It is the largest engineering project undertaken in australia. The snowy mountains hydro electric scheme changed forever the landscape of the mountains around kiandra. The snowy mountains scheme national library of australia. On june 28 2002 the snowy mountains hydroelectric authority was corporatised. The snowy mountains scheme finished in 1974, on schedule and within budget, but not without cost. The snowy mountains hydroelectric scheme was honoured as a defining moment in australian history at a plaque presentation in cooma on 19 march 2017. This film traces the history of soil erosion in the snowy mountains and demonstrates the approach taken by the snowy mountains scheme to counteract the problem. Snowy mountains scheme atau hanya snowy scheme merupakan kompleks pembangkit listrik tenaga air dan pengairan di australia tenggara. The snowy mountains scheme or snowy scheme is a hydroelectricity and irrigation complex in. Scheme workers the snowy mountain scheme faded from popular view following its completion, overshadowed by the popularity of the snowy region as a place of winter ski resorts. It will be an experience that you will never forget. Victorias extra 100,000 acre feet snowy mountains hydroelectric.
Construction started on the scheme on 17 october 1949, when the governorgeneral, sir william mckell, prime minister ben. The snowy mountains hydroelectric scheme is an integrated water and. W wikipedia citation please see wikipedias template documentation for further citation fields that may be required. Snowy mountains scheme department of agriculture, water and. Snowy the making of modern australia is also available on kindle. The proposals by nsw and victoria to reduce the diversion of water to the inland, to reduce electricity output, and to lock these restrictions in place for 75 years, can only be seen as a deliberate challenge to the national purposes of the snowy mountains scheme and a deliberate attack on the national interest. Snowy mountains hydroelectric scheme my place for teachers. Snowy mountains hydro electric scheme slide collection with accompanying text 370 slides, digitised and photocopy of typescript. The scheme is the most significant project to be undertaken as part of the postwar reconstruction program and has become an enduring symbol of australias identity as a multicultural, independent, and resourceful country. The snowy hydro scheme is without doubt the single greatest renewable energy project ever built in australia with a mammoth 3,950 mw of capacity, which is available ondemand unlike the childish nonsense of wind power.
Construction of the snowy scheme was managed by the snowy mountains hydroelectric authority, it began on 17 october 1949 and took 25 years, being completed in 1974. Intensive soil conservation methods were undertaken wherever the natural vegetation and soil. It took 25 years to build and is one of the largest and most complex integrated water and hydro electric power schemes in operation in the world. The scheme collects and stores the water that would normally flow east to the coast and diverts it. The discovery centre showcases the amazing history of the.
Here we see the huge dams and underground workings which form part of the snowy mountains hydroelectric scheme. The snowy mountains scheme snowy hydro is the third largest generator by capacity and provides peak electricity and electricity insurance contracts to the national electricity market. An updated edition covering contemporary environmental issues is now in print and available from snowy hydro s information centre, through bookshops isbn 9780977502936, online at booktopia or from coretext books. The extraordinary snowy mountains scheme sms was an engineering marvel carried out more than 25 years from 1949 to 1974. The snowy mountains, known informally as the snowies, is an ibra subregion and the highest mountain range on the continent of mainland australia. Built between 1949 and 1974, the project consists of 16 major dams, 7 power stations, 2 pumping stations and 225km of tunnels, pipelines and aqueducts. The commonwealth government passed the snowy mountains hydroelectric power act in 1949 which gave the snowy mountains hydroelectric authority the responsibility for the final investigation, design and construction of the snowy mountain scheme, one of the largest single engineering works ever to be undertaken in australia up to that time. Crosssection of the snowy mountains hydro electric scheme, powerhouse museum collection the building of the snowy mountains hydroelectric scheme was a pivotal event in australias history. Not only did it create one of the engineering wonders of the modern world, it also laid the foundations of a uniquely multicultural modern nation. Snowy hydro is proud to have contributed funding to the roundabout, which will improve road safety for all road users, and help with the heavy vehicle movements relating to snowy 2. Snowy mountains scheme the snowy mountains hydro electric scheme is one of the most complex integrated water and hydro electric power schemes in the world.
Malcolm turnbull happy to fund snowy mountains hydro. Snowy mountains hydroelectric scheme, from university of auckland library at auckland. The snowy mountains plan is the greatest single project in our history. The saga of the snowy mountains hydroelectric scheme. Snowy mountains hydroelectric authority 1972 language. Snowy mountains hydroelectric power project, australia building. Collection snowy hydro on aso australias audio and. The scheme collects and stores the water that would normally flow east to the coast and diverts it through transmountain tunnels and power stations. Works are entered under the name used at the time of publication. Come and experience this amazing part of australias electricity and water industries by visiting one of our facilities throughout the snowy mountains. Snowy hydro scheme it would employ, from 1949 to completion in 1974, more than 100,000 people, most of them immigrants from an. Snowy mountains hydro scheme institution of civil engineers. The companys portfolio includes snowy mountains scheme hydro generation assets, victorian based gasred generation and the electricity retailer, red energy.
Snowy mountains hydro discovery centre nsw holidays. The snowy mountains hydro scheme is a hydroelectricity and irrigation complex in south east australia. On july 7 1949, the commonwealth parliament passed the snowy mountains hydro electric power act 1949 the act, which established the snowy mountains hydro electric authority, the operating body of the snowy mountains scheme. The story of the schemes construction is a story of. The snowy river alliance a community group for the protection of the snowy river. Oct 25, 2016 its been announced that the snowy mountains hydro scheme has made the national heritage list. Times of drought in inland new south wales brought forth calls for the westward diversion of.
The snowy is still generating power today, producing 32 per cent of all renewable energy available to australias east coast mainland grid. The snowy mountains is a multitude of destinations in one. Wikipedia citation please see wikipedias template documentation for further citation fields that may be required. The snowy mountains on the border of new south wales and victoria are part of australias great dividing range and contain its highest mountain, kosciuszko discovered for european science by the polish explorer count strzelecki. Works are due to be completed by the end of may, weather permitting. Snowy mountains scheme the snowy mountains hydroelectric scheme is one of the most complex integrated water and hydroelectric power schemes in the world. Kids of the snowy mountains scheme public group facebook. The water falls 800 metres and travels through large hydroelectric power. In all these circumstances the snowy scheme was seen as an unwelcome competitor, particularly its capacity to sell into the grid in the middle part of the load curve, at the margin with thermal power. Officially, 121 men died on the project, more in related incidents. Snowy hydro scheme it would employ, from 1949 to completion in 1974, more than 100,000 people, most of them immigrants from an old europe shattered by war. The snowy mountains hydroelectric scheme was inaugurated in 1949, although its origins date back to the late nineteenth century. The snowy mountains hydro scheme truly is a great engineering accomplishment and the visitors centre is well worth a stop to get an understanding of the construction phase as well as current operations.
Snowy hydro discovery centre the snowy hydro scheme is on of the worlds incredible engineering feats that has helped shape our nation. This snowy hydro film encourages visitors to the area to take a wider look around, but also counters any criticism of the vastly. The building of the snowy mountains hydroelectric scheme was a pivotal event in australias history. With seven power stations two of which are underground, 16 major dams, and over 140 kilometres of transmountain tunnels, it is a symbol of australian endeavour at its best. It diverts the reliable waters of the southflowing snowy river, westwards. The range also contains the five highest peaks on the australian mainland including mount kosciuszko, all of. Her book is based on about 90 oral histories with former snowy workers and residents, with original recordings.
The snowy mountains hydroelectric scheme is one of the engineering wonders of the modern world. On july 7 1949, the commonwealth parliament passed the snowy mountains hydroelectric power act 1949 the act, which established the snowy mountains hydroelectric authority, the operating body of the snowy mountains scheme. It contains the australian mainlands highest mountain, mount kosciuszko, which reaches to a height of 2,228 m 7,310 ft above sea level. The snowy mountains hydroelectric scheme left high historic value, but a legacy of environmental damage at about 400 sites in the park, of which about half. Not only did it create one of the engineering wonders of the modern world, it also laid the foundations of a. Oct 24, 2016 its been announced that the snowy mountains hydro scheme has made the national heritage list. Snowy mountains hydro electric authority 1972 language. Snowy hydro limited replaced the snowy mountains hydroelectric authority, with formal operations beginning june 2002. The nation had only a population of eight million when this giant network of dams, tunnels and aqueducts began with the first explosive blast at adaminaby population 200, near cooma, in southern nsw, on october 17, 1949. The attacks on the snowy scheme began, initially, on the basis that. Snowy mountains hydro national museum of australia. The snowy mountains scheme is the largest hydroelectric scheme in australia. Engineering features of the snowy mountains scheme.
The snowy mountains hydro electric authority was established in 1949 to realise a dream of harnessing the waters of rivers in australias high country to irrigate the murray and murrumbidgee areas and in so doing, to generate vast quantities of cheap electricity. The commonwealth formally joined shtpl as a shareholder in february 2000. This claim tends to obscure a long history of cultural diversity across australia. Crosssection of the snowy mountains hydro electric scheme, powerhouse museum collection. The snowy mountains scheme or snowy scheme is a hydroelectricity and irrigation complex in southeast australia.
After more than 60 years of discussion and argument about utilizing the water resources of the snowy mountains, the commonwealth parliament passed the snowy mountains hydroelectric power act in 1949. An updated edition covering contemporary environmental issues is now in print and available from snowy hydros information centre, through bookshops isbn 9780977502936, online at booktopia or from coretext books. The waters of the snowy river and its tributary, the eucumbene, are captured at high elevations and diverted inland to the murray river and the murrumbidgee river, through two tunnel systems driven through the snowy mountains. The snowy mountains hydro electric scheme is one of the engineering wonders of the modern world. Snowy mountains hydroelectric scheme behind the news youtube. Other articles where snowy mountains hydroelectric scheme is discussed. Snowy mountains hydro electric authority 1993, 3rd ed. The snowy mountains scheme is a major engineering achievement of the 20th century. The snowy scheme is lauded in the history books as a critically. The snowy mountains scheme is a hydroelectricity and irrigation complex in southeast australia.
Snowy mountains hydro electric authority, cooma, new south wales. The snowy mountains scheme is often portrayed as the start of multiculturalism in australia because of the intensity and success of its cultural mix. Building the snowy snowy mountains hydro electric scheme. Oct 14, 2016 the snowy mountains scheme is widely regarded as one of the engineering wonders of the world. The snowy mountains is rugged land with delicate river systems such as the snowy river. The snowy mountains hydroelectric scheme is the most complex, multipurpose, multireservoir hydro scheme in the world with 80 kilometres of aqueducts, 140 kilometres of tunnels, 16 large dams and seven power stations, two of which are underground. After more than 60 years of discussion and argument about utilizing the water resources of the snowy mountains, the commonwealth parliament passed the snowy mountains hydro electric power act in 1949. Sometimes known as the snowy, its australias largest engineering project. Sebanyak 16 bendungan utama, 7 pusat listrik, dan 1 stasiun pemompaan berada di kompleks ini. Snowy mountains scheme wikipedia republished wiki 2. Discuss the btn snowy mountains scheme story as a class. Snowy mountains hydroelectric scheme irrigation project. The stream was explored in 1839 by angus mcmillan and memorialized later that century in australian poet a. Shtpl acted as an agent for the scheme s electricity entitlement holders and was the registered generator in respect of the authoritys generation capabilities.
Its one of the most complex projects ever undertaken in australia. Expert panel environmental flow assessment of various rivers affected by the snowy mountains scheme pdf. Snowy mountains scheme nsw environment, energy and science. Its been announced that the snowy mountains hydro scheme has made the national heritage list. National archives of australia 60 years of the snowy mountains hydroelectric scheme. Kompleks ini juga memiliki terowongan, saluran pipa, dan saluran air buatan dengan jumlah panjang keseluruhan 225 km yang didirikan antara 1949 dan 1974. The curator acknowledges the assistance of helen forrester, whose husband, the late kevin forrester, collected the archive during his time as civil engineer on the scheme. Snowy mountains hydroelectric authority, cooma, new south wales.
The snowy mountains is australias ultimate spring, summer and autumn experience. The snowy mountains scheme originating in the rugged australian high country, the snowy river was once one the worlds great waterways. Powerfully cascading over granite boulders and carving through gorges yet still finding time to meander along with peaceful eddies, it inspired a wealth of emotions, most notably expressed in the famous poem. Snowy mountains hydroelectric scheme workers excavating the site of a power station during construction of australias snowy mountains hydroelectric scheme. Decade summary history and politics society and culture science and technology flight. The snowy mountains scheme is located in the australian alps south of sydney and canberra.
A collection of 10 personal stories of former snowy. Snowy mountains story abebooks shop for books, art. The scheme was completed under the supervision of chief engineer, sir william hudson. Snowy mountains scheme what have the migrants done. Snowy hydro limited replaced the snowy mountains hydro electric authority, with formal operations beginning june 2002. Snowy mountains hydroelectric authority 1993, 3rd ed.
774 229 487 1015 1617 304 1511 56 1133 304 67 894 913 1385 1242 1399 1014 1521 1224 1336 432 1191 739 1189 239 779 603 1164 1425 1130 281 1228 2 986 1271 1040 1081 1129 849 372 33 495 981 811