VICTORIA FALLS HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER STATION

VICTORIA FALLS ROAD COBUNGRA, EAST GIPPSLAND SHIRE

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Victorian Heritage Inventory

VICTORIA FALLS HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER STATION

Statement of Significance

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  • VICTORIA FALLS HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER STATION - Victorian Heritage Register
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  • History

    VICTORIA FALLS HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER STATION - History

    Heritage Inventory History of Site: In 1907, the Cassilis GMC constructed a hydro-electric power station on the Cobungra River, about 6.5 km from its junction with the Victoria River, just below the Victoria Falls. Water from Victoria River was delivered to the power station by a race built along the spur separating the Cobungra and Victoria Rivers. The race was unlined and measured 3 ft deep, 4 ft wide at the bottom, and 7 ft wide at the top. It filled a settling dam at the top of the spur, from which point water was delivered to the power plant by 1650 ft of piping, which reduced in size from 34 inches to 38 inches diameter. The powe station was equipped with a Voith pelton wheel, and began operating in 1908. A power line ran between the power station and the Cassilis mine, a distance of some 27 km.A holding dam of 250 million-gallon capacity was to have been constructed on the Victoria River, at the commencement of the water race, but this was not done. As a result, an insufficient supply of water caused frequent power shortages and stoppages at the Cassilis mine. The power station's poor performance was largely to blame for the ultimate closure of the Cassilis mine in 1916. Early in that year, a dam was built above the power plant, but the first substantial rains washed it away. The power plant was sold to a Tasmanian silver mine in 1917.

    Heritage Inventory Description

    VICTORIA FALLS HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER STATION - Heritage Inventory Description

    Features include concrete floor and footings, tower, settling dam, pipeline site and former water race. Forms network with Cassilis GMC treatment works-Victoria Falls hydro-electric power station

    Heritage Inventory Significance: National EstateScientific significanceùrange of features in network

    Heritage Inventory Site Features: Power stationùA concrete floor (48 ft x 32 ft) with mounting beds, etc., for a large pelton wheel, and a concrete tower. The tower (11 ft x 5 ft x 12 ft high) has three cubicles, which housed the choke coils. The largest mounting bed (10 ft x 6 ft, 2 ft high, with 1¢ft-thick walls) has a 7ft-deep sump from which runs a 4ft-wide, 3ft-deep culvert which drains to the river. The pelton wheel has been removed from the site. Settling damùAn oval-shaped dam, measuring approximately 40 m x 25 m, is located at the top of the spur overlooking the power station. The dam has a large concrete outlet station (9 ft x 6 ft, with 1ft-thick walls) which has a 16ft-deep sump.PipelineùAn overgrown channel running down the spur marks the position of the pipeline which ran from pressure dam to generating plantWater raceùThe old water race from Victoria River to the power station now forms the road to the Victoria Falls

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    VICTORIA FALLS HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER STATION

    

    Victorian Heritage Register H1942
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    VICTORIA FALLS HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER STATION

    

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