General News
21 October, 2025
Natte Yallock’s new fire station and heavy tanker unveiled in boost for region
It’s officially a new chapter for the Natte Yallock Fire Brigade who celebrated a new station and tanker after years of effort.
It’s officially a new chapter for the Natte Yallock Fire Brigade who celebrated a new station and ultra heavy tanker over the weekend.
Brigade volunteers, community members, and local officials came together for the milestone on Saturday.
The new facility along Maryborough-St Arnaud Road replaces School Road’s flood-prone sheds which were home to the brigade for decades.
Natte Yallock Captain Ron Peacock said the brigade was proud to call the new station home after 14 years of advocacy.
“It’s incredible to see how far we’ve come from what was a small tin shed, to now operating out of a modern facility,” he said.
“For our brigade members, it means we can focus more on the job and less on juggling space or gear. It might seem small, but it makes a big difference when things get busy.”
The new station features a motor room with two reverse-in bays fitted with powered roller doors, a turnout room, laundry facilities, changeroom areas, a workshop and an office space.
It’s an upgrade years in the making with the works originally announced in 2020.
Former Natte Yallock Captain Alan Mills previously said the older station’s two sheds were around 60 and 30 years old — both regularly flooding in the winter.
“It’s an upgrade that needed to happen,” he said.
Mr Peacock said Natte Yallock had seen some of their biggest floods in the last 15 years.
“The cupboards and things like that get very wet. We would have to make sure we’d get paperwork ... up off the ground,” he said.
Preventing this happening again were among the reasons why the local community had to wait five years for the facility.
Victoria’s Minister for Emergency Services, Vicki Ward, said the projects many “moving parts” informed the timeline.
From having to relocate the station, to finding new land, and consulting with stakeholders she said no two projects are the same.
“I don’t think [the timeline] was unusual,” she said.
However, Goldfields Group Officer Peter Higgins said the wait was very unusual compared to similar projects.
Between 2020 and the opening, Mr Higgins said a new site had to be found after a change of plans stopped it being built at the Natte Yallock Recreation Reserve as intended.
“One of the brigade members more or less donated this block of land,” he said.
Then there was the plans, which Mr Mills previously said would take a few months, but Mr Higgins said took longer because they needed facilities which weren’t included.
“If we’re coming back and our gear is contaminated with carbon or asbestos and stuff like that, we need a clean space to have change rooms. That took a while to get through,” he said.
Mr Higgins also said the station was originally planned to be below the water line.
“It’s just been a long process of making sure we get it right,” he said.
However, now they’re at the finish line, Mr Peacock said the station would be an asset to the community.
“For the community, this station is a commitment to safety, preparedness and quick response in times of a crisis,” he said.
The day also marked the handover of the new ultra heavy tanker sporting a 10,000 litre water capacity.
Mr Higgins said the $430,000 truck is ideal for the area.
“For its water capacity it is the best,” he said.
“They’re saying you can put out 300 metres more of running grass fire than a normal truck. Does that suit us? Yes it does.”
It’s a relief for Mr Peacock who said getting control of a fire early is critical.
“If you run out of water and you almost got to the head of it and you have to go back, well, then it’s game over and the fire gets going again. Having the extra water is a big thing,” he said.
Mr Higgins said after three sessions of training on the tanker they only used 3000 litres of water.
“That’s the big advantage of using that vehicle,” he said.
It’s an outcome CFA Chief Officer Jason Heffernan said was a relief ahead of a likely challenging fire season.
“It’s a relief for me knowing that our volunteers are out fighting fires in the latest technology, with the latest safety equipment, absolutely,” he said.
“Our members have never let their communities down. I know they’ll be there to look after their local patches and really, that’s all we ask.”
It’s a sentiment Member for Ripon Martha Haylett said the Natte Yallock brigade have been doing for decades.
“Their dedicated volunteers deserve the very best station and fire truck, and now they’ve got it.”
“I want to sincerely thank Ron Peacock, Peter Coates, Alan Mills, the Kane family, and all involved in advocating for these upgrades.”
The station upgrade was funded through the $126 million CFA capability funding, announced in 2020, as part of the state government’s Fire Services Reform.
The ultra heavy tanker was funded through the CFA’s regular budget.