{
  "id": 7003861,
  "title": "Former fire station crucial to Men's Shed faces government sell-off",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/12/former-fire-station-crucial-to-mens-shed-faces-government-sell-off",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-12T22:19:34.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ABC News AU",
    "slug": "abc-news-au",
    "url": "https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-13/launceston-railway-group-mens-shed-karoola-fire-station-sale/107132516"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A group of railway enthusiasts and a men's shed in Tasmania are facing an uncertain future after a government plan to sell a former fire station they have used as their headquarters for four years. The Tasmania Fire Service (TFS) has determined the Karoola fire station in Launceston is surplus to requirements and approved its disposal through a public sale process. The group, which is also a registered men's shed, has been maintaining and restoring the decommissioned fire station since 2022. Launceston and North East Railway group chair Elizabeth Cute expressed devastation over the potential loss of their facilities, stating that their projects and activities have been made possible due to the available resources. The group had previously received a verbal agreement from the TFS indicating they would receive the fire station once it was no longer needed. However, the TFS spokesperson clarified that no formal agreement was established and that the group had used the site informally and at no cost since 2022. L&NER has expressed a desire to remain at the site and has been encouraged to participate in the sale process. Nevertheless, Cute revealed that the group is not in a financial position to purchase the property. Regular member Greg Stewart emphasized the importance of the site, stating that losing it would be devastating as they had built their entire pedal-powered rail bug venture around having a permanent hub. Stewart expressed a willingness to engage in a constructive dialogue with TFS and political representatives to address the situation.",
  "summary": "A volunteer group is desperate to keep its headquarters at the decommissioned Karoola fire station, near Launceston, but the Tasmanian government has other ideas.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}