The Snowy Mountains Scheme

COOMA - NEW SOUTH WALES

The Snowy Mountains Scheme
One of the great Australian civil engineering feats of the last century is the Snowy Mountains Scheme, one of the most complex, multi purpose hydro-electric schemes in the world. The Scheme involved diverting the headwaters of the Snowy, Eucumbene and Murrumbidgee Rivers westward through the alps and creating extra water supplies for the irrigation areas of the Murray and Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area of the Riverina. As part of the plan the water would drop steeply through 800 metres, through a series of power stations, driving the turbines as it passed and creating clean, renewable power for the growing demands of Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne. The Scheme operates in a catchment area of 5124 square kilometres in the Kosciuszko National Park and the main features include are: Seven power stations (2 underground) a pumping station and 16 large dams. A 225 km. network of aquaducts and tunnels. Active storage capacity of 7,000 gigalitres or around 12 times the volume of Sydney Harbour. Constructed over a 25 year period, from 1949 to 1974, it was completed on time and on budget. It was a daunting task. Heavily forested areas with almost vertical ravines had to be tamed and diverted through dozens of kilometres of tunnels drilled through granite mountains. Towns like Cabramurra and Talbingo are reminders of the towns which sprang up to house the multi-cultural workers. In the period of construction over 100,000 men and women were employed from 30 countries. Today the recreational opportunities created by lakes such as Blowering, Talbingo and Eucumbene are popular with locals and visitors who enjoy the fishing and water sports. Blowering reservoir is the second largest of the lakes created and is 18km. long and 4km. wide. It was the venue for Ken Warby's successful assault on the world water speed record in his jet-powered boat "Spirit of Australia". Attractions of the Snowy Scheme: MURRAY 1 Power Station & Visitors Centre, Khancoban WHERE: Alpine Way, Khancoban OPEN 7 days a week (Oct to Apr) 9am - 4pm Monday - Friday, 10am - 4pm Weekends & Public holidays Open 5 days a week (May-Sept) 9:00 - 4:00pm Monday to Friday, closed winter weekends CLOSED Christmas Day & Anzac Day & winter weekends POWER STATION INSPECTIONS 11am and 2pm daily Entry is free of charge, so come and enjoy the displays and short films, Or sit down in our cafˆà and enjoy our delicious coffee and selection of cakes. Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre, Cooma WHERE: Monaro Highway, Cooma (2kms north of Cooma CBD) OPEN: 7 days a week, 8am - 5pm Monday to Friday 9am - 1pm Weekends & Public Holidays CLOSED: Christmas Day, New Years Day & Anzac Day Entry is free of charge, so come and enjoy the displays and short films, Or sit down in our cafˆà and enjoy our delicious coffee and selection of cakes. For more information call 1800 623 776 or visit the website at www.snowyhydro.com.au/visit (Thanks to Danielle Venables for assisting in updating this information Jan 2011)	The Hydro Office in Cooma

The Snowy Mountains Scheme

One of the great Australian civil engineering feats of the last century is the Snowy Mountains Scheme, one of the most complex, multi purpose hydro-electric schemes in the world. The Scheme involved diverting the headwaters of the Snowy, Eucumbene and Murrumbidgee Rivers westward through the alps and creating extra water supplies for the irrigation areas of the Murray and Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area of the Riverina. As part of the plan the water would drop steeply through 800 metres, through a series of power stations, driving the turbines as it passed and creating clean, renewable power for the growing demands of Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne. The Scheme operates in a catchment area of 5124 square kilometres in the Kosciuszko National Park and the main features include are:

Seven power stations (2 underground) a pumping station and 16 large dams.

A 225 km. network of aquaducts and tunnels.

Active storage capacity of 7,000 gigalitres or around 12 times the volume of Sydney Harbour.
Constructed over a 25 year period, from 1949 to 1974, it was completed on time and on budget. It was a daunting task. Heavily forested areas with almost vertical ravines had to be tamed and diverted through dozens of kilometres of tunnels drilled through granite mountains. Towns like Cabramurra and Talbingo are reminders of the towns which sprang up to house the multi-cultural workers. In the period of construction over 100,000 men and women were employed from 30 countries. Today the recreational opportunities created by lakes such as Blowering, Talbingo and Eucumbene are popular with locals and visitors who enjoy the fishing and water sports. Blowering reservoir is the second largest of the lakes created and is 18km. long and 4km. wide. It was the venue for Ken Warby's successful assault on the world water speed record in his jet-powered boat "Spirit of Australia".

Attractions of the Snowy Scheme:
MURRAY 1 Power Station & Visitors Centre, Khancoban
WHERE: Alpine Way, Khancoban
OPEN 7 days a week (Oct to Apr)
9am - 4pm Monday - Friday, 10am - 4pm Weekends & Public holidays
Open 5 days a week (May-Sept)
9:00 - 4:00pm Monday to Friday, closed winter weekends
CLOSED Christmas Day & Anzac Day & winter weekends
POWER STATION INSPECTIONS 11am and 2pm daily
Entry is free of charge, so come and enjoy the displays and short films, Or sit down in our cafˆà and enjoy our delicious coffee and selection of cakes.

Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre, Cooma
WHERE: Monaro Highway, Cooma (2kms north of Cooma CBD)
OPEN: 7 days a week, 8am - 5pm Monday to Friday
9am - 1pm Weekends & Public Holidays
CLOSED: Christmas Day, New Years Day & Anzac Day
Entry is free of charge, so come and enjoy the displays and short films, Or sit down in our cafˆà and enjoy our delicious coffee and selection of cakes.

For more information call 1800 623 776 or visit the website at www.snowyhydro.com.au/visit
(Thanks to Danielle Venables for assisting in updating this information Jan 2011)

The Hydro Office in Cooma