Snowy Mountains Scheme
The Snowy Mountains scheme is a hydroelectricity and irrigation system in south-east Australia. It has sixteen major dams; seven power stations; a pumping station; and 225 kilometres of tunnels, pipelines and aqueducts. It was built between 1949 and 1974. The Chief engineer was Sir William Hudson. It is the largest engineering project in Australia.[1][2][3]
Snowy Mountains Scheme Media
Official launch of the Snowy Mountains Scheme at Adaminaby. From the left, Prime Minister, Ben Chifley; Governor-General, William McKell and Minister for Works and Housing, Nelson Lemmon, 1949.
William Hudson KBE FRS Commissioner Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Authority 1949-1967. Plaque at Cooma Visitors Centre.
The Machine Hall Floor of Murray-1 Hydroelectric Power Station
Talbingo Dam. 16 major dams store water in the scheme. Many were constructed in rugged wilderness areas.
Lake Eucumbene from the air
Cabramurra, Australia's highest town, is a Snowy Scheme company town.
Lake Eucumbene flooded the township of Adaminaby. It is the largest reservoir in the Scheme, with a capacity some nine times that of Sydney Harbour.
Tumut 3 generating station
Mount Kosciuszko and the Main Range. Water from Snowy Mountains snow melt is used to generate electricity and divert water for irrigation.
- Jindabyne.jpg
Jindabyne, as viewed from across Lake Jindabyne
References
- ↑ Australian Bureau of Statistics 1986 Special Article: The Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme
- ↑ "The Snowy Mountains Scheme". Archived from the original on 2007-08-30. Retrieved 2012-05-04.
- ↑ Wendy Lewis, Simon Balderstone and John Bowan (2006). Events That Shaped Australia. New Holland. pp. 189–194. ISBN 978-1-74110-492-9.
