Ballarat East Fire Station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ballarat East Fire Station |
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| Location | 20-22 Barkly Street, Ballarat East |
| Built | 1864, 1916 |
| Architect | Henry Caselli |
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The Ballarat East Fire Station is a very special building in Ballarat East, Victoria, Australia. It holds the record for being the oldest fire station in the Southern Hemisphere that has been working continuously since it was built. This means it has been helping to fight fires for a very long time! You can find it at 20-22 Barkly Street in Ballarat East.
History of the Fire Station
The tower of the Ballarat East Fire Station was designed by a local architect named Henry Caselli. It was built in 1864 by William Cowland, who was a builder and also a volunteer firefighter.
The Engine House
While Caselli designed a special building for the fire engines (called an Engine House), that specific design wasn't built at first. Instead, an older building from 1858 was used for the engines. Later, in 1916, a brand new Engine House was finally built to replace the older one.
Early Telephone Connection
The Ballarat East Fire Station was also an important place for early technology. It was one of the first places to have a working telephone! This telephone was invented by Henry Sutton. It connected this station to the main Ballarat Fire Station in Ballarat. This special connection helped both stations work together. They could quickly figure out where fires were happening and send help more efficiently.
