Guest Speaker: Allan Maguire. Sunday 29 January 2006.

Helen introduced Allan as a current ANN participant from Sale, Victoria. Allan was one of two very senior engineers representing Victoria on the scheme. Helen was concerned that we would not hear quietly spoken Allan without a microphone. She need not have been concerned as his enthusiasm for his subject carried his voice and information clearly to all, even those outside.

Politics. Allan talked logically through a number of themes. Post World War II there were millions of displaced people. Australia was deficient in electrical power. The idea of using hydropower from the Snowy Mountains had been broached. A problem was that electricity and water were and are state responsibilities. This had the potential to create political argument between Victoria and NSW and between them and the Commonwealth Government. Nelson Lemon from WA was pushing the idea of directing Snowy River water inland for irrigation. Being from WA increased the tension. The Australian population of 8 million clearly remembered the bombing of Darwin and the midget submarines in Sydney Harbour. Using the Defence Act, the Commonwealth was able to convince the public and the States that the Commonwealth be responsible and be the funding agency. Money was to be repaid by electricity consumers over 70 years. All this was a Chifley Government initiative.

The workforce. Australia took a world role by taking 100,000 displaced persons to work on this major engineering feat. The men came from over 30 countries (We later saw the flags of all these nations around Centennial Park in Cooma). Men came from opposing sides in the war and this caused social and work-place problems.

The design. William Hudson, the first chairman of Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Authority, put together a team of hydrographers, geologists, engineers and others to sort out the problems and build the 16 dams, 7 power stations, 145km of tunnels and 80km of aqueducts. Lake Eucumbene is the heart of the system. It is the largest storage and holds water that originally flowed into the Snowy and to the sea through mainly forested country rather than through agricultural land. The scheme was designed to divert water from the Snowy River to the Murray and Murrumbidgee Rivers and produce electricity during peak demand periods. Power is shared 2/3 to NSW and 1/3 to Victoria.

Construction. The first dam and power station, at Guthega, was built to provide power for the construction of the rest of the scheme. Construction took 25 years and was completed in 1974.

Allan’s enthusiasm and knowledge could have made his talk longer. He shortened it to allow us to watch the Australian Open Men’s Final. His final comments made reference to the green image of hydro electricity and the lack of other rivers in Australia with the Snowy’s potential.

Mike Stone

Murray 1 Power Station. 1980.