The story behind Tullibigeal's "Ladies Fire Truck" is the stuff of legend in the small community.

The Bedford truck, fire engine No. 82, was purchased from Lockhart by Lachlan Shire Council for the Tullibigeal Fire Brigade in the early 1980’s. It was the first fire truck ever provided for Tullibigeal. Prior to obtaining the Bedford, firefighting was undertaken with privately owned water carts and knap sacks.

Recent government funding of $125000 means the truck will now be housed as a permanent exhibit in the town in an enclosed shed with relevant signage.

It is news welcomed by locals, as the little truck has had a significant history in kick-starting fire training and in the establishment of the local Progress Association. It's a story of strength, determination and the triumph of country town spirit.

In early 1991 there was a large bush fire raging in the local area. Most of the men in the district were out fighting the blaze with a new fire truck that had been obtained by the brigade along with fire carts.

In their absence, the women of the town were confronted with spot fires around the community and decided they had to do something.

Tullibigeal local, Maxine Imrie, was one of the women called to action on that day.

"The wind picked up and the grass fire was making it’s way towards the back of some other homes and tinder dry grass in small paddocks between these homes," Ms Imrie said.

"The homes were all made of weatherboard and iron, they were potential bombs. We knew if a spark or ember reached them, we could potentially lose our town and the lives of elderly residents who lived in those homes."

The town was without mains water which was nothing unusual, according to Ms Imrie, it happened regularly when the transfer pumps from Lake Cargelligo to Tullibigeal failed, generally during hot weather.

Luckily residents had their own water supplies in rain water tanks.

"Children were running backwards and forwards with two-gallon plastic buckets and any other vessel that could hold water," Ms Imrie recalled. "They threw the water on to the hessian bags their mothers and grandmothers were using to beat the flames.

"The scene I remember vividly was the floral skirts being blown around with the wind gusts, women in sandals, rubber thongs, light-colored t-shirts or gaily printed blouses. Kids in shorts and singlets, some barefooted, some in their riding boots, surrounded by smoke, dust and racing toward flames armed with their inadequate damp hessian bags or small buckets of water. There was a sense of panic, but quiet determination and fortitude." 

Ms Imrie said at one point, she looked up from beating flames with a wet bag, and saw the little red Bedford fire truck coming towards her group.

"Behind the wheel was local legend, Tom Glasgow," Ms Imrie said "Tom beckoned me over and called out that the truck had some water on board - it wasn’t much but it would have to do."

Ms Imrie said the truck had sat in the in the Fire Brigade shed for as long as she could remember, it was covered in dust, grime, cobwebs and the mice had made homes in it.

"As Tom gave me directions on getting the rear mounted pump going, we were able to start to extinguish a section of the fire when a crew of heroes from Ungarie drove into town," she said.

"They were heading out to the main fire; these guys literally saved the day for Tully. They had enough water on board to extinguish our grass fire and prevented it from entering an area that would have seen catastrophe strike."

The Tullibigeal Ladies' Fire Truck would look something like this when restored.

After the event, the ladies lobbied the Council and bushfire agencies to have a Women’s Fire Brigade in town.

Training and exercises were provided for the ladies through the NSW Fire Brigade with help from Lachlan Shire Council and Lake Cargelligo SES. 

With no overarching organisation to lobby for resources for Tullibigeal at Local, State or Federal Government levels, the Tullibigeal and District Progress Association was then formed.

Also heavily involved with the truck's history is another Tullibigeal local, Janelle Ireland, who is delighted with the funding outcome.

"The Bedford truck being the original Tullibigeal fire truck, has an important and sentimental history to the Tullibigeal Community, and the display of the vehicle, along with information signs telling it history will be of great interest to visitors passing through Tullibigeal," Ms Ireland said.

"However, before the Fire Tuck can be displayed it will require some restoration to the exterior paint, cabin, window seals and firefighting equipment.

"Present day Fire Brigade members believe the restoration of the Bedford would cost around $40,000. The community are excited about the SCCF grant and are looking of opportunities to raise the funds needed for the restoration."