Castle Hill Ambulance Service
In 1887, the Army Medical Corps gave a public demonstration of first-aid. The result was a proposal to form the first Sydney based civilian ambulance brigade. Castle Hill Ambulance Service
In November of 1941 The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate listed the unsuccessful attempt by the Castle Hill Progress Association to approach the Council for land. The following January, a property in Old Northern Rd Dural was purchased from Mr Gleadhill at a cost of £1180 and from a Mr Morris at a cost of £190 ready for the erection of a new building.
In September of 1942 a local campaign was launched to raise money for a second ambulance. Assistance came from Baulkham Hill’s residents who attended a gathering at the School of Arts where £118/7/2 was raised.
Heather Watson (nee Kentwell) in her book “Where have all the orchards gone?” stated that the additional land purchased from Mr Cranston of Dural in December 1844 at a cost of £157 was a disused service station with residence. Mr George Porter, the first Ambulance Officer and family took up residence on the site.
Social events connected with the Castle Hill Ambulance Service included an Annual Ball held in the Anzac Memorial Hall. The first of these took place in August 1945.
Eventually the funds were available for a 2nd ambulance. A new fully equipped Chevrolet Stylemaster ambulance costing £900 joined the station at Castle Hill.
In August 1950 NSW Ambulance Committee agreed at its August meeting to sell the ambulance property at Castle Hill consisting of two vacant blocks of land and an old garage property with a small residence attached. The sale netted £3850 and two years later Baulkham Hills Shire Council property in Old Northern Road, near Showground Road was purchased for £618.
Fundraising commenced in June1953 with a Carnival in Castle Hill Park to raise money for the new station. Eventually a tender of £9137/6/- was submitted by J. S. Bromfield of Blacktown and accepted for the construction of the new station which was officially opened by the Minister for Health, the Hon. M. O’Sullivan, M.L.A on 10 October 1953.
To assist with funding of the station surplus land at the rear of the station was sold for $4000 to Hills District Masonic Hall Co. Ltd and then in April 2002 the Hills Shire Times announced that the ambulance station itself was sold to the Masons for $1.25m as the exit onto Old Northern Road had become impossible. New premises were found in the Castle Hill Industrial area in Gladstone Road off Victoria Avenue. The old site on Old Northern Road is currently occupied by an estate agent.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/The-Hills-District-Historical-Society-1445260695728124
