The community is invited to join Toolern Vale Fire Brigade in marking a major milestone this weekend, celebrating 100 years of service.
The anniversary will be recognised with a brigade dinner on Saturday 8 November followed by a community open day celebration on Sunday 9 November.
The community is invited to attend the open day, which will feature displays of historical trucks and artefacts, activities for kids, fire skill demonstrations and the launch of a new historical book.
In 1914, the Toolern Vale Progress Association agreed the area needed a fire brigade.
Eleven years later, following a major fire that saw 100 volunteers work to protect local homes and assets, the Toolern Vale Bush Fire Brigade was officially formed on 10 November in 1925.
Over the following 100 years, the brigade has seen many trucks and vehicles, new station buildings, changes to training and processes and, of course, many significant fires.
In 1965, a fire in the area destroyed a large part of the township and surrounding farmland, with the town losing 16 houses, multiple significant buildings and impacting many farms.
Throughout its history, brigade members have also played a role in fighting fires beyond the local area, including Ash Wednesday in 1983 and the 2009 fires. volunteers have joined strike teams across Victoria and interstate.
Captain Jared Watson said the brigade has always been a core part of the community.
“We sit in a fairly high-risk area, so I think that anyone who has grown up in the area or is familiar with it understands the importance of the fire brigade. It’s always been community based, it’s always been central to the town,” Mr Watson said.
“We’ve got families that have had multiple generations come through the brigade, and we keep everyone engaged where we can. From our operational and non-operational members, our newer members and our members who are in their 80s or 90s and have been a part of the brigade for many years,“ he said.
According to CFA, the Toolern Vale community has pitched in through several initiatives to support the brigade, and the brigade has also given back however it can.
The community open day will be hosted from 10am–2pm on Sunday 9 November at the Toolern Vale Fire Brigade, 203 Creamery Road, Toolern Vale.
