The crew from the Northshore SES were thrilled to have recently been given the opportunity of a Wednesday evening tour of the Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) Education and Heritage Centre, located in the original Perth Central Fire Station. 
Dating back to 1899, the building was the first purpose built fire station in WA. Now refurbished, the facility tells an amazing story of emergency services in WA, from past to present, utilising an array of interactive display, galleries and artefacts to ensure that the memories are preserved whilst being passed on to future generations.
Northshore was lucky enough to be given a guided tour of the facility by Ros Cleverley, acting Education & Heritage Coordinator, who is herself a volunteer at Northshore.
Volunteers young and old jumped at the chance to get into the spirit of things, with plenty of photo opportunities on the night, including dress-ups and wannabe fire-truck drivers!
Training Manager Northshore SES Matthew Boots said “We had a great night. Each room told a unique story, and the vintage fire appliances and other hands on exhibits certainly kept everyone occupied.”
Local Manager Northshore SES Nick Elliott thanked Ros for organising and facilitating the tour, acknowledging that is was a great opportunity to learn about the history of, and to read the stories behind the DFES that we all know today.
About the DFES Education and Heritage Centre
Welcoming over 18, 000 visitors a year the centre houses a large archive of emergency services’ historic documents and photographs and a display of vintage fire appliances (engines).
The centre is open to the public and offers an interactive, interesting and fun experience for schools, tourists, families and community groups. Tours, open days, holiday activities and curriculum-linked education programs are available free of charge.
DFES’s Education and Heritage Centre is situated on the corner of Murray and Irwin Streets, Perth, near Royal Perth Hospital, and is open from 10am to 3:00pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Admission is free.
The Centre is closed on Public Holidays. Please check the opening times for Christmas school holidays, as the Centre closes for several weeks at this time.