Queensland State Archives posted a photo:
Old Fire Engine
An interesting relic of the early days still preserved in Brisbane is a horse-drawn fire engine, intimately known to the firemen of Brisbane as “Bobs.” The engine was purchased in 1898, and in the early days “Bobs,” drawn by two fine grey horses, was the pride of Brisbane. The services of “Bobs” were only utilised on one occasion; that was in 1904, and ever since “Bobs” has stood spotlessly clean in a corner of the Brisbane Fire Station.
Brisbane’s fire brigade was established in 1882, and for many years the brigade’s only equipment consisted of a small manual engine and a hand-reel with large wheels and 500ft of leather hose. Canvas hose was unknown in those days, so were telephones, and often before the brigade arrived at the scene of a fire the building or buildings had been burned down.
Outside the brigade’s headquarters was