The St. Arnaud Brigade ahead of their 150th anniversary meeting
St. Arnaud Fire Brigade members paid a fitting homage to their predecessors on Monday, July 29, when they met at the Royal Hotel, the exact same date and location as the Brigade's inaugural meeting 150 years ago.
On the corresponding date in 1874, the townsfolk of St. Arnaud gathered at the same pub and vowed to protect their community from fire for the very first time.
St. Arnaud Fire Brigade Captain David Reynolds said the meeting was largely business as usual, albeit with a poignant nod to those original pioneers.
"We had the whole brigade there as usual, then a dinner at the Royal Hotel with a cake to celebrate and concluded the meeting with a motion of thanks to the St. Arnaud community, just as they did in 1874," David said.
David, a CFA member for 38 years, was very proud to lead the brigade during this fantastic milestone.
"It's just a massive honour to know that the station is at such a pivotal point in its history and that it's now in my hands; I'm just feeling very humbled and honoured to be its captain.
"While the town has significantly changed in 150 years, the commitment of the St. Arnaud Fire Brigade volunteers to protect the life and property of its community has never waned.
''Our current members are immensely proud of our brigade's history, and we will continue the legacy of serving our community into the future," he said.
The brigade's links with The Royal Hotel run deep, given that the first captain of the St Arnaud Brigade, Solomon Cox, was also the pub owner at the time. Coincidentally, the hotel is also celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.
Current publican Vicky Christopolous was excited to host the brigade meeting on July 29th.
"Both the fire brigade and the Royal Hotel are 150 years old this year, and both are very proud of their heritage – big occasions like this should be recognised and celebrated," she said.
After the inaugural meeting of 1874, a fire station was established in the town less than ten years later, in 1883, and remains one of the oldest in Victoria. The original station stayed in commission until 1915 when a new station was built, which has since been demolished and replaced by the current station in 2005.
The brigade has faced many significant challenges over the journey, from Black Saturday in 2009 to having entire blocks wiped out by fire in the early 1900s. It even endured water supply shortages in the early days of its existence, which led to the brigade's motto from the turn of the 20th century: 'Tis not the fire we fear but give us the water to put it out. According to the St. Arnaud Historical Society, St. Arnaud remains home to one of the only remaining fire carriages in Victoria which has recently been restored.
The 150th-anniversary celebrations continue later this year, with a torchlight procession through the streets of St. Arnaud and a plaque unveiling on November 16.
"The walk will start at the original station, head up the main street and end at the new station, where we'll unveil the plaque, have some finger food and celebrate the occasion. We've invited several ex-members and fellow brigades we've had a close relationship with over the years to be involved," David said.
As the Brigade moves beyond its most recent milestone, David hopes it will continue going from strength to strength and is always keen to welcome new members.
"We're always looking for new members, and if anyone has spare time and would like to learn new skills and meet new people, we've got the perfect job for you."
If you're interested in joining CFA or learning more about volunteering, visit cfa.vic.gov.au/volunteer.
