Duck Reach Power Station
| Company type | Public utility (historical) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Hydroelectric power generation |
| Founded | 1895 |
| Founder | Charles St John David (site identified by) |
| Defunct | 1955 |
| Fate | Ceased operation; converted into a museum |
| Headquarters | Launceston , Australia |
| Products | Electricity generation (hydroelectric) |
Duck Reach Power Station holds the distinction of being the first hydroelectric facility under public ownership in the Southern Hemisphere, providing electricity to Launceston from 1895 until 1955.
Construction
In 1892, Launceston’s city surveyor and engineer, Charles St John David, identified the location for the power station.
Water was directed via a penstock that descended diagonally down the hillside into the back of the station, flowing through a sequence of progressively narrower pipes to supply eight Siemens turbines.
Tunnel excavation
A tunnel was excavated through solid dolerite rock at a gradient of 1:110 over a period of 16 months using pneumatic drilling equipment. Progress averaged approximately per week, with one particularly challenging week requiring cutting only . Despite two fatal accidents during construction, the tunnel’s alignment was remarkably precise, meeting within one inch where both ends connected.
Operational history
Trial operations commenced on 10 December 1895, lighting Launceston’s streets with arc lamps. The station was officially commissioned on 1 February 1896 and remained in service until 1955.
At its inception, the station generated 75 kW DC from five 15 kW dynamos and 360 kW AC from three Siemens Bros. single-phase alternators rated at 120 kW each. The turbines were manufactured by Gilbert Gilkes and Co. Rising demand resulted in the addition of two more 120 kW alternators during 1898 and 1899.
By the early twentieth century, significant upgrades replaced much of the original machinery with four horizontal shaft Francis turbines rated at 445 hp each from Kolben and Co., each paired with a 300 kW three-phase alternator by Siemens Bros. This increased alternating current capacity to 1.2 MW while retaining existing direct current equipment.
Around 1915, demand once again surpassed available capacity. Consequently, in 1921/22 a new turbine was installed alongside an American-made 800 kW alternator. This expansion necessitated constructing a timber flume and masonry aqueduct from Deadman's Hollow to a newly installed steel penstock adjacent to the original one, boosting total capacity to .
One of the original Siemens Bros. 15 kW DC dynamos dating back to 1895 is preserved and displayed.
The Hydro-Electric Commission took ownership of the facility in 1945 and ceased its operation in 1955 following the commissioning of the Trevallyn Dam and its associated power station.
Duck Reach Museum
The concept of transforming Duck Reach Power Station into a museum was initially proposed in December 1956 by Michael Sharland from Hobart, who recommended that Launceston City Council provide government support to establish a museum dedicated to technological heritage. Despite being closed, a small maintenance crew cared for the site at that time, with one generator still functioning to supply lighting.
Launceston’s Mayor, Alderman Edwards, expressed support for this initiative, noting that conversion costs would be minimal. A.R. Evershed of Launceston also advocated for preserving the site, emphasizing its importance as potentially one of the earliest high-voltage alternating current hydroelectric stations designed for long-distance transmission.
In March 1957, the Hydro Electric Commission offered ownership of the station to Launceston City Council, cautioning that neglect would lead to deterioration of this unique attraction which drew thousands of visitors annually. The Scenery Preservation Board pledged to donate machinery for exhibition purposes. However, advice from the Queen Victoria Museum Director recommended that council decline responsibility, asserting that preservation was primarily within the remit of the Hydro Electric Commission.
Two decades later, heritage studies recommended repurposing Duck Reach as an industrial archaeology museum or tourist destination. Reports between 1979 and 1982 proposed restoring both the power station and suspension bridge, converting engineers’ cottages into support facilities, developing walking trails, and improving adjacent recreational spaces.
In celebration of its centenary in 1995, efforts were made to weatherproof the power station and refurbish the suspension bridge before reopening it as a museum. In 2011, discussions within the Tasmanian Legislative Council considered reinstating Duck Reach as a functioning mini-hydroelectric plant to enhance water flow through the Gorge and reduce sediment buildup where the Esk Rivers converge with the Tamar River.
By March 2012, Launceston City Council approved exploring redevelopment opportunities for Duck Reach’s power generation capabilities, with initial engagement from Hydro Tasmania.
See also
References
- Hydro Tasmania; South Esk Power Development, [1], Retrieved June 2006.
- Kozakiewicz, Mark Andrew (Autumn and Winter 1982), Duck Reach and the Electric Light, Launceston, Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Design Tasmanian College of Advanced Education.