Brisbane History, Published 7 June 2026
From Horsepower to... Well, a Bit Less Power!
Ever wondered how Brisbane handled fires before the big red trucks we see today? Meet the city's very first motorized firefighting vehicle!
In 1905, the Brisbane Fire Brigade ditched the hay and oats for petrol when they imported this beast from the UK: the Merryweather Chemical Fire Engine.
It was the "Ferrari" of its day... on paper, at least. Check out these "blistering" specs:
ENGINE: A mighty 20 h.p. petrol motor*.
MAX SPEED: A heart-pounding 25 mph (about 40 km/h) - but only on flat ground!
CREW: Room for 8 brave firefighters to hold on for dear life.
GEAR: 600 feet of canvas hose and two 35-gallon chemical cylinders.
THE CATCH?
While it looked the part, Brisbane’s hills were its arch-nemesis. It was notoriously unreliable and often got overtaken by local kids on bicycles! It was so finicky that it took several years to actually go into full service, meaning the trusty fire horses weren't out of a job just yet.
Next time you see a modern fire truck flying down the road, spare a thought for the 1905 crew who were probably pushing their engine up the hill!
Know someone who loves Brisbane history? Tag them below!
Original B&W Image - Public Domain - Colourisation by the Dave & Malou Channel
* Some reports list the engine h.p anywhere between 16 and 24 h.p. Due to conflicting sources, we’ve settled on 20 h.p., based on the most reliable UK records.
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