School holiday fun: Smokey celebrates CFS' 50th anniversary at Cleland
Wednesday, 30 September 2026
One of the South Australia Country Fire Service’s (CFS) most recognisable faces is heading to Cleland Wildlife Park today to celebrate 50 years of the agency’s service to the state.
Smokey the Koala will swap the fire station for the wildlife park today for Smokey’s Big Day Out, bringing him together with some of his real-life counterparts at Cleland.
The afternoon will give visitors the chance to spot Smokey at Cleland, meet CFS members and participate in family activities while learning a little about the character who has helped generations of South Australians understand fire safety.
Records show Smokey has been a South Australian bushfire-prevention symbol since 1961, well before the CFS was established.
Early bushfire-awareness campaigns even included an Adelaide Zoo koala named Smokey to educate about bushfire risks and prevention.
By the 1980s, Smokey had moved from symbol to life-sized character and was becoming a regular fixture at community events, often with his friends Fat Cat and Humphrey B. Bear, in programs that used entertainment to teach about fire safety.
More seriously, CFS records note that following the 1983 Ash Wednesday bushfires he spent time with children affected by the disaster.
Today, Smokey continues to feature in CFS community education, including activities designed to help children learn about bushfire and home fire safety.
Smokey’s Big Day Out forms part of the CFS’ 50th anniversary celebrations, which is recognising the volunteers, staff, families, communities and moments that have shaped the organisation since the passing of the Country Fires Act in 1976.
The event is being delivered with the support of the Department for Environment and Water and Cleland Wildlife Park.
“For 50 years, CFS has been part of communities across South Australia, and Smokey has become a familiar part of that story,” CFS Chief Officer Brett Loughlin AFSM said.
“Smokey’s Big Day Out is a chance to have a bit of fun with our history while celebrating what sits behind our 50 years, the thousands of volunteers who have served their communities and the South Australians who have supported CFS along the way.”
The media are welcome to attend Valente Garden at Cleland Wildlife Park today from 12:45 pm for filming and photographic opportunities of Smokey and Chief Officer Loughlin meeting community members.
