Specialist Northland firefighting museum opens in new premises in Kaikohe

The Northland Firehouse Museum has moved its entire contents, including this 1932 Dennis fire engine from Okaihau to new premises at Kaikohe.

One of Northland's specialists museum has moved, with the Northland Firehouse Museum now open for visitors in Kaikohe.

The museum, the pride of Brian Denton, had been opened in Okaihau until the property it was in sold last year and the collection had to find a new home.

Mr Denton said the museum has now shifted to 22 Rankin St, Kaikohe, and was open again and ready for visitors.

The Northland Firehouse Museum Trust, described by founder Mr Denton as a hobby that
got out of control, acquires, restores and displays fire appliances, along with uniforms, helmets, rank markings, badges and patches, fire safety items and has a special September 9/11 exhibit.

Mr Denton said unfortunately the Okaihau property where the museum had been based for 20 years was sold, meaning he had to find new premises to relocate to.

''We've put the collection back together and we're open again. We've got exactly the same sort of displays in the new building and it's really good to be back up and running again.''

It started as a hobby when Brian and Lesley Denton's son Mark wanted to be a fireman when he grew up.

The doting parents bought Mark a model fire engine, then another and another and things expanded from there. Mark became a firefighter and the museum's collection continued to grow.

The oldest fire fighting machine in the collection is a quad used by the Forestry Service in the early 1900s, with the most modern from the early 1980s.

While it started as a hobby, the museum grew to be an international attraction in Okaihau and Mr Denton hopes to grow things further now that it has moved to Kaikohe.

People can check out the Northland Firehouse Museum Facebook page or ring 09 4011100 for opening times and further information.

In 2012, the museum was runner up in the Heritage and Environment category in the TrustPower Far North Community Awards.