The first Central Fire Station was built in 1890 at Cross Street, but this facility was soon replaced by a new station situated at Hill Street, whose main structure was completed in 1909. Constructed using red bricks specially imported from Britain, the building has a distinct red-and-white facade in a style commonly referred to as ‘blood and bandages’. The structure also has a watchtower that served as a lookout point for detecting fires prior to the introduction of fire alarms in 1915. Gazetted as a national monument in 1998, the station is still in operation today although part of it has been converted into the Civil Defence Heritage Gallery.
