Bushfire Volunteers has today published a Market Sounding for Expressions of Interest from Local Governments, Corporations and Philanthropists for support to create our ambitious Bushfire Volunteers Heritage and Education Centre (BVHEC).

The document invites contact from owners of under-utilised property anywhere in Western Australia who would consider partnering with the association to build a long-term facility that might include any or all of the following:

  • Training and seminar facilities to enable professional development, workshops and information sharing for Bushfire Volunteers members
  • A modern Museum featuring our fleet of up to 20 restored vehicles, various equipment, documents, memorabilia and other heritage exhibits that showcase the proud and successful history of WA’s Volunteer Bush Fire Service
  • Facilities to host meetings of related community groups
  • External demonstration areas to enable equipment testing, exhibition, development and training
  • Mechanical workshops and paint facilities for the maintenance, repair, restoration and preservation of historical vehicles and equipment
  • The administrative headquarters of the peak body for Western Australia’s 20,000+ registered Bush Fire Volunteers (base for up to 15 paid staff and 50 volunteers)
  • A gift shop from which practical, symbolic and novelty items are sold and supplied
  • Immersive education exhibitions and displays designed to deliver fire safety and pro-volunteering/community service messages to school-aged children visiting in organised groups
  • Food preparation/service areas to enable catering of on-site meetings and functions

The Market Sounding is an important “next step” for the association, after our proposal to add value to the State Government’s Bushfire Centre of Excellence by co-locating our Heritage Museum, Community Education facility and Administrative headquarters was not supported.

Since then, we have worked hard to document and package our value proposition for new sponsorships and partnerships that will provide the income required to deliver the huge increase in member services we’ve also planned, dependant on securing a long-term base from which to work.

This is an exciting document.

Please click here to read the whole Market Sounding and share it with any one in any organisation who you believe might be interested in investing in the incredible past, present and future Bush Fire Volunteers who have served our diverse community so well for so long.