Work starts on $6m fire station at Bracken Ridge

The first sod has been turned for a new $6 million fire and rescue station to be built in north Brisbane.

The current Sandgate Fire Station building was opened on August 28, 1970.

THE first sod has been turned for the new $6 million Fire and Rescue Station to be built at Bracken Ridge.

The new facility on Bracken Ridge Rd, next to Sandgate Ambulance Station, is expected to open in the first half of next year.

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It will replace the existing Sandgate Fire and Rescue Station on Brighton Rd and will accommodate up to 40 staff and three fire trucks.

It will also include a training room, an Incident Command Centre, a gym and wellness centre, and storage for equipment and supplies.

Member for Sandgate Stirling Hinchliffe turned the first sod this afternoon with Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Minister Craig Crawford.

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Mr Hinchliffe said the new facility would be “a welcome upgrade to emergency services staff who responded to more than 500 incidents since July 2018.”

“As part of the Queensland State Government’s 2017 election commitment, the current Sandgate Fire and Rescue Station site will be granted to the community and not sold off for profit.”

Mr Crawford said the new Bracken Ridge station would look after the area currently covered by the Sandgate facility — to Bald Hills, Taigum, almost to Chermside and halfway north to Burpengary.