The Lewis Land Group has donated $100,000 to the Lake Innes and Sancrox/Thrumster Rural Fire Service brigades.
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The donation was another highlight of last Friday's official opening of Sovereign Place Town Centre.
LLG's CEO Chris Calvert praised the brigades for their efforts in repelling several bushfires leading up to the opening.
"Today's official opening is also a chance to thank the Rural Fire Service who put their own lives on the line to protect the Port Macquarie community earlier this month," he said.
"These volunteers often put their lives on the line for us and without regard for their personal safety. We actually may not have been opening this fantastic new centre today without their efforts.
"The $100,000 donation will be used to help provide additional fire-fighting equipment.
"We are incredibly grateful to the Rural Fire Service brigades for keeping the community safe during the unprecedented bush fire event.
"The RFS came to the community's aid when it needed it and we're honoured to be able to help them upgrade their facilities and bolster their fire-fighting capabilities in return."
Lake Innes RFS captain Kyll Goodsell said the brigades welcomed the significant donations.
"Lewis Land Group and our brigades have been undertaking a lot of community activities over the years," he said.
"We are currently trying to finish a fairly major project of relocating our rural fire service station at Lake Innes.
"We need to get this project completed because we need to continue to accommodate our new resources and to also continue to grow our membership in line with residential growth in the area we service.
"Fortunately our brigade is getting more enquiries from prospective members and the brigade is continuing to grow," he said.
"Alongside that, we are also busier than ever within the community."
Mr Goodsell said the brigade was blown away by the size of the donation.
"Lewis Land Group's support means that we could be on track to complete this expansion of our station by Christmas.
Lewis Land Group's support means that we could be on track to complete this expansion of our station be Christmas.
- Kyll Goodsell
"The footings were poured yesterday (Thursday, November 21). We look forward to completing the project on behalf of our members, the community and Lewis Land Group.
"The extra room this expansion will provide will help house our appliances, and provide some space for our members to relax and enjoy in between fires.
"Fire fighting is hard and difficult work, so to come back to a station that has a bit of room will be very good."
Mr Goodsell described the support of Lewis Land Group as "fantastic".
The project had so far been self-funded from within the brigade, he said.
He also said that with Sovereign Place now open the brigades would have more opportunity to meet with the community and explain their role in fire fighting.
"Lewis Land Group have regular community meeting nights and we will do a sausage sizzle at the next event as a fundraiser," he added.
"We look forward to continuing our relation with LLG into the future."
Member for Cowper Pat Conaghan and Port Macquarie-Hastings Council mayor Peta Pinson both praised Lewis Land Group for their donation to the rural fire brigades.
