page_title: Mullumbimby Hydro-electric Power Station Complex
section_title: Description
hierarchical_section_title: Mullumbimby Hydro-electric Power Station Complex / Description
caption_attribution_description: English: Mullumbimby Hydro-electric Power Station Complex: Lavertys Gap Weir
context_page_description: Mullumbimby Hydro-electric Power Station Complex is a heritage-listed former hydroelectric power station at Wilsons Creek Road, Mullumbimby, Byron Shire, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by William Corin and built from 1924 to 1926. It is also known as Lavertys Gap Power Station and Mullumbimby Power Station and Substation. The property is owned by the Byron Shire Council and Essential Energy. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 27 June 2014.
context_section_description: Mullumbimby Hydro-electric Power Station is located amongst the hills outside Mullumbimby. The site of the power house has been partially cut into the hillside with a concrete retaining wall built along the northwest side. This wall, which has a height of almost 2 metres, also serves as a footing. A second retaining wall is located behind the building site to the southwest.
  The power house is a timber framed structure clad with corrugated iron. It has a double gable end roof with static air vents fitted along the ridge line. The building measures approximately 34 metres in length by 18 metres in width and is oriented northwest to southeast. Its main entrance faces northeast. Original louver windows of various sizes remain along the length of the building. A large roller door at the east end of the north elevation allows access to an interior mezzanine floor. Inside the power house the walls are partially clad with timber. A steel frame supports an 8 Tonne travelling crane used to move heavier items.
  A unique collection of hydro and combustion engines are located inside the power station. They include two hydro-electric sets, both identical GEC Pelton wheel turbines of 144 KW capacity with Boving governor controls. The attached alternators are GEC, three phase with 650 volts output at 600rpm. The maker's plate on one of the turbines reads "Boving & Co. Ltd. London". The writing on the older engine from 1926 reads "Ruston Lincoln England". The generator's makers plate reads "The General Electric Co. Ltd. Witton England".
  The four Mirrlees diesel engines are:
  A 7-cylinder engine with GEC alternator, 937 KVA, 11500 Volt output at 375rpm;
  A 5-cylinder engine with GEC alternator, 344 KVA, 660 Volt output at 375rpm;
  A 7-cylinder engine with Schorch alternator, 625 KVA, 400 volt output at 375rpm; and
  An 8-cylinder engine with brush alternator, 1150 KVA, 6600 volt output at 375 rpm.
  All generators are three phase. In total there are three diesel engines and the old Ruston Lincoln engine, a 4-cylinder engine plus the two hydro-energy sets, each comprising turbine and generator.
  Some features associated with the power generating equipment, including exhausts and a smaller cooling tower, are located on the south side of the power house; two smaller annexes are attached to the original building. A short distance southwards are the footings of two cooling towers that have been removed.
  Descending down the adjacent hill, the end of the pipeline is located at the southwest corner of the powerhouse. This pipeline conveyed water to power the turbines from a weir built at Lavertys Gap above the Power House. The storage capacity of the weir is 30 million gallons. It has a height of 7m with a crest of 45.72m. Water runs away from the weir through a race, originally in earth fill that is now concrete and measures 440m. After flowing through a 106.7m tunnel driven through the saddle of the hill the water runs to a holding race above the water treatment plant. Water is diverted from this race to supply drinking water to Mullumbimby as well as flowing to the power station, at the foot of Lavertys Gap, through a cast iron pipeline, 509m in length, that was originally made in woodstave.
  The Hydro-electric station contains a catalogued Movable Heritage Collection that relates to its industrial use. The following catalogued items are considered an important part of the significance of the site:
  Three phase grinder.
  Block and Tackle.
  Prop for pipe cutting.
  Timber block used for wad punching.
  Handle for gate valve.
  Shaft for gate valve.
  Timber work benches.
  Handle to roll 44 gallon drums.
  Pikes for standing poles.
  Ten ton block and tackle.
  44 gallon drum roller.
  Hooks to store chains, wire ropes & shackles.
  Transformer for lead light.
  Steel bar to turn the engine over.
  Pirometers used for reading exhaust gas temperature.
  Set of spanners.
  Set of tools for the turbine.
  Buckets for the turbine.
  Air tank.
  Stand for the air tank.
  Transformers for the hydro units.
  Relay tester.
  Pallets of spare parts.
  Timber brake for the fly wheels.
  Control panel for the e
caption: Lavertys Gap Weir
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