Mortdale Fire Station

The present Mortdale Fire Station was built in 1914, although weatherboard premises were in existence as early as 1907.  Number 48 Station (Mortdale) was opened on 29 February 1908 and comprised one manual engine pulled by two horses, with a Captain/Enginekeeper in charge of seven volunteer firemen.  Tenders for the present building were called by the well-known architectural practice of Spain, Cosh and Dodds in December 1913.  Plans called for an engine room, two stables, a watch-room, single men’s room, fodder room, store, conveniences and drill tank.

A motor fire engine was installed to replace the horse-drawn vehicle in February 1924.  An interior cobblestone floor, still to be seen, provided traction for the horses which pulled the fire carts.  The paddock adjacent to the fire station was sold off to the Commonwealth Bank in 1952.

The station was closed in 1945, but the Council and local Progress Associations lobbied for its re-opening, which came about in 1952, manned by volunteer firemen.

Mortdale Fire Station marked its centenary in 2007 with the publication of a booklet by firefighter Pat Kannan.  It remains Sydney’s oldest operational volunteer fire brigade, and the building was listed on the 2012 Hurstville LEP as of local significance.

Hurstville Historical Marker no 50 is located on the wall of the Fire Station, Morts Road.