Warby's wonder

“It’s beautiful. We are all rapt. It’s beyond our expectations,” Tony said.

Tony said the new station is a wonderful improvement on the old station where members had to stop traffic just to get their trucks out.

“We’ve got plenty of room, we’ve got a drive through station, we can drive in through the back and we’ve got plenty of apron at the front, it’s all really good,” he said.

Tony said a new fire station has been talked about for at least 15 years in the high bushfire risk area.

With a new meeting and training room, office space, BA room, workshop and plenty of space for the tanker and pumper, he says it was worth the wait.

“It really helps with motivation of our members that’s for sure, and we’ve had a good response from the community and before long we’re planning a recruitment drive to get more people involved,” Tony said.

The official opening earlier this month was attended by around 200 people - a day of celebration not just for the brigade’s 40 volunteers but the whole community.

“It was a fantastic day, it went very well – We also presented a number of medals,” Brigade President Barry Marshall said.

This included National Medals to firefighters Warren Unthank and John De Boer. A National Medal and Life Membership was also awarded to brigade member, the late Peter Sutherland, and presented to his wife on the day.

Read more about the award presentation and station opening in the Upper Yarra Mail.

The brigade’s next opportunity to show off its new digs will be in November when it throws open its doors to the community for CFA Sunday.

To find out more about CFA Sunday, click here.