document
Group Captain’s report: formation at Glenhaven
December 1951
Words, pictures and evidence
The record remains.
Read the complete history, examine a letter or spend time with a photograph. The original collection is here to explore.
With thanks to Phillip Bradac and Ian Iredale, who compiled the original history for the brigade’s 50th anniversary in 2001.
Additional material courtesy of Helen Zamprogno (nee Holland) and Councillor Nathan Zamprogno 2026
Read the original introduction and its qualifications ↗Read the history
All the original words.
The chapter links preserve the source boundaries. Every chapter is fully readable on a single page, with direct links to images and evidence.
01
Beginnings · 1945–1951
02Finding our feet · 1952–1956
03A place of our own · 1957–1959
04Building the first shed · 1960–1962
05Sounding the alarm · 1963–1964
06Equipment and determination · 1965
07Keeping the brigade going · 1966–1969
08A changing brigade · 1970
09Community and fire · 1971–1975
10A new tanker, a new station · 1976–1978
11Growing together · 1979–1989
12Serving further afield · 1990–2001
The image collection
Look a little closer.
The 59 original historical images, four additional images from the Holland family archive, including the 1975 footage banner, and the RFS logo. Original files remain available, including images that were never linked from the original collection’s pages.
64 images
document
Inauguration meeting: officers and members
11 December 1951
document
Secretary appeals for a telephone connection
20 October 1958
document
Where There’s Smoke — council asked to encourage compliance
27 November 1963
document
Six requests to Council: equipment, notices and a map
7 July 1964
document
Proposed bush fire prevention signs
11 August 1965
document
Suggested improvements after the Kellyville and Dural fires, page 1
14 March 1965
document
Suggested improvements after the Kellyville and Dural fires, page 2
14 March 1965 (continuation)
document
Request for a new tanker and a shed extension
8 May 1965
document
Letter concerning fires on a Holland Road property
8 May 1965
map
Brigade area marked on a cadastral map
22 April 1965 annotation
document
Fire warning poster
Undated poster; filename suggests 1966
document
Prevention of Bush Fires: historical requirements
Undated poster; filename suggests 1966
document
Bush Fire Bulletin: Thanks from Glenhaven (sideways scan)
Winter/Spring 1975 (2001 history attribution)
document
Thanks to the base radio operators after the Glenhaven fire
29 January 1975
document
Bush Fire Bulletin: Thanks from Glenhaven
Winter/Spring 1975 (2001 history attribution)
document
Invitation to the new fire shed opening
22 February 1979
document
Glenhaven Bush Fire Brigade at the Ready
13 December 1979
document
First: best overall at the State Field Day
24 September 1989
plan
Proposed equipment shed: elevations and sections
October 1960 annotation
photograph
Glenhaven 7: rear equipment compartments
Undated
photograph
Glenhaven 9: light fire appliance
Undated
photograph
Glenhaven AB160 fire appliance
Undated
photograph
Brigade group inside the station
Undated
photograph
Group with a competition shield
Undated
photograph
Brigade group at an outdoor event
Undated
photograph
Brigade members with two earlier vehicles
Undated
photograph
Fire appliance beside a tarpaulin-covered roof
Undated
photograph
Brigade group beside a tanker
Undated; included in the 2001 collection
document
Appeal to the women of Glenhaven
11 October 1971 meeting (year from the 2001 history)
document
Heroes: newspaper roll of firefighters
14 January 1994
map
Street map showing the Rural Fire Service
Undated; included in the 2001 collection
document
Clive Horwood’s recollections — page 1
2001 recollection
document
Clive Horwood’s recollections — page 2
2001 recollection
document
Specification for the proposed equipment shed
Undated; displayed with the 1960–61 shed records
plan
Fire shed floor levels and recovery pegs
Undated; displayed with the 1960–61 shed records
photograph
Glenhaven tanker outside the station
1992 (original filename)
photograph
Crew beside the AB160 at an outdoor event
Undated
photograph
Glenhaven truck among vehicles on display
Undated
photograph
Ladder and hose demonstration
Undated
photograph
Glenhaven appliance beside a bushfire
Undated
photograph
Firefighter beside a utility and burning bush
Undated
photograph
Member on the Blitz appliance
Undated
photograph
Brigade group with the Blitz appliance
Undated
photograph
Two appliances on a field
Undated
photograph
Team with certificates and a shield
Undated
photograph
Brigade group with a Land Rover
Undated
photograph
Members watching an outdoor field event
Undated
photograph
Members working on a damaged roof
Undated
photograph
Members with certificates beside an appliance
Undated
artwork
Original 1951–2001 anniversary banner
2001 anniversary design
document
The Land Rover dispute: brigade letter, page 1
13 August 1970
document
The Land Rover dispute: brigade letter, page 2
13 August 1970
document
Council’s reply to the Land Rover dispute, page 1
16 September 1970
document
Council’s reply to the Land Rover dispute, page 2
16 September 1970
document
Brigade tenders its public appeal proceeds for the Land Rover
12 December 1970
document
Press release: a new tanker for Glenhaven
2 January 1976
document
New station facilities still unavailable
3 October 1978
document
NRMA inspection report on the 1943 Chevrolet Blitz tanker
30 July 1965
artwork
NSW Rural Fire Service emblem
Undated
photograph
Harry Holland and fellow brigade members · 7 January 1976
7 January 1976 — date on the photograph’s caption
photograph
Glenhaven brigade at the Castle Hill Field Day · 1965
1965 — identified by the accompanying names sheet
document
Names and roles at the Castle Hill Field Day · 1965
1965 — year stated on the sheet
artwork
Footage of the January 25th 1975 bushfire
25 January 1975 footage · banner prepared for the 2026 anniversary
Hills Voices Online
Helen’s Glenhaven.
Helen Zamprogno (nee Holland) was interviewed by Frank Heimans on 30 June 2006 for Baulkham Hills Shire Council, now The Hills Shire Council. Her recollections form part of Hills Voices Online.
Read or listen on the Council’s oral-history page ↗
- Glenhaven Part One — read the transcript (PDF, 9 pages) · Download PDF
- Glenhaven Part Two — read the transcript (PDF, 9 pages) · Download PDF
These local copies preserve the supplied transcripts. The interview is later testimony; it complements the 1945–2001 historical collection.