A small but determined community group from Tullibigeal in Lachlan Shire are about to achieve the completion of a project to restore a local icon, with plans to celebrate already underway.

Back in the early 1980s, Lachlan Shire Council provided the community with their first ever fire truck, fire engine No. 82, purchased from Lockhart.

Prior to obtaining the Bedford truck, firefighting around the small village was undertaken with privately owned water carts and knap sacks.

Fast forward to 1991 and during a large bushfire, most of the men in town were called away to tackle the blaze in another, newer fire truck.

This left the women of the town to use the old Bedford and protect it from spot fires and the threat of disaster. 

Their heroic efforts paid off and subsequently the Bedford was colloquially known as 'the ladies fire truck.'

The truck fell into disrepair, but in early 2023 a grant of $125,000 was secured by the local council meant it would be restored and housed as a permanent exhibit in the town in an enclosed shed with relevant signage.

“We found a young fellow from Yenda, by the name of Andrew Crook who could do part of the work,” Janelle Ireland, a member of the Tullibigeal Progress Association .

"Andrew did the exterior restoration and someone else did the mechanical repairs. The fire engine was still drivable but had to be tuned up and brakes repaired and that sort of thing.

“The local shire council got the grant to do the enclosure and the building is on Crown Land next to the Community Centre in Tulli. Basically, council built the enclosure and Progress paid for the restoration of the vehicle.”

Lachlan Shire Council have issued an open invitation for anyone interested to come along for the opening of the site on Sunday 20 October at the Tullibigeal Community Centre.

There will be an official opening and lunch, along with a car display.

“As well as the fire truck ceremony, we will have classic cars on display which are coming from all around including Griffith, Condobolin, Lake Cargelligo, and West Wyalong,” Ms Ireland said.

“Many are from different car interest groups who decided to come for a drive for the day.

“The cars will be lined up along the street so people can have a look over them. There will be a couple of fire trucks as well, but since it is fire season, there will not be many as they obviously need to stay within their own area in case of an emergency.

“Doug Turriff, who is a member of our Progress Association, will talk about the story of the Ladies Fire Truck and council is also putting a storyboard up at the new location so anyone travelling around can learn all about it.

“At Progress, we are pretty rapt that this project has concluded. The truck looks amazing. It’s not a new track and it's still got its bruises and scratches, but it's polished up, has plenty of character and tells an important local story.”