Belrose Rural Fire Brigade has marked its 75th anniversary with a new flag raised outside its Forest Way station, where generations of volunteers have trained and responded to emergencies since the brigade’s establishment in 1951.
Around 50 members and invited guests attended the anniversary celebration on Saturday, 17 October 2026. Captain Josh Beran joined fellow brigade members in unfurling and raising the flag outside the station at 207A Forest Way.
The gathering also included NSW Rural Fire Service Inspector Natalie Roberts and District Officer Josh Sullivan. Mr Matt Cross presented the brigade with a Community Recognition Statement from the NSW Parliament, acknowledging its 75 years of service.
A Volunteer Brigade With A Wide Operational Reach
The brigade has grown from a small firefighting operation into an organisation with more than 170 members, according to Inspector Roberts, with responsibilities extending beyond bushfire response. Belrose volunteers attend grassfires, motor vehicle accidents and other emergencies, while also supporting firefighting operations elsewhere in New South Wales and interstate.
Their deployments have included Victoria’s 2009 Black Saturday bushfires, the 2013 Blue Mountains fires and the 2019–20 bushfire season. During the 2019–20 fires, brigade members completed 303 individual deployments across 75 separate strike teams, according to figures presented by Deputy Captain Martin Rolfe at the anniversary gathering.
The brigade has also produced senior figures within the NSW Rural Fire Service. Rob Rogers, who joined Belrose as a volunteer in 1979, later served as NSW RFS Commissioner from 2020 to 2025. Beran described how volunteering had developed his experience and confidence in dealing with emergencies. He credited the training and equipment available through the RFS with preparing members to respond to situations beyond their everyday experience.
How Belrose Rural Fire Brigade Developed
The brigade’s early operations relied on much simpler equipment. Deputy Captain Rolfe recounted how its first captain, Kevin W Sullivan, sold a flatbed truck to the organisation for £34, with water carried in 44-gallon drums.
By January 1957, the brigade had received a three-tonne Austin truck with a 500-litre water tank and two pumps. Another vehicle, a Blitz truck known as Lizzie, joined the fleet in 1963 and remained in active firefighting service until March 1983.
The station developed alongside its equipment. A corrugated iron and timber fire shed was built on the site in 1960, followed by extensions in 1968 and 1978. Rolfe reported that members contributed 8,352 hours towards construction of the present station during 1984 and 1985, using 33,000 bricks. The building was officially opened on 16 March 1995.
Belrose Brigade: Key Milestones
- 1951 Belrose Rural Fire Brigade established.
- 1963 Blitz fire truck known as Lizzie joins the fleet.
- 1977 Members vote to allow women to join as full members.
- 1981 Anne Kibard becomes the first female firefighter.
- 1995 Present station officially opened.
- 2026 Brigade celebrates 75 years with a new station flag.
Historical milestones as recounted during the brigade’s 75th anniversary celebration.
The brigade also changed its membership arrangements over the years. A motion allowing women to join as full members was passed in July 1977, and Anne Kibard became its first female firefighter in September 1981.
The anniversary flag will remain a feature of the Forest Way station following the celebrations. People interested in joining the brigade can visit the station when members are present or obtain information about volunteering through the NSW Rural Fire Service.
Published 30-October-2026
