When Ben Montford bought his property on Stoney Mountain near Booral, he inherited the remains of an old fire lookout tower. Built by the Masonite Corporation in the 1950s, the tower was used until the 1970s. It was destroyed by fire in the 1980s, leaving only the lower section of its steel ladder.
Years later, Ben and a group of friends decided to rebuild the tower. Using old photographs as their guide, they carefully reconstructed the wooden structure. In 2018, the 11-metre-high tallowwood tower was completed.1 Ben never imagined it would again serve its original purpose.
In December 2025, severe fires broke out across the Bulahdelah area, closing the Pacific Highway, destroying homes and tragically claiming the life of a firefighter. During this period, a lightning strike ignited another fire near Booral.2 When the Waukivory Rural Fire Service found access to the area difficult, Ben led them to his tower. From its platform, crews gained a full 360-degree view and were able to plan their fire management response.3
Forty years after it was lost, the tower once again played a role in local firefighting history.
Author: Janine Roberts with special thanks to Jessica Winston and Ben Montford.
References:
1 https://www.firelookoutsdownunder.com/New%20South%20Wales/stoneymountain.html
2 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-10/power-outage-impacted-ability-to-fight-bulahdelah-bushfire/106120582
3 Waukivory Rural Fire Service Facebook page, 7 December 2025.
