South Australian Infrastructure Minister Stephen Mullighan has announced that the future of the South Australian Volunteer Firefighters Museum has been secured with a 50-year lease on State Government land in Naracoorte.
“The museum has been located in a temporary sheds and shipping containers at the Naracoorte Show grounds since 2004,” Mr. Mullighan said
Emergency Services Minister Tony Piccolo said the museum was now seeking development approval for the site.
“They are proposing to build a museum to house the antiques and the property will also be home to a memorial garden dedicated to the memory of those who have died fighting fires in country South Australia,” Mr. Piccolo said
Mr. Piccolo pointed out that each year a regional memorial service will be held in the garden on May 4–St Florian’s Day, the Patron Saint of firefighters.”The museum’s Chairman Rex Hall said the Naracoorte-Lucindale Council had already provided in principle support for the development.
“After 13 years of planning we are near the completion of the plans and drawing for the development of the museum, which we hope will open in 2016,” he said. “The Museum Committee is also very grateful for the recent support from the Kingston Country Fire Service Brigade and Isuzu Australia, along with all who have supported them during the last 13 years.”
The CFS also provides an annual operating grant of $10,000 from the Community Emergency Services Fund.
“The Museum is about to launch a statewide fundraising campaign and is seeking both donations and assistance in preserving the history of rural fire fighting in South Australia over the last 100 years,” Mr. Hall said