An Open Day on Sunday 20 September from 9am to 4pm is a great opportunity for us to tour
and consider adaptive re-use of the Power House at the rear of the Town Hall. ‘Adaptive reuse is the process of repurposing old buildings for new uses while retaining their historic features.’
To briefly shed some light on our power history:
In 1884 the streets were illuminated by 25 gas lamps, but lighting these could be dangerous.
Lamplighter Henry Wheeler suffered a broken wrist 1897 when he was thrown from the
horse he was standing on to light the lamp on the corner of Grey and Taylor streets. His
steed had been frightened by an approaching buggy.
Provision of electricity had been discussed by Council as far back as 1890 and in 1919 they
decided to go ahead. The Power House costing £31,000 commenced operation on 21
August 1922. It comprised suction gas engines which were run on gas produced by burning
wood. Consumers were charged a connection fee of £2/12/6.
The generation source needed to be as close to the consumer as possible and as the main
consumers were expected to be the businesses, this central location behind the Town Hall
made it the best distribution point. In 1929 a larger Crossley Premier engine was installed, but due to the Depression there was no further expansion until 1950.
The North West County Council was formed in 1945 and acquired the electricity assets in 1951.
The Power House closed in 1986. This was said to be partly due to an increase in oil prices
and outside supply being more reliable.
From 1991, for a few years a Power House Museum was operated on the site by a few
dedicated enthusiasts.
Surely the time is now ripe right for our community to have some brilliant light bulb
moments, and there are many precedents for adaptive re-use of buildings:
Pict Quick Freeze factory became the Council works depot; Salvation Army Citadel first a
laundry and now ‘Charlesworth on the Park’; Westpac bank – the Counting House and The
Health Hub; Methodist Church – The Chapel Theatre; The Old Mill first an Arts & Craft
centre and Coffee shop and now Eastmon Offices; Baptist Church – Radio 2CBDFM; RSL –
the Salvation Army Citadel and the original Hospital- the Land of the Beardies Museum and
Research Centre; and more!
