Community Arts Centre

The Old Fire Station located on the corner of Terralong & Shoalhaven Streets Kiama, is a major focus of culture and art in the Kiama community. It attracts many professional artists and visitors from not only the local community, but from across Australia.

Community arts are important in the everyday lives of the community. The Old Fire Station gallery, located in Kiama CBD, is a professional facility for exhibitions, workshops and other cultural events.

History of the Old Fire Station

The Community Arts Centre originally started as Kiama's Fire Station. The big double doors and the high ceiling remind the visitor of this. This is one of the things that make the Community Arts Centre unique and appealing. The station originally cost £394 and had £23 worth of fire extinguishing equipment. The Old Fire Station played a vital role in the great fire, that occurred at 2am, on October 1st, 1899 along Terralong Street. In all, 16 buildings were destroyed.

It was ironic that prior to the fire a move had been made to install a water supply, and at the time of the fire the pipes were lying along the street. When the water supply was made available, the first fire brigade was formed. On June 20 1900, D.C. Davis was elected Captain and R.M. Hindmarsh and W. Kelly became first and second lieutenants respectively.

It is said that the October 1899 fire started in the hay room of John Wood, but there was no evidence to how the fire started. As the flames progressed along the street, word was passed around and Miss Finlayson set the fire bell ringing. Members of the community helped one another out using axes to pull down buildings and barricading the galvanised iron. Flames ripped through the Royal Hotel to the Bakery and burned more rapidly. They say that a vacant space of about 60 feet was the only chance of stopping the fire.

Efforts were made to locate victims of the fire at relatives' and friends' places. Not long after the tragedy of the October fire, another fire occurred.

Today, the rear of the building has a mural designed and created by students from the TAFE Outreach Program which depicts segments of Kiama's history and the central theme of the fire.

Daisy the cow

"Daisy" was created by local sculptor, Ernesto Murgo through the Community Arts Program for the Seaside Festival in 1991. Promotions for the Community Arts Program were displayed in the Kiama Library and Daisy featured as a mascot at several events.

When Daisy comes out, the centre is open.

Daisy has been painted many times by local artists. She is known throughout the region for her colourful appearance.

 

 

Transformation of the Old Fire Station

The Community Arts Centre is run by Council's Cultural Development Officer. The centre currently attracts an average of 85 visitors per day when exhibitions are being run.