Armstrong Creek relies on temporary fire base as station delay continues

A fire truck parked behind temporary fencing is serving one of Victoria’s fastest-growing communities while the Armstrong Creek fire station promised in 2018 remains unbuilt.

As the project’s completion date slips to 2028, questions remain about the delay, with the state government pointing to the City of Greater Geelong and Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) citing unresolved utility connections.

One of the Grovedale Fire Brigade’s trucks has been operating from a temporary site on Boundary Road for about 12 months, directly opposite the land earmarked for the future station.

According to the CFA, this was done to “bolster services” and improve response times in the Armstrong Creek area during upgrades to the Surf Coast Highway and nearby railway infrastructure. These works were completed in October last year.

The temporary setup has drawn criticism from the United Firefighters Union, which says it is no substitute for the permanent station promised to the community almost eight years ago.

Union delegate and firefighter Stephen Tulla said the closest career fire station to Armstrong Creek was in Belmont, about 17 minutes away.

“We’re supposed to have a fire station here with career firefighters,” he said. “We’re eight years down the track and we still haven’t got a fire station.”

Tulla said the temporary site was not permanently staffed, meaning firefighters would still need to travel from their homes before responding to emergencies.

“Every minute is important in a fire or emergency,” he said.

“We need the government to step up and make good with their promises and stop playing Monopoly with their land.”

The state government and FRV have previously cited utility connections as a key reason for the project’s delay, but it is not clear what utilities or which providers are involved.

On Wednesday, emergency services minister Vicki Ward suggested council processes were contributing to the hold up, saying the land for the station was still being subdivided.

“When you’re dealing with councils, how long is a piece of string?” she said.

Ward described the fire truck’s temporary home as “unusual”, but said it was an operational decision by the CFA. She could not provide a timeline for when the station would open.

An FRV spokesperson said settlement of the land for the Armstrong Creek fire station remained subject to services being connected to the site.

“A planning permit has been issued for the new fire station subject to services being connected,” the spokesperson said.

“As of June, the settlement of land is still subject to services being connected to the site.”

The CFA said the Armstrong Creek community continued to be well served by volunteer firefighters from the Grovedale and Connewarre brigades.

“Grovedale Fire Brigade operates with two vehicles from their main station in Reserve Road, Grovedale and one vehicle from the temporary location in Boundary Road, Armstrong Creek to bolster services while significant roadwork upgrades on the Surf Coast Highway and rail line infrastructure upgrades were occurring,” CFA chief executive Greg Leach said.

He said the temporary site remains in use while roadworks and construction in the area is ongoing, with further upgrade works planned for the Surf Coast Highway.

“The Grovedale fire truck is in a safe and secure position for members to turnout from with temporary fencing, security cameras, and security lighting in place for the CFA’s equipment,” Leach said.

The City of Greater Geelong had not responded to questions before publication.