Introduction: Part one focuses on the history of the Metcalfe group of fire brigades and of each of the member brigades. Part two presents newspaper and personal accounts of many rural and urban fires in the Metcalfe Shire from 1851 to 2009 and major fires attended by the Castlemaine Fire Brigade. Part three looks at fire fighting innovations developed by individuals within the Shire of Metcalfe and in one case, of a person who lived at Sutton Grange before the Shire of Metcalfe was created.
Contents include: Metcalfe Group p7. Castlemaine Fire Brigade p17. Chewton Fire Brigade p40. Elphinstone Fire Brigade p71. Harcourt Fire Brigade p86. Langley-Barfold Fire Brigade p104. Metcalfe Fire Brigade p141. Redesdale Fire Brigade p158. Sutton Grange-Myrtle Creek Fire Brigade p176. Taradale Fire Brigade p190. Urban fires and other buildings p231. Rural fires, 1851-1864 p257. Rural fires, 1865 p261. Rural fires, 1866-1901 p272. Rural fires, 1902 p287. Rural fires, 1903-1943. Rural fires, 1944 p316. Rural fires, 1945-2008 p331. Rural fires, 2009-2011 p340. Local fire fighting inventions p355. Surname index p362.