Co-presidents report January 21, 2026.

A big welcome back to the New Year with our first meeting back at the clubrooms.  We had a guest in Barry Doye who represented the CFA fire brigade competitions committee.  We had apologies from Karen Armstrong, Mick Costello, GP, Ron Payne, John Pearce, Mary Preston and Alison Bacon.

As Barry had to attend another meeting he spoke whilst we ate our dinner.  He told us of the history of the Volunteer Fire Brigades of Victoria (VFBV) competitions.  The establishment of volunteer fire brigades in country Victoria began in 1854 with brigades formally established at Geelong and Sandhurst (now Bendigo).  The introduction of hose reels into the Fire Service to assist in getting hose and other necessary equipment to the scene of a fire relatively quickly, was a major catalyst for fire brigade competitions, as we know them.  VFBV State Championships are one of Victoria's proudest and longest traditions, running for nearly 150 years with the first State Championship held in Melbourne in 1873, with the volunteer associations running and organising these events some 70 years before CFA even existed.  State Championships have continued annually since 1873 – the only cancellations being due to WW1, WWII and the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Today, competitions and the State Championships remain an integral part of CFA activities, attracting every year volunteer and career firefighters from across the state and interstate, competing against each other in a range of events designed to hone their firefighting skills and put their skills to the test in a demonstration of their unique life and property saving skills.  Speed and accuracy are vital as the firefighters compete in events using a range of traditional and modern-day firefighting equipment. 

Barry thanked us for our ongoing commitment to the Bendigo competitions through our catering. It is greatly appreciated as, like most other organisations, attracting helpers is proving difficult.  The afore-mentioned CFA championships at the Weeroona Oval fire brigade track.  This is on Saturday 31st Jan and Sunday 1st Feb for both breakfast and lunch. John will be circulating a roster asking for your assistance, please help if you are available.

 

The Eaglehawk Fire Brigade has been commemorating the Black Saturday fires since they occurred on 7th Feb 2007. They have proposed to get together with the Harcourt Fire Brigade this year on Saturday 7th Feb for a combined fellowship and remembrance evening.  The result of the Bendigo fires and the recent Harcourt fires are similar in both size and damage caused to each community.  Our Rotary Club has been asked if we could cater for this event, as soon as this as mentioned many hands went up in support of this project. The evening is still being worked out, and I will keep everyone informed.

We are running Eaglehawks Australia Day celebrations on Monday 26 th January as per usual.  All members are invited to assist, and we will be setting up in Canterbury Park from 7.00 am.

 

Next week there will be no meeting due to Australia Day.

 

Belated birthday wishes to Rita who informed us she turned 22 on the 12th Jan and Lindsay who is celebrating his birthday on the 25th of Jan.

Mick and Mandy have toured Turkey and Gallipoli and are now in Greece, we wish them a safe return.

Geoff Gallagher