Dalby Fire Station facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dalby Fire Station |
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Dalby Fire Station, 2010
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| Location | 21 New Street, Dalby, Western Downs Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1919 - 1930s (interwar period) |
| Built | 1935 |
| Architect | Matthew Williamson |
| Architectural style(s) | Classicism |
| Official name: Dalby Fire Station | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 8 October 2010 |
| Reference no. | 602754 |
| Significant period | 1935 - 2010 |
| Significant components | fire station |
| Builders | George Ficken |
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The Dalby Fire Station is a special building in Dalby, Australia. It's listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because it's an important part of history. The station was designed by architect Matthew Williamson and built in 1935 by George Ficken. It's a two-storey building made mostly of brick.
Contents
A Look Back: Dalby Fire Station's Story
The Dalby Fire Station is located in Dalby, a town about 80 kilometres (50 miles) north-west of Toowoomba. The main part of the station was built in 1935. It replaced an older wooden building from 1920. Later, in 1953, more parts were added, like an extra garage and a recreation area upstairs. Even more additions were made in 1976.
How Dalby Grew
Dalby was first planned in 1852. It became an official town in 1863. When the railway line reached Dalby in 1868, the town grew a lot. More growth happened after 1894 when new laws allowed more people to settle on the land. This helped Dalby become a major regional centre.
Early Fire Brigades in Dalby
The very first fire brigade in Dalby started in 1882, but it didn't last long. A second fire brigade began in 1915. By 1916, they had government help and bought their first fire engine. Land for the fire station was bought in New Street in 1920. The first simple wooden garage for the fire station was built that same year. In 1923, it was made bigger to include a board room.
Dalby's Growth in the 1930s
In the early 1930s, the Dalby area started to grow again. This was after a plant called the prickly pear cactus was controlled. This cactus had caused problems for farms since the late 1800s. Once it was gone, thousands of acres of land could be used for farming and raising animals again.
The government also invested in public projects during this time. These projects helped communities and created jobs. In Dalby, new buildings like the Dalby School, a courthouse, and a police station were built.
Designing the New Fire Station
In 1931, new laws helped fire brigades manage their work better. By June 1934, plans for a new, two-storey brick fire station were being discussed. Toowoomba architect Matthew Williamson created the final plans for the station in August 1934. Williamson also designed other buildings in Dalby, like the Presbyterian Church.
In November 1934, local builder George Ficken was chosen to build the station. The Dalby Fire Station officially opened on Saturday, November 16, 1935.
What the 1935 Station Looked Like
The new fire station was about 15.7 metres (51 feet) long and 9.8 metres (32 feet) wide. The ground floor had space for two fire trucks. It also had a recreation room and a staircase. The walls inside were covered with silky oak wood panels.
Upstairs, there was a kitchen, living room, three bedrooms, a bathroom, and a balcony facing the street. The walls upstairs were lined with fibro sheeting and plaster. The fireplaces had special bricks. The outside brick walls were solid on the ground floor. The front of the building had gold lettering.
This 1935 Dalby station was one of the first two-storey brick fire stations built outside of Brisbane. It was designed to house fire trucks downstairs and provide living space for the chief officer and his family upstairs. Firemen lived in a separate cottage on the property.
Changes Over Time
By 1949, the station needed to be bigger to hold a new fire engine and provide more space for firemen. An extension was built in 1953 along the side of the station. This added a third engine bay and a workshop downstairs, plus a recreation area upstairs. The firemen's cottage also got additions.
In 1954, the property officially became owned by the Dalby Fire Brigade Board.
In the 1960s, fire brigades across Queensland started to work together more. New laws helped standardize equipment and facilities. The Dalby Fire Brigade continued to get new equipment, like fire engines and two-way radios. In 1976, more additions were made to the back of the main station building. These new parts included a storeroom, board facilities, toilets, and offices.
Modern Times
In 1990, many fire departments joined together to form the Queensland Fire Services. This helped manage fire brigades across the state.
The living areas upstairs in the Dalby Fire Station were used by the Chief Officer until the late 1990s. The cottage was used by firemen until the mid-1990s. Today, the upstairs areas are used by visiting emergency services staff. The Dalby Fire Station is still an active fire station, even though staff don't live there permanently anymore.
It is the oldest regional fire station in Queensland that is still in use.
What the Dalby Fire Station Looks Like Today
The Dalby Fire Station is at the southern end of a large block of land on New Street.
The main part of the fire station was built in 1935. It has strong concrete foundations and a mix of steel, concrete, and brick walls. It has a roof that slopes down on two sides, hidden behind a wall called a parapet. Later additions from 1953 and 1976 have roofs that slope in one direction, called skillion roofs. A newer steel garage on the side is not part of the original heritage design.
The Front of the Building
The front of the station, facing New Street, looks balanced and uses painted cement to create a classic style. It has two large garage doors on the ground floor. On the first floor, there's a balcony with four tall, decorative columns and a metal railing. The name of the building is written above the balcony, and "1935" (the year it was built) is shown at the top. The bricks on the balcony are carefully pointed. The windows on the first floor have special glazed bricks above and below them.
Sides and Roof
The original 1935 part of the building has solid brick walls on the ground floor and hollow walls upstairs. You can see different brick patterns on the side. A continuous concrete beam separates the two levels. The newer additions use a different brick pattern.
The roof of the 1935 building is made of metal. The original chimney still stands tall. Most of the windows are now modern aluminium ones. You can enter the building through a side door or a back door.
Inside the Station
Inside the 1935 part, the front area is a large space for two fire trucks. Behind this, there's an office and a staircase leading upstairs. The staircase has its original wooden railing. The office walls are covered with laminated panels. The ceilings are high and have original timber strips and decorative edges.
The 1976 addition at the back has a small office and bathrooms downstairs. The 1953 addition has more space for a fire truck and a workshop. The floors in the garages are painted concrete.
Upstairs in the 1935 section, there's a kitchen, living area, bathroom, and toilet. Over the garage space, there are two bedrooms. The upstairs of the 1953 addition has bedrooms and training areas. The 1976 addition upstairs has more bedrooms and a balcony.
The fireplace in the upstairs living room still has its original decorative bricks. The kitchen and bathroom parts are not original. The walls and ceilings upstairs are covered with fibrous cement sheeting.
You can drive into the station from New Street or through gates on Starlings Lane at the back.
Why Dalby Fire Station is Important
The Dalby Fire Station is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because it's a significant historical site.
A Piece of Queensland's Past
The main part of the Dalby Fire Station, built in 1935, is a two-storey building made of brick, steel, and concrete. It has a classic look on the front. It is the oldest fire station in regional Queensland that is still operating. The station, with its additions from 1953 and 1976, shows how fire fighting services have changed and grown in regional towns across Queensland.
Showing How Fire Stations Work
The Dalby Fire Station shows what a regional fire station from that time period was like. It has:
- A central location in the town.
- Space on the ground floor for fire trucks and other equipment.
- Living space on the first floor for the chief fire officer.
The Dalby Fire Station, with its original 1935 core and later additions, shows how a regional fire brigade has changed and grown. It has been continuously operating from this New Street location since 1920.
