Main Ridge CFA Today

Main Ridge CFA is a small rural brigade located on the Mornington peninsula.  Currently the brigade has 18 active members.  The brigade responds to fires and other emergencies in the vicinity of Main Ridge and Arthurs Seat. The Brigade also responds to calls in neighboring areas, including Red Hill, Flinders, Boneo and Dromana. 

The Brigade responds to approximately 40 calls per year.  The types of calls the Brigade responds to include: grass and scrub fires, structure fires and motor vehicle accidents.  All at varying levels of size and complexity. 

During each fire season the Brigade sends members to deploy on strike teams and task forces to distant parts of Victoria and New South Wales.  During the 2013/2014 fire season, Main Ridge members were deployed to fires in far north east Gippsland and the Morwell coal mine fire.

During the Black Saturday fires a number of members made a significant contribution to assist with the fires around Marysville and Kinglake.  Seven members of the Brigade were awarded the National Emergency Medal for their efforts.

During the Ash Wednesday fires of February 1983 the Brigade provided support to fires in the Dandenongs.

A Brief History

The Main Ridge Fire Brigade was founded on the 5th of December 1945.  

Prior to this, fire suppression in Main Ridge was performed by a small group of local residents equipped with knapsack sprayers and army boot beaters.

A public meeting held on the 14th of November 1945 agreed to the formation of a brigade registered with the Country Fire Authority (CFA) to protect Main Ridge. At this meeting seventeen residents and Regional Officer (RO) W.J. Pundy were present.  There were twenty-nine founding members.  The first Captain was David Barker. The following equipment was promised to the brigade at that meeting:

• 15 knapsacks.
• 2 x 100 gallon humpy’s.
• 6 slashers.
•  24 beaters.
• 1 x cross cut saw.
•  2 x axes.
• 10 ft. fire hose.

The Brigade’s main firefighting appliance at this time was a trailer unit consisting of a pump and water tank.  The trailer was towed to fires by a private tractor or truck.  A council fire truck garaged at Dromana police station was also available for use by the brigade from December 1945.  The trailer and associated equipment was stored at brigade members' properties. 

A consistent theme throughout brigade records are many requests to CFA to provide a fire truck.  Times were hard and many excuses were offered, many legitimate, as to why no truck was available.

From the very beginning much work was done by the brigade members to purchase an extensive range of equipment.  This always involved raising money from the community.  Money raised was used to purchase pumps, hose, tools and protective equipment.  This is a tradition that continues today. 

The First Station

In 1948 the Brigade started looking into building a shed to house the trailer unit and equipment.  It is believed the push for a station began because at least one member did not have enough room for CFA equipment as well as farm machinery.

Land for the shed was donated in early 1950 by Len Rigby and plans were drawn up. Working bees were held to clear the land and prepare for construction.  Work began in March 1950 and the builder, H. Littlejohn was paid £5.10 per day.  The shed was completed that year however the cement floor was not poured until October 1956.

Allen Bright was elected Captain on the 3rd of October 1961.  During the 1960's radio was first introduced to the brigade.  

The first Main Ridge Tanker was acquired in 1952.  It was a war surplus Chevrolet from the CFA.  Afterwards there followed a succession of Willys, Austin and International trucks.

In November 1966 a truck was loaned to the brigade and in 1967 fund raising began for a new Brigade owned truck.

A Willys four-wheel drive tanker was acquired for the 1967/1968 fire season.

In November 1968 an Austin Tanker was received from region 9. At the same time a ladder, hydrant, radio and hose were purchased fort that vehicle.

The Second Station

By the end of 1969 the brigade was looking into building a new station to accommodate a growing brigade.  In October 1969 the Brigade received a new truck, (possibly an international tanker).

Enquires were being made in November 1970 as to the possibility of acquiring land for a new station next to the Main Ridge Hall (a different location to the current Hall next to the oval).  This site was selected with the Shire donating the land to the CFA for the brigade in January 1972.  A Building committee was formed, plans drawn up and fund raising began. Construction started in March 1973.  The station was opened on October 21st 1973.