Members of Balgownie Fire and Rescue celebrate the station’s 100-year anniversary. Photo: Fire and Rescue NSW.
A century ago a little shed was erected in Balgownie to serve as an outpost of the Corrimal Fire and Rescue Station.
In 1925 English immigrant Thomas Sunderland was appointed captain of both stations, aged 44, as his service as a fireman in London for six years made him the most experienced candidate.
Thomas was a larger-than-life character who would walk from the Corrimal station to the Balgownie station every week to conduct training and equipment checks.
A more permanent structure was built in 1929, followed by an extension in 1960.
The current station was opened in 1971 to accommodate newer, larger firefighting vehicles.
Now that station has marked a significant milestone – 100 years of service to the Wollongong community.
Over the past century, Balgownie’s firefighters have built a strong reputation for professionalism and community engagement, responding to a wide range of emergencies and delivering fire safety education to local schools and residents.
In addition to daily operations, firefighters from Balgownie were deployed to the recent flood on the state’s mid-north coast, assisting with recovery efforts in Taree.
Previously, members of the crew also deployed to provide support during bushfires and floods throughout 2019 and 2020.
Today, Balgownie Fire Station crews respond to between 400 and 500 incidents annually.
Dignitaries including Member for Wollongong Paul Scully, Member for Cunningham Alison Byrne, Wollongong Lord Mayor Tania Brown and members of FRNSW’s leadership team joined Deputy Commissioner Paul McGuiggan at a function to celebrate the achievement.
Local Aboriginal elder Uncle Peter Button delivered a Welcome to Country and conducted a smoking ceremony.
Staff and students from Balgownie Public School performed the national anthem to open the event.
Deputy Commissioner McGuiggan said the station’s rich history made the centenary celebrations particularly special.
“Firefighting operations have changed significantly over the last 100 years,” he said.
“But our people’s focus has always been on protecting the communities we serve and keeping them safe from the dangers of fire.
“Today, the 17 firefighters stationed at Balgownie have a modern fire engine and equipment to protect themselves and the community.
“This is a special day for the crew at Balgownie and the broader Illawarra community, and I thank everyone who has contributed to the history of the station over the last century.”
