MT. TAYLOR


Lat / Long GDA -37.705659, 147.560630
Department FCV...etc...DEECA
Work Depot Bairnsdale
Region Gippsland
Grading Primary
Elevation (ASL) 492m
Height 60m (tower)
22m (cabin)
Construction Steel
Cabin size 3m x 3m
Public access to site Yes
In use since 1940 - 1987 (timber)
1988 - 1991 (18m steel)
1991 - current
CFA Region 10 - Eastern
This 2000 photo was supplied by Peter Gazaly

The original tower was constructed from trees cut on site and came into operation in January 1940. Access to the cabin was through a trap door in the floor, using wooden ladders up through the centre of the tower structure.
White ants were found to have weakened two legs of the tower and she was condemned in 1987 and demolished on 4th May 1988.
The second tower was a standard 18m steel tower, prefabricated in Benalla and transported to Mt. Taylor in three sections. The budget cost for the tower and associated works totalled AUS$50.000. (1988) This tower was in operation for 3 seasons only.
The current tower was built by the Dept. of Transport and Communications (DOTAC) and was needed to improve TV broadcasting and other communications. Under a co-tenancy arrangement the then DCFL had a new fire detection cabin installed (22m above ground) in order to continue their fire detection responsibilities.
Information supplied by Peter Gazaly
Additional information supplied by Sharon Cook, Dept. NRE in Bairnsdale

Please click on thumbnails for enlargements.
The above photos were supplied via Paul Jones. The 1st one is Mt. Taylor in 1969. The 2nd one is taken from a paper clipping in the Bairnsdale Advertiser, 9 May 1988 and the 3rd one is the text below the 2nd photo.

For an article in the Bairnsdale Advertiser from 7th Oct 1988, please click here. This article covers the construction of the second tower.

This 1950s photo was supplied by Peter McHugh in April 2026. It was posted on the Gippsland History and the Mt Taylor Fire Brigade FaceBook pages.
The photo on the FB posts states it was a CFA tower but that is incorrect, it was a Forests Commission Victoria tower.
Peter also posted on the Victoria's Forests & Bushfire Heritage Facebook page on 24th April 2026. The post can be found here and is about the end of the wooden tower.

Back to Gippsland
Back to Victorian Towers
Back to Home Page