The 31-year-old station, which has been top of the Northern region’s priority building list for more than two years, has had to forego equipment acquisitions because it cannot house appliances properly.
Recently the station has dipped into its own account for $25,000 to fund changeroom upgrades at the facility for volunteers to better meet OH&S standards, and is three-quarters through the build.
“The ideal solution is a brand new station with all the correct amenities,” first lieutenant Simon Crawford said.
“But until the government comes good, we’re sitting in the wind.
“It sits where it sits with the CFA – they tell us where on a priority list, but we’ve heard nothing at all.”
The station has most notably missed out on a new pumper, and doesn’t have the equipment to fight fires in three-storey buildings but Mr Crawford said the brigade was managing.
“As a brigade we operate really well with the equipment we’ve got, we make it work,” he said.
“We can’t dwell on what you should have and could have, we make it work from what we’ve got.
“We get good support from Fire Rescue Mulwala, they’re really supportive.
“The atmosphere and camaraderie at the station is really good, you can’t let these things drive you down.”
Liberal member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell told The Yarrawonga Chronicle she would be raising the matter in parliament when it returns at the end of this month.
“I will be raising it to ensure that the government is aware that Yarrawonga need a new fire station,” she said.
“We haven’t seen much recognition of this from the government so far.
“It is still priority No.1 for District 22 and I will keep pushing it.
“Our volunteers in the Yarrawonga fire brigade deserve better.”
The Yarrawonga Fire Brigade has been protecting the Yarrawonga community for over 125 years and the existing station was opened in 1993 when the town was much smaller.
Ms Lovell said expected further population growth in the town was “all the more reason to invest”.
“This has been a long-time priority, but the government is not making much investment for CFA fire stations in northern Victoria,” she said.
A government spokesperson was contacted for comment but did not respond by deadline.
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