Rural Fire Service Fire Truck Memorial Playground Print Page

The memorial playground is a tribute to late Rural Fire Service (RFS) volunteers, Andrew O'Dwyer and Geoffrey Keaton, who tragically lost their lives while battling the Green Wattle Creek Bushfire in 2019. The playground is also in memory of the sacrifices made by firefighters and families during the 2019 and 2020 fire season.

Andrew O`Dwyer, 36, was killed alongside his colleague Geoffrey Keaton, 32 at the Green Wattle Creek fire near Buxton when the truck he was travelling in rolled off the road on December 19.

Three other firefighters from the Horsley Park Rural Fire Brigade were injured.

Buxton will soon be home to a fire truck themed playground in memory of the sacrifices made by firefighters and families during the 2019/2020 fire season.

Wollondilly Council approved an amendment of the Telopea Park Master Plan at last Tuesay's council meeting to allow for the installation of a Rural Fire Service (RFS) Fire Truck Memorial Playground within the park. The request for a memorial playground at Telopea Park was raised by the Buxton community as a fitting tribute to late RFS volunteers, Andrew O'Dwyer and Geoffrey Keaton, who tragically lost their lives while battling the Green Wattle Creek Bushfire last year.

Mayor Matthew Deeth said the new playground would serve as an important reminder of the fire event.

"This will be a wonderful tribute to the firefighters who lost their lives defending our residents and theirhomes from the bushfires, and an important reminder to the local community of what happened during the 2019-20 bushfires," he said.

"I'd like to thank the community advocates, particularly the Buxton RFS and Kim Hill, who successfully secured a range of external funding towards the playground equipment. "Their hard work and enthusiasm will help make this project a reality."

The council also included the families of the fallen firefighters during their community engagement process.

Funding was also allocated from the Commonwealth Government's $1 million Recovery Grant in February.

The community engagement process identified the preferred location for the new playground within the park and demonstrated overwhelming community support for the project. Many respondents also suggested the inclusion of some park seats and plaques specifically dedicated to the two firefighters.
Wollondilly Advertiser (NSW), 26 July 2020.

Location

Address:	East Parade & Eurelia Road, Telopea Park, Buxton, 2571
State:	NSW
Area:	AUS
GPS Coordinates:	Lat: -34.256828 Long: 150.533153 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.

View Google Map

Details

Monument Type:	Playground
Monument Theme:	Disaster
Sub-Theme:	Fire

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:	Saturday 5th December, 2020

Source: MA