Today the Marrickville Fire Station celebrated its centenary of service.
They had vintage fire engines on display (but sadly my camera battery died and by the time I recharged they’d gone!)
Marrickville Fire Station is significant as a finely crafted and relatively intact example of the Federation Free Classical style. Designed by the architects Spain and Cosh in 1914, it is one of the last stations built to the established Meddle and Coffee Pot (horse and steam) fire station layout.
The Australian Heritage Database describes it:
Designed by Spain and Cosh for use by horse drawn vehicles the fire station is an imposing three storey, asymmetrical, red brick building with sandstone keystones and contrasting brick arches to the ground floor openings and rendered detailing to the upper floors. The building is broken fronted and divided into three bays, two eastern projecting fire appliance bays, with original timber doors and three paned frosted glazing and a western bay containing a Diocletion window at ground floor level and an oriel window over. The second floor has sash windows, with moulded rendered sills and lintels. The building has an original hipped slate roof with overhanging eaves, exposed rafters and tall rendered chimneys with terracotta chimney pots. The westernmost bay is surmounted by a gabled decorated parapet containing the words, Fire Station. A fire whip pole, for draining and drying fire hoses, is located in the northern yard.
Interior: (1988) The ground floor interior is relatively intact including tiling up to 3.6m in the appliance bay, with plain white tiles topped with white edging tiles. Pressed metal ceilings exist throughout the ground floor except in the stables which have now been converted into a mess room all joinery is original. The first floor (not seen) is divided into four separate flats, one of which is a hospitality unit for country firemen and families attending Sydney for medical treatment.
Marrickville Heritage Society 