Walka Water Works
Encyclopedia
Walka Water Works is a 19th century pumping station
located near Maitland
, New South Wales
, Australia
. Originally built in 1887 to supply water to Newcastle
and the lower Hunter Valley, it has since been restored and preserved and is part of Maitland City Council's Walka Recreation and Wildlife Reserve.
commenced construction of the Walka Waterworks to provide a safer water supply to the Newcastle, Maitland, Morpeth
and Cessnock
districts than existing storage tanks, creeks and boreholes. It was largely complete by 1887 at a cost of £
170,000.
The design for the complex was undertaken by notable English engineer Sir William Clark
and was a major engineering project for the area at the time. Water was pumped from the Hunter River
to a reservoir along a brick tunnel approximately 6 feet (1.8 m) in diameter and 9 metres (29.5 ft) below ground. At full operation, it had three pumping engines (150 hp each and with a flywheel weighing 36 tonnes), two horizontal compound pumps and a triple expansion surface condensing pump engine. Water would be pumped from the river at Oakhampton up to the Walka reservoir (still visible as the Walka lake today), then pumped onwards to another reservoir 6 miles (9.7 km) away at Buttai; where it was "gravitationally distributed".
At peak operation the waterworks produced 3843 megalitres (in 1915). As the population of the area continued to increase, alterations and additions were made to the system until 1913, when other sources of supply were developed - namely Chichester Dam
near Dungog
. From 1923 to 1940 the waterworks were used as a backup water supply only.
In 1925 the complex was put on standby and with the onset of the great depression and the completion of Tarro pumping station at Tarro
, the plant was closed in 1929. After the Second World War in 1949 all the plant and machinery was sold for scrap, fetching £2,500.
and imported from America. The plant was shipped out in pieces, then taken to the site by rail (to Maitland station) and a specially made truck. GE engineers also came out to assemble the plant.
It began producing electricity in 1953. Three boilers ran on coal, and another ran on oil, though later this became a coal/oil combination. Two rail lines were built to the power station from the North Coast railway line
.
Using Walka as a power station was controversial. Initially the power station suffered from sinking foundations - leading to the temporary sacking of 120 workers, until it was agreed that the sinking was a result of recent rain. During construction, the workforce went on strike after a boilermaker union member was sacked for "misconduct" towards his foreman. This was eventually resolved, but in December 1953 the power station suffered another setback when one of its oil storage tanks collapsed in gale force winds. The station was also unpopular with local vegetable growers, who complained about the amount of soot the station was producing.
This station was eventually decommissioned in 1978 and the site was closed.
in 1976. Today the area is open as a free public reserve, with barbecue
s, picnics areas, a playground, walking trails and a 7 1/4 inch gauge toy train. The reservoir and surrounding plant life make it a unique environment for birds and animals in the area.
Pumping station
Pumping stations are facilities including pumps and equipment for pumping fluids from one place to another. They are used for a variety of infrastructure systems, such as the supply of water to canals, the drainage of low-lying land, and the removal of sewage to processing sites.A pumping station...
located near Maitland
Maitland, New South Wales
Maitland is a city in the Lower Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia and the seat of Maitland City Council, situated on the Hunter River approximately by road north of Sydney and north-west of Newcastle...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Originally built in 1887 to supply water to Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
and the lower Hunter Valley, it has since been restored and preserved and is part of Maitland City Council's Walka Recreation and Wildlife Reserve.
Waterworks
During the early 1880s, with a growing population in Newcastle, the NSW GovernmentGovernment of New South Wales
The form of the Government of New South Wales is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1856, although it has been amended many times since then...
commenced construction of the Walka Waterworks to provide a safer water supply to the Newcastle, Maitland, Morpeth
Morpeth, New South Wales
Morpeth is a suburb of the City of Maitland Local Government Area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the southern banks of the Hunter River at the border between the City of Maitland and Port Stephens Council LGAs...
and Cessnock
Cessnock, New South Wales
Cessnock is a city in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, about by road west of Newcastle. It is the administrative centre of the Cessnock City Council LGA and was named after an 1826 grant of land called Cessnock Estate, which was owned by John Campbell...
districts than existing storage tanks, creeks and boreholes. It was largely complete by 1887 at a cost of £
Australian pound
The pound was the currency of Australia from 1910 until 13 February 1966, when it was replaced by the Australian dollar. It was subdivided into 20 shillings, each of 12 pence.- Earlier Australian currencies :...
170,000.
The design for the complex was undertaken by notable English engineer Sir William Clark
William Clark (inventor)
William Clark was an English civil engineer and inventor.-Life:Born at Colchester, Clark attended King's College London in 1842, and was made an Associate of King's College in 1845. Soon afterwards he became a pupil of, and subsequently an assistant to, J. Birkinshaw, M. Inst...
and was a major engineering project for the area at the time. Water was pumped from the Hunter River
Hunter River
The Hunter River is a major river in New South Wales, Australia. The Hunter River rises in the Liverpool Range and flows generally south and then east, reaching the Pacific Ocean at Newcastle, the second largest city in New South Wales and a major port....
to a reservoir along a brick tunnel approximately 6 feet (1.8 m) in diameter and 9 metres (29.5 ft) below ground. At full operation, it had three pumping engines (150 hp each and with a flywheel weighing 36 tonnes), two horizontal compound pumps and a triple expansion surface condensing pump engine. Water would be pumped from the river at Oakhampton up to the Walka reservoir (still visible as the Walka lake today), then pumped onwards to another reservoir 6 miles (9.7 km) away at Buttai; where it was "gravitationally distributed".
At peak operation the waterworks produced 3843 megalitres (in 1915). As the population of the area continued to increase, alterations and additions were made to the system until 1913, when other sources of supply were developed - namely Chichester Dam
Chichester Dam
Chichester Dam is a dam in the Hunter Region of New South Wales approximately north of Dungog. It was constructed between 1917 and 1926 as a supply of drinking water for the Hunter Region by damming the Chichester River. The dam contributes about 35 percent of the lower Hunter region's water supply...
near Dungog
Dungog, New South Wales
Dungog is a country town on the Williams River in the upper Hunter Valley in New South Wales, Australia. Located in the middle of dairy and timber country, it is the centre of the Dungog Shire Local Government Area and at the 2006 census it had a population of 2,102 people. The area includes the...
. From 1923 to 1940 the waterworks were used as a backup water supply only.
In 1925 the complex was put on standby and with the onset of the great depression and the completion of Tarro pumping station at Tarro
Tarro, New South Wales
Tarro is a north-western suburb of the Newcastle City Council Local Government Area in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It, and parts of nearby Beresfield, was originally known as Upper Hexham, 'lower' Hexham being an older settlement located about to the east on the Hunter River...
, the plant was closed in 1929. After the Second World War in 1949 all the plant and machinery was sold for scrap, fetching £2,500.
Power Station
Two years later, in 1951, the site was reopened as a temporary coal power station by the Electricity Commission to overcome post-war electricity shortages. What was described as a "package power plant" was bought from General ElectricGeneral Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
and imported from America. The plant was shipped out in pieces, then taken to the site by rail (to Maitland station) and a specially made truck. GE engineers also came out to assemble the plant.
It began producing electricity in 1953. Three boilers ran on coal, and another ran on oil, though later this became a coal/oil combination. Two rail lines were built to the power station from the North Coast railway line
North Coast railway line, New South Wales
The North Coast Line is the primary rail route in the Mid North Coast and Northern Rivers regions of New South Wales, and forms a major part of the Sydney-Brisbane rail corridor....
.
Using Walka as a power station was controversial. Initially the power station suffered from sinking foundations - leading to the temporary sacking of 120 workers, until it was agreed that the sinking was a result of recent rain. During construction, the workforce went on strike after a boilermaker union member was sacked for "misconduct" towards his foreman. This was eventually resolved, but in December 1953 the power station suffered another setback when one of its oil storage tanks collapsed in gale force winds. The station was also unpopular with local vegetable growers, who complained about the amount of soot the station was producing.
This station was eventually decommissioned in 1978 and the site was closed.
Recreation and Wildlife Reserve
Not until 1984 were there definite attempts to reopen the site. At this time a Trust was formed, aiming to open the site and restore the Waterworks complex. The complex had been classified by the National TrustNational Trust of Australia
The Australian Council of National Trusts is the peak body for community-based, non-government organisations committed to promoting and conserving Australia's indigenous, natural and historic heritage....
in 1976. Today the area is open as a free public reserve, with barbecue
Barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque , used chiefly in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia is a method and apparatus for cooking meat, poultry and occasionally fish with the heat and hot smoke of a fire, smoking wood, or hot coals of...
s, picnics areas, a playground, walking trails and a 7 1/4 inch gauge toy train. The reservoir and surrounding plant life make it a unique environment for birds and animals in the area.
Key characteristics
- Main pumphouse with distinctive chimney, ornate brickwork and Victorian Italianate architecture
- Large sandstone water reservoir
- Settling tanks and filter beds to purify water
- Toy train