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 Welcome to the History of the Dereel Fire Brigade

Brigade Office Bearers || Pre 1978 History || After 1978 History

   

PRE - 1978 History

The Dereel Rural Fire Brigade shares it's history with Napoleons - Enfield Fire Brigade which dates back to 1932.

The following is an extract from the Napoleons-Enfield Rural Fire Brigade (incorporating Dereel-Enfield Bush Brigade) 50 years of service 1932-1982 history information booklet.

It all begins when the fire that started everyone talking about the necessity to form a Fire Brigade was in 1930. Times were hard, work was scarce, and wood cutting and gold mining was the only work available. An elderly gent and his son, who had a block between Enfield and Grenville, had engaged numerous axe-men to cut 5ft wood at 2/- per ton.

The wood began to pile up, and there was no sign of any sale for it. It was a nasty day in January, a hot north wind, and a fire started in the forest, directly east of where the Grubbed Road leaves Colac Road, and about a mile across the forest. Everybody turned out, and the fire was controlled. In those days the Forests Commission only employed a few men on full time work, and the normal practice after a fire was to employ locals the next day to patrol the edge of the fire with picks and shovels, to cover any stumps or logs that were smouldering. Some of the locals who met at the given point at daylight after this fire were, Phil Mitchell, Tom and Sam Harbridge, Dave Harrison, Jack Searle and the Drever Brothers.

Two weeks later, when the weather was much the same as when the last fire broke out, another fire started between the edge of the first fire and the old gent's property. Everyone had their own idea as to who was responsible for the first fire, and now were sure the same person was responsible for both fires. This fire did the trick, the wood stacks, which were well insured, were wiped out. The fire jumped some distance and started up in Castlewood, but was soon controlled.

The son was brought before the Court on a charge of starting the fires, but as he was the most cunning fox to roam the Enfield Forest, he had no trouble leaving the Court a free man.

When the first Fire Brigade meeting was held at Dereel on the 15th August, 1932, Jack Egan was the only one at Enfield with a car, so he provided the transport to Dereel. Bill Hevey who was the Forests Commission Officer at Smythesdale at the time, came across to Enfield to go with the group of locals. Included with Jack Egan, Hill Harrison Snr, Dave Harrison and Bill Hevey, was Jack Tracy, who had just taken up his position at Enfield as Forest Ranger. At this meeting Mr E.K Russell was elected the first President of the Brigade, Mr S Klein the first Secretary, and Mr N Fenton was elected Captain. On 29th September 1932 a return was sent to the Forests Commission advising that the Brigade had 70 members. At a meeting on 8th December 1932 it was decided that the Brigade would affiliate with the Victorian Bush Fire Brigades Association as the Dereel and Enfield Bush Fire Brigade. In November 1934 the Brigade was registered under the Bush Fire Brigade Act.

When Dereel-Enfield Bush Fire Brigade was formed in 1932, it was decided that, as the Brigade covered such a vast district, a Lieutenant should be elected to represent each area within the district, and that each Lieutenant would be in charge of the equipment for his area.

At a meeting on 8th December 1932 the following officers were given charge of the fire fighting equipment for their respective areas:-

W. Harrison, Lieutenant for Enfield
M. Buckley, Lieutenant for Dereel
L. Vernon, Lieutenant for Mt. Mercer
E. Russell, Lieutenant for Corindhap
G. Turner, Lieutenant for Grenville
P. Callaghan, Lieutenant for Rokewood Junction

Each Lieutenant was provided with the following fire fighting equipment:-
10 Basil Beaters – 15 Rakes – 1 Slasher – 2 Water bags

Of course these gentlemen were justly proud of their association with the Bush Fire Brigade, and at a meeting on 14th November 1934, it was resolved that hat bands be purchased for the Captain and Lieutenants at a cost of 1/- each.

After the Rokewood fire in 1944, Rokewood and Grenville area decided to form their own Brigades and the whisper along the “bush telegraph” was that they intended to disband the Dereel-Enfield Brigade, and divide the equipment. However, the members from Enfield and Napoleons had other ideas, and when Rokewood and Grenville announced their intention to withdraw from the Brigade, the other members present carried on with the meeting and appointed new office bearers, thus keeping the Dereel-Enfield Bush Fire Brigade in existence.

It was also in 1944 that the Country Fire Authority Act was passed. It was not until 8th October 1946 that a meeting of the Brigade resolved to register with the Country Fire Authority, as they disagreed with parts of the Act and deferred registration until amendments had been considered, and thereafter the Brigade became known as the Dereel-Enfield Rural Fire Brigade.

The year 1952 saw the delivery of the Brigade’s first fire truck, an Austin Truck, this meant that the next acquisition must be a fire shed. This was finally built in 1954 on land donated by the late Mr. Sam Bray.

During November 1966 the Brigade purchased its first two way radio sets. However, it was found that they would not operate while the truck engine was running, a situation which took 6 months to rectify. It is interesting to note that at this point in time the Brigade still purchased rakes and beaters.
 

AFTER - 1978 History
In 1974 the old reliable Austin fire truck was replaced with a new International ACCO 4 wheel drive unit. During 1978 an additional radio was purchased to be used as a mobile unit, and in 1979 the Brigade was provided with a trailer unit containing 600 feet of canvas hose. 1980 saw the purchased of a chainsaw to be carried on the truck, this has seen much use during bush fires, and was purchased with the assistance of the Ladies Auxiliary.

At a special meeting of the Brigade in June 1970 it was proposed that Napoleons be included in the name of the Brigade. The Brigade then became known as the Napoleons-Dereel-Enfield Rural Fire Brigade.

On 20th September 1978 Mr. J. Smith reported on the possible formation of a new Brigade at Dereel. The Dereel Rural Fire Brigade was formed in November 1978 and from that date the Napoleons-Dereel-Enfield Brigade became the Napoleons-Enfield Rural Fire Brigade.

And so the history now changes to being that of the Dereel Rural Fire Brigade.

 We are still gathering information at this stage.
If you are able to supply us with any relevant information or copies of documents, photographs,
personal histories and news articles towards the Dereel-Enfield Bush Brigade
(incorporating MtMercer-Corindhap-Grenville-Rokewood Junction-Rokewood-Berringa-Napoleons)
we would love to hear from you.
Please contact us at { This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. }

BRIGADE OFFICE BEARERS

BRIGADE CAPTAINS
FROM TO NAME
22/09/1978
1/07/1983
1/07/1987
1/07/1989
1/07/1993
1/07/1995
1/07/1996
29/10/1997
1/07/2005
1/07/2009
1/07/2018
1983
1987
1989
1993
1995
1996
1997
2005
2009
2018 
Current
Jim Smith
Don Fagg
Trevor Kearns
Gary Wakeling
Rodger Curtis-Harding
Bill Luke
David Pellew
John Pearson
John Wolfe
Darryn Hill
Robert Hill

1st LT
FROM TO NAME
22/09/1978
1/07/1981
1/07/1983
1/07/1987
1/07/1989
1/07/1993
1/07/1995
26/06/1996
1/07/1997
29/10/1997
1/07/1999
1/07/2001
1/07/2003
1/07/2005
1/07/2007
1/07/2009
1/07/2011
1/07/2018
1981
1983
1987
1989
1993
1995
1996
1997
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2018
Current
Rowland Hill
John Bryans
Trevor Kearns
Gary Wakeling
Don Fagg
John Pearson
David Pellew
Greg Peters
John Pearson
Sam Zerafa
John Wolfe
Sam Zerafa
John Wolfe
John Pearson
Darryn Hill
Sam Zerafa
Dimitrios Georgalas
Darryn Hill

2nd LT
FROM TO NAME
22/09/1978
1/07/1981
1/07/1987
1/07/1989
1/07/1993
1/07/1995
26/06/1996
1/07/1997
29/10/1997
1/07/1999
1/07/2001
1/07/2005
1/07/2007
1/07/2009
1/07/2011
1/07/2013
1/07/2018
1981
1987
1989
1993
1995
1996
1997
1997
1999
2001
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2018
Current
Don Fagg
Gary Wakeling
Nigel Long
Trevor Kearns
David Pellew
Greg Peters
John Pearson
Sam Zerafa
Doug Butler
Sam Zerafa
Shane Pearson
Sam Zerafa
Greg Fadersen
Dimitrios Georgalas
Ian Stanley-Eyles
Robert Hill
Dimitrios Georgalas

3rd LT
FROM TO NAME
22/09/1978
1/10/1979
1/07/1981
1/07/1983
1/07/1987
1/07/1989
1/07/1993
1/07/1995
26/06/1996
26/02/1997
1/07/1997
29/10/1997
1/07/1999
1/07/2001
1/07/2007
29/08/2007
1/07/2009
1/07/2015
25/02/2016
1/07/2018
1979
1981
1983
1987
1989
1993
1995
1996
1997
1997
1997
1999
2001
2007
2007
2009
2015
2016
2018
Current
John Bryans
Peter Mellington
Don Fagg
Geoff Cahill
Don Fagg
Raymond Speakman
Bill Luke
John Richardson
Barrie Dirago
Sam Zerafa
Doug Butler
JoAnne Walter
Paul Shepherd
Greg Fadersen
Norman StClair
Robert Hill
Greg Fadersen
Paul Barrand
Graham Banks
Justine Dirago

4th LT
FROM TO NAME
22/09/1978
1/10/1979
1/07/1981
1/07/1983
1/07/1985
25/05/1992
1/07/1993
1/07/1995
26/06/1996
1/07/1997
29/10/1997
1/07/1999
1/07/2001
1/07/2003
26/05/2004
1/07/2005
1/07/2007
29/08/2007
1/07/2011
1/07/2013
 --
25/02/2016
1/07/2018
1979
1981
1983
1985
1992
1993
1995
1996
1997
1997
1999
2001
2003
2004
2005
2007
2007
2011
2013
2014
 --
2018
Current
Ian Quarrell
Vacant
Bradley Gilmour
Robert Larkin
Vacant
John Pearson
Gary Fewkes
Steven Hendry
Sharon Dirago
JoAnne Walter
John Wolfe
Shane Pearson
Kirsty Watkins
Sharon Dirago
Dimitrios Georgalas
Darryn Hill
Robert Hill (3rd LT)
Gary Mynes
Josh Zerafa
Gary Mynes
Vacant
Justine Dirago
Charlie Munro

Secretary
FROM TO NAME
22/09/1978
1/10/1979
1/07/1981
8/05/1984
1/07/1989
30/04/1992
1/07/1993
29/10/1997
1/07/1999
8/02/2000
6/04/2000
1/07/2003
1/02/2007
24/09/2008
1/07/2009
1/07/2011
1/07/2013
27/02/2014
1/07/2015
1979
1981
1984
1989
1992
1993
1997
1999
2000
2000
2003
2007
2008
2009
2011
2013
2014
2015
Current
Tom Prosser
Cheryl Henden
Maxwell Arthur
Ronald Spence
Anthony Brown
David Pellew
Margaret Pellew
Bill Luke
Caroline Everett
Kevin Uren (Acting)
Ruth Uren
Loretta Butler
Elizabeth Mynes
Ruth Uren
Anita Lilkendey
Aimee Stares
Kate Stares
Dimitrios Georgalas (1st LT)
Justine Dirago

Treasurer
FROM TO NAME
1/07/1983
1/07/2007
1/07/2011
--
1985
2011
27/04/2016
--
Robert Johnson
Ali Uren
Sharni Brookes
Vacant
The Treasurer position was always a part of the Secretary's role.
We have found some history though from 1983 that showed a separate Treasurer was elected for 1983-1985.
The brigade decided for the elections in 2007 that it was now too much work for one person to do. It was from this day that the Treasurer would become a separate position.
** Although vacant since 2016, the Brigade Management Team (BMT) have shared the role.

Communications Officer
FROM TO NAME
22/09/1978
1/10/1979
1/07/1981
1/07/1983
1/07/1985
1/07/1987
1/07/1993
1/07/1995
26/06/1996
1/07/1997
27/08/1997
1/07/1999
1/07/2001
1/07/2005
1979
1981
1983
1985
1987
1993
1995
1996
1997
1997
1999
2001
2005
2009
David Shaw
Norman Dunshea
Mark Bugeja
Trevor Kearns
Raymond Speakman
Don Fagg
Greg Peters
Mark May
JoAnne Walter
Caroline Everett
Bev Luke
Bill Luke
David Watkins
Ruth Uren
The Comms Officer position was voted upon by the
Brigade to have it removed as it was no longer
required due to the new Technology which has
become available and being used by the CFA.
Any responsibilities from this position which are not
already assigned by the CFA are now allocated to
the relevant Officers within the Brigade.

Apparatus Officer
FROM TO NAME
22/09/1978
1/07/1981
1/07/1983
1/07/1987
1/07/1989
25/05/1992
1981
1983
1987
1989
1992
1993
Barry Lingenberg
Harold Longbottom
Gary Wakeling
Barry Ballard
John Pearson
Rodger Curtis-Harding


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