1957 to 1968

The first meeting of the Brigade was held on the 19th of March 1957 in the Lower Chittering Hall. The chairman was Mr. Len Beales and Mr Jock Sharp was the Secretary. Mr K. Murphy moved that a Brigade to be known as the "Lower Chittering Bush Fire Brigade" be formed. This was seconded by Mr Whiteside, and carried.

Foundation Members of the Brigade; Don Bantock, Len Beales, Pat Bonner, Lawrence Bush, Cyril Harding, Ralph Harding, Jim McCauliffe, Ernie Martin, Keith Murphy, Jack Pearce, Jim Read, Salwyn Sage, Jock Sharp, Jack Wareing and Chris Whiteside.

About the end of 1959 bush fires which started in the forest country to the east of Lower Chittering threatened the whole of the district over the Christmas and New Year period and the residents decided that they had had enough, having spent the whole period keeping the fires at bay and that much better equipment was needed.
Representations were made to the Bush Fires Board, the forerunner of FESA, about getting an ex-army 4WD Blitz wagon and pump equipment.

Early 1962 the brigade received there first dedicated fire truck, up till this time fires were put out with backpack sprayers, shovels, rakes, sacks and green boughs. One or two privately owned tractors with carry-alls carrying a couple of 44 gallon drums and a power driven pump were available, these were very helpful but had limited mobility and small water capacity