of their way to save their girlfriends in the upstairs bar.” 

Over the years, the museum’s dedicated volunteer team has acquired, restored, and proudly displays a remarkable collection of firefighting vehicles. 

Among them is the “8 Pump”, a 1956 Rolls Royce fire pump that once served as the official hearse for Fire Brigade funerals and continues to be used today for “full honour” funerals.

The museum also commemorates the brave firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty, with an ever-expanding tribute to their sacrifice and commitment. 

Whether you have a personal connection to firefighting history or simply want to learn more, the Fire Services Museum of Victoria is a treasure trove of captivating stories and historical artefacts, celebrating the dedication, resilience, and courage of our firefighters. •