The old Allora Fire Station has come to the end of its life.
At a Southern Downs Council meeting on 19 June, councillors voted for the structurally unsound building to be removed from its site.
Cr Sheryl Windle, who was instrumental in encouraging a council-led survey in March to uncover Allora people’s stance on the old building, said she now looked forward to being able to move forward the rest of the project.
“Having read the report, I don’t see any other option. I know there are some people in Allora who would have liked to have seen the building retained,” she said.
“It was me who held this process up. I asked to take this step to ensure the community was on board with this.
“The submissions show a lot of people don’t care either way.”
A previous survey, in 2023, had questioned the community on buildings and services in Allora including the library and customer service centre, Allora Senior Citizens building, sports museum and community hall.
The council’s decision for the old Allora Fire Station to go means the site can be used to fix septic compliance issues in the precinct.
According to council agenda notes, once the fire shed is moved, the Allora Library and Customer Service Centre will be relocated from its existing location to the former Allora Senior Citizen building.
Part of the front of the old Allora Fire Station will be preserved for future display within the precinct, in line with a survey response of more than 60 per cent of people agreeing that council should celebrate the fire station’s history by salvaging the ‘fire station’ lintel.
