Our history lives on at the Temora Ambulance Museum glorious collection of historic vehicles and...
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A glorious collection of historic vehicles and emergency equipment has found a new home at the Temora Ambulance Museum, which was officially opened on 8 March. NSW Ambulance Chief Executive Ray Creen attended the opening, along with 200–300 current and former paramedics and their families who gathered to hear the ‘war stories’ of those who paved the way in our profession. The museum is a project of the Temora community and supported by NSW Ambulance, among other authorities. It represents the culmination of many years’ work by volunteers, including about 30 retired and serving paramedics who’ve travelled thousands of kilometres to secure and preserve items of historical interest. A total of 21 historic ambulance vehicles and conveyances – many of which were driven around the complex to the delight of the crowd – are displayed at the museum. Dating back to 1897, these include a 1916 Overland military ambulance in its original, pristine condition, on loan from a private collector. Also included is the only remaining horse- drawn ambulance operated by NSW Ambulance from 1897 (originally known as the Civil Ambulance and Transport Brigade), three Ashford litters, and a 1938 Dodge ambulance featuring the old ‘ambulance cream’ paintwork. Temora Rural Museum Manager Bill Speirs said the ambulance component represented the realisation of a long-held dream. NSW Ambulance previously established a museum out of its former headquarters at Circular Quay in 1964, before the centre of operations was relocated during the 1970s and the museum was “quietly packed away”. Many items were stored at Auburn Station where they remained until Temora museum historians Eddie Sams and his wife Leonie began a campaign to establish a new national museum. Eddie, a retired mechanic and panel beater, bought an ex-Temora 1956 FJ Holden ambulance from Western Australia in 1984, restored it and then loaned it to the Temora Rural Museum for one of its exhibitions. “In 2010, Eddie began to expand the Temora ambulance exhibition he had established at the Rural Museum by enquiring about the obsolete gear and ambulances located at different stations in NSW – items sitting in the back rooms and under trees and various other places,” Bill said. “Many long-serving paramedics also joined the project, feeling the need to preserve and showcase their heritage.” Retired ICP Geoff Fudge came on board last year and, together with retired paramedic Kevin Adamson, sought assistance from the NSW Ministry of Health to use NSW Ambulance equipment and vehicles, while also compiling an extensive inventory. “We’ve got items that go back to World War 1 – medical first aid kits, oxygen kits, splints and many other artefacts of that nature,” Geoff said. “A system of perpetuity has now been established whereby, when a piece of NSW Ambulance equipment is no longer used, a sample can be sent down to Temora.” The Temora ambulance Museum is located at 29 Junee Road, Temora (about 450 km south- west of Sydney). to see more photos of vehicles from the museum – and read about them – visit the nsw Ambulance facebook page. Our history lives on at the Temora Ambulance Museum
Transcript of Our history lives on at the Temora Ambulance Museum glorious collection of historic vehicles and...
A glorious collection of historic vehicles and emergency equipment has found a new home at the Temora Ambulance Museum, which was officially opened on 8 March.
NSW Ambulance Chief Executive Ray Creen attended the opening, along with 200–300 current and former paramedics and their families who gathered to hear the ‘war stories’ of those who paved the way in our profession.
The museum is a project of the Temora community and supported by NSW Ambulance, among other authorities. It represents the culmination of many years’ work by volunteers, including about 30 retired and serving paramedics who’ve travelled thousands of kilometres to secure and preserve items of historical interest.
A total of 21 historic ambulance vehicles and conveyances – many of which were driven around the complex to the delight of the crowd – are displayed at the museum. Dating back to 1897, these include a 1916 Overland military ambulance in its original, pristine condition, on loan from a private collector.
Also included is the only remaining horse-drawn ambulance operated by NSW Ambulance from 1897 (originally known as the Civil Ambulance and Transport Brigade), three Ashford litters, and a 1938 Dodge ambulance featuring the old ‘ambulance cream’ paintwork.
Temora Rural Museum Manager Bill Speirs said the ambulance component represented the realisation of a long-held dream. NSW Ambulance previously established a museum out of its former headquarters at Circular Quay in 1964, before the centre of operations was relocated during the 1970s and the museum was “quietly packed away”. Many items were stored at Auburn Station where they remained until Temora museum historians Eddie Sams and his wife Leonie began a campaign to establish a new national museum.
Eddie, a retired mechanic and panel beater, bought an ex-Temora 1956 FJ Holden ambulance from Western Australia in 1984, restored it and then loaned it to the Temora Rural Museum for one of its exhibitions.
“In 2010, Eddie began to expand the Temora ambulance exhibition he had established at the Rural Museum by enquiring about the obsolete gear and ambulances located at different stations in NSW – items sitting in the back rooms and under trees and various other places,” Bill said.
“Many long-serving paramedics also joined the project, feeling the need to preserve and showcase their heritage.”
Retired ICP Geoff Fudge came on board last year and, together with retired paramedic Kevin Adamson, sought assistance from the NSW Ministry of Health to use NSW Ambulance equipment and vehicles, while also compiling an extensive inventory.
“We’ve got items that go back to World War 1 – medical first aid kits, oxygen kits, splints and many other artefacts of that nature,” Geoff said.
“A system of perpetuity has now been established whereby, when a piece of NSW Ambulance equipment is no longer used, a sample can be sent down to Temora.”
The Temora ambulance Museum is located at 29 Junee Road, Temora (about 450 km south-west of Sydney).
to see more photos of vehicles from the museum – and read about them – visit the nsw Ambulance facebook page.
Our history lives on at the Temora Ambulance Museum
yabun festival 2014Yabun Festival 2014 was held at Victoria Park, Camperdown on Sunday 26 January. Over 10,000 people flocked to the event, Australia’s premier one-day Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander festival, which is now in its twelfth year.
Yabun showcases the best of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts, music and culture in the heart of Gadigal country, Sydney, Australia. Yabun is a Gadigal word meaning to make music with a beat and that’s certainly what happened, with live music playing throughout the day.
Yabun also delivers important cultural programs, presentations, information stalls and community awareness. NSW Ambulance participated in this important day with SAC paramedics Andrew Clarke, Jeremy Havlin and Liam Harte in attendance.
(L–R): St John Ambulance first aid volunteers, Tarryn Brown and Zena Keidge, with paramedics Liam and Jeremy.
