28th May, 2026.
(01:28): I praise the efforts of the emergency services—Rural Fire Service, Fire and Rescue NSW, NSW Police Force, NSW Ambulance—and Wollondilly Shire Council in responding to the fire at the historic The Store Menangle on Monday 25 May. The combined efforts of the NSW RFS Southern Highlands district, NSW RFS Cumberland/Macarthur district and Fire and Rescue NSW firefighters from the south‐west Sydney metro south 3 zone prevented total destruction of the local heritage landmark building. They took two hours to control the fire and a further three hours to completely extinguish it and ventilate smoke from the building. The Store Menangle was built in 1904. It is a 122-year-old local landmark at the corner of Station Street, Menangle. It has served as a vital post office, cafe and central hub for the small community. The fire has deeply impacted residents, small business owners and employees. I hope it returns to normal after a lot of work to come.