The 2005 bicentenary of the Battle of Trafalgar in Collingwood, like other commemorative events, stimulated interest in and generated questions about the past. Information on the Collingwood fires, sometimes identified as the defining feature of its post-European settlement history, was scattered across various publications, often with partial or even conflicting details, and lacking references to primary sources. And for what is frequently cited as the earliest fire (1859), no detailed information seemed available. These factors encouraged compilation of a more complete record of the Collingwood fires, with verified sources.¹

This note presents, in summary form, information on nine fires affecting the business area of the village of Collingwood, known in its earliest days as Aorere and then Gibbstown.² The fires caused varying amounts of damage, but the 1904 fire which destroyed twenty-one buildings was clearly the most devastating. At the other extreme, two fires (the earliest and the most recent) each affected a single building. It was irresistible to include these two smaller fires to complete the record, especially as both started in a hotel kitchen, both could have had far worse consequences if they had occurred later in the night, and if patrons had not taken immediate action.

Obviously these fires have had a dramatic effect on the built heritage of Collingwood but there are also other ongoing effects, including the loss of important historical records, which limits research in certain areas or for certain periods. Collectively the fires are a reminder of how our heritage, including the natural environment, has been irreversibly affected by fire.

Newspapers of the day are the source of the facts presented in this listing, which is not intended as a full account or an analysis of the after-effects of the fires. For example, details such as Christian names have not been checked, and longer term consequences such as rebuilding are not referred to, though some associated information is included where it seemed particularly relevant. Source information also includes references to frequently-used secondary works, listed in full in the bibliography at the end.

A discussion of the lack of evidence of an 1859 fire is appended.