
Dunedin’s Volunteer Fire Brigade was formed in 1861. However, like every other able bodied person the volunteers caught gold fever, locked the station doors, and took off to Central Otago later that year. This left Dunedin, the commercial capital of New Zealand, without a fire brigade for over 18 months.
Despite the stop start beginning, Dunedin was the first city in New Zealand to have an official fire brigade, and its’ service personal has saved many lives and many buildings over the years. This weekend will be the 150th Anniversary; no doubt Dunedin will come alive with ‘Gumbies’ on party mode, sadly I’ll be up in Tauranga for a wedding and will miss the spectacle.