The Fitzroy Fire Mystery: A Coffs Harbour Library History Experience
The Fitzroy Fire Mystery: A Coffs Harbour Library History Experience is a community heritage and storytelling project that transforms archival history from the Coffs Harbour region into immersive public programs delivered across the city’s library network. Drawing on newspaper archives, historical records, and community knowledge from the 1930s and 1940s, the project uses creative storytelling to connect audiences with the people, places, and industries that shaped.
The Night the Fitzroy Burned
In 1940, the Fitzroy Hotel stood at the centre of life in Coffs Harbour. Located on the town’s main street, it was a busy gathering place for timber workers, travelling salesmen, farmers, and locals sharing news over a meal or a drink.
For decades the hotel was run by the formidable Betsy McLean, a well-known local identity who managed the hotel for around forty years and was present on the night that changed the town’s history.
One autumn evening in 1940, a fire broke out inside the timber building. Within hours the Fitzroy Hotel was destroyed, leaving little but ashes. The blaze was officially recorded as a tragic accident—but rumours quickly spread through the community.
Witnesses spoke of unusual movements before the fire. Others remembered people leaving the hotel shortly before the flames appeared.
Then, among the ruins, a body was discovered.
At first the death was believed to be caused by the fire. But the circumstances raised a troubling question: had the victim died before the flames began?
Today, through archival newspapers and local stories, the mystery of what happened that night at the Fitzroy continues to intrigue the community.
Developed in collaboration with local historians, heritage experts, and creative practitioners, the project will present a fictionalised mystery narrative grounded in authentic historical research. The story framework provides an engaging way for audiences to explore local history while interacting with archival material, historical context, and creative interpretation.
The program will deliver three distinct experiences across the library network: a live interactive mystery performance at Harry Bailey Memorial Library, an escape-room style historical investigation at Toormina Library, and a pop-up exhibition and participatory mystery experience at Woolgoolga Library. Together these activities transform library spaces into vibrant hubs for cultural discovery, encouraging audiences to investigate clues, explore archival materials, and engage creatively with the region’s past.