Reflected glory

PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERY
PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERY
The facade of Dunedin’s historic Central Fire Station, long masked by buildings across the road on St Andrew St, can now be seen in all its glory thanks to the demolition programme being carried out so the new Dunedin Hospital can be built.

The fire station was built in 1931 by G. Lawrence and Sons, and for the following seven years was also the headquarters of the Dunedin branch of St John.

Designed by prominent architectural firm Mandeno and Fraser, whose work includes the Dunedin Town Hall and the former King Edward Technical College, the building originally housed not only the city’s firefighting appliances but also the crews and their families.

Today, multiple crews work out of the building, on a 24/7 roster.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand announced in September 2019 it was reviewing the inner city Castle St site and its long-term suitability after the new hospital was built, but said it remained committed to operating from the site in the short to medium term.

The building is a category 2 historic place.

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