The historic Allora Fire Station is a cultural landmark that reflects the township’s identity, but a recent engineering assessment found that the structure is unsound in its current state, so Southern Downs Regional Council is now inviting feedback about how to preserve the building’s heritage.
In late 2023, council sought community feedback in relation to the following question: If the Allora Senior Citizens building is transformed into a community hub that includes the Allora Library, Council Customer Service and a meeting place for the community, there will be a need to remove the old Fire Shed to address the septic tank issues. How important is the unoccupied fire shed to you?
A total of 186 responses were received, with 61 per cent of respondents indicating that the old fire station building was not at all important. This result was presented to council at its meeting on Wednesday 17 January 2024, and council requested further clarification on local sentiment prior to the permanent and irreversible removal of the building.
Chief executive officer Dave Burges said he welcomed the community’s input on the preservation of the old Allora Fire Station’s history to ensure that the wishes of locals formed part of the conversation into a befitting legacy for the landmark.
“Allora boasts a strong sense of history with its old-time charming streetscape, heritage buildings and memorials,” Mr Burges said.
“The old Allora Fire Station building is more than bricks and mortar — it’s a legacy to memories, resilience and spirit of the township.
“The community’s input is crucial in understanding how to celebrate the heritage of the Allora Fire Station, so Council invites the community to share its thoughts on how we can preserve the landmark’s history for future generations.”
Having a say is easy. Simply complete the survey online at sdrc.qld.gov.au/living-here/have-your say/have-your-say-old-allora-fire-station-building before 5pm on Friday 29 March 2024. Hard copies are also available at Council’s Customer Service Centres and libraries.
