03/04/2026
Today marks the 50th anniversary of the tragic loss of our Captain Wal Annison in line of duty.
On the 4th April 1976 a scrub fire broke out in Crombie Road, Macedon. Fears arose about the safety of two children and Wal immediately organised a search.
While running around the perimeter of the fire, he collapsed. He’d had a heart attack. He was revived at the scene but suffered a second attack a short time later and this time, alas, he died.
Wal Annison was 44 years old, leaving behind his wife Barb and their three growing daughters - Kathryn, Jennifer and Margaret. The family is forever grateful for the support they received from the Macedon community at this time.
The brigade expressed its gratitude to Wal in a tribute written shortly after his death. “We lost a leader and a friend” it said, “a man whose commitment to the development of the brigade in areas of training, team-manship, safety and fire prevention had given others the incentive to continue with his plans for a professional approach to firefighting, and to take pride in service to the community”.
To his family, Wal is remembered as a loving, practical and no-nonsense man, someone who delighted in making and repairing things, and who dedicated his life to his family, friends and to the close-knit community around him.
