Engineering Landmarks
Since 1984 Engineers Australia has been recognising important historic engineering works with the award of distinctive markers. There are two levels of awards: National Landmarks and Heritage Markers. The year shown is the date of completion.The dams, powers stations and associated infrastructure of Tasmania's hydro eletricity generation schemes are the state's most significant engineering landmarks, and many of them have received recognition for their engineering excellence. Australia has few large rivers and there are limited sites available for hydro-power. Nevertheless close to 10 percent of the nation's electricity comes from this source. The Snowy Mountains hydro electric power scheme is the largest hydro electric system in Australia.
Tsmania's network of hydro electric dams and power stations generates the second largest amount of hydro electricity in Australia. Hydro Tasmania, a State-government enterprise, has been producing electricity from water-driven generators in Tasmania for nearly 100 years. Hydro Tasmania operates and maintains an integrated system of 29 hydro power stations and is Australia s largest dam owner, with over 50 large dams.
Boyer Newsprint Mill (1941)
The Boyer Mill, on the River Derwent near New Norfolk, was the first mill in the world to make newsprint from hardwood fibre and is now the only newsprint mill in the southern hemisphere. Construction commenced in 1938 and the mill started operation in 1941, using 75% eucalyptus hardwood fibre and 25% imported softwood fibre. Backed by Australia's major newspaper publishers, the mill averted a shortage of newsprint during World War II.The mill pioneered the use of low grade high ash Tasmanian coal and transferred the technoloy ton other industries. The Mill produced 20,000 tons of paper in the first year. The output reached 300,000 tonnes/year in 2009 when the use of hardwood fibre ceased, and newsprint was produced entirely from plantation softwood. Formerly the Australian Newsprint Mill, the Norske Skog paper mill has been recognised by Engineering Heritage Tasmania as a national engineering landmark.
Cethana Dam (1971)
On the Forth River south of Devonport is a 110 m high concrete faced rockfill dam which overcame the problems suffered by similar dams in other countries. Cethana Power Station is on the Mersey-Forth catchment in Tasmania. It was opened in 1971, the station is one of only a few underground stations in the state. It has one Francis turbine with a generating capacity of 85 MW of electricity. The station is run by the waters of Lake Cethana, a lake formed by a dam of the same name. 
Gordon Dam (1974)
Part of the Upper Gordon River Hydro-Electric Scheme, Gordon Dam, on the Gordon River near Strathgordon in South-West Tasmania, is a 140 m high double-curvature arch dam, the highest arch dam in Australia and the largest storage.Lake Pedder, the major feature of the project, was named after Sir John Pedder, the first Chief Justice of Tasmania. The name of the original lake has been transferred to the new man-made impoundment. Although the new Lake Pedder incorporates the original lake, it does not resemble it in size, appearance or ecology. It consists of a large water catchment contained by three dams - the Serpentine, Scotts Peak and Edgar Dams. The dams were built as part of the Upper Gordon River power development scheme to provide hydro-electricity by the HEC. These dams were completed in 1972. The new impoundment is joined with Lake Gordon by McPartlan Canal, and together both lakes are the biggest water-storage catchment in Australia.
Ross Bridge (1836)
Four years in construction and built of stone quarried locally by convicts and completed in 1836, Ross Bridge, across the Macquarie river at Ross, is unquestionably one of the most picturesque and unusual bridges in Australia. 
Waddamana A Power Station (1916)
The Waddamana Hydro-Electric power station was the first hydro-electric power plant ever operated by the Tasmanian Hydro-Electric Department (later the Hydro-Electric Commission or HEC), opened in 1916. The privately-owned Tasmanian Hydro-Electric and Metallurgical Co. Ltd. first took a serious interest in generating hydro-electric power from one of Tasmania's highland rivers in late 1909. They resolved to construct a hydro-electric power plant in the valley of the Ouse River, above the town that bears that name. Water was to be provided by a small dam on the Great lake at Miena, which would then divert water down the steep drop using a woodstave pipeline and a flume. Construction began in earnest in 1910. The works were completed in 1915, and the plant was officially opened in 1916. 
Catagunya Dam (1962)
On the Derwent River near Wayatinah is a 49 m high concrete gravity dam anchored to its foundations with steel cables, the highest of this type in Australia when built. Catagunya Power Station is on the Lower Derwent River, it was commissioned in 1962 It has two Francis type turbines fed by the waters of lake Cataguna (via a small canal and a 44 meter penstock) formed by a large rock fill dam, with a combined generating capacity of 48 MW of electricity. On completion, the dam was the highest in the world designed for prestressing from the outset. 
Crotty Dam (1991)
On the King River near Queenstown is an 80 m high concrete faced gravel & rockfill dam with a service spillway chute resting on its downstream face. Crotty Dam is part of the Upper King River Valley Hydro-Electric Scheme. The upper portion of the King River valley was first surveyed for damming in 1917 by the Mount Lyell company. It was not until after the Franklin Dam issue of the 1980s that Hydro Tasmania proceeded to dam the valley. Lake Burbury was the name of the subsequently created lake over the valley, named after the first Australian born Governor of Tasmania, Stanley Burbury. The small timber mill community adjacent to the old alignment of the Lyell Highway was submerged, as was a significant portion of the old railway alignment of the North Mount Lyell Railway between Linda and Pillinger. The site of the townsite of Crotty, and the smelters of Crotty were also submerged.
Devils Gate Dam (1969)
On the Forth River south of Devonport is an 84 m high double-curvature arch dam, one of the thinnest in the world. Devils Gate Power Station, located at the foot of the dam, contains a 63 MW Francis turbine. The Power Station was commissioned in 1969. It is in the Mersey-Forth catchment. The station has one Francis-type turbine, with a generating capacity of 63 MW. The Devils Gate Dam created Lake Barrington, is also a world famous rowing venue that hosted the 1990 World Rowing Championships. The dam is 84m high. It is one of the thinnest concrete arch dams in the world. 
Duck Reach Power Scheme (1895-1956)
Duck Reach Power Station was the first publicly-owned hydro-electric plant in the Southern Hemisphere, and provided the Tasmanian city of Launceston with hydro-electric power from its construction in 1895 to its closure in 1955. The plant was a 'run of the river' station, making use of very little storage, and instead using the daily flow of the South Esk River to provide sufficient water for generation. An 850-metre tunnel drilled through the rock supplied water from Deadmans Hollow to an iron pipeline that plunged straight down the hill into the power station, with a discharge rate of 5,537 litres per second entering the eight Siemens turbines inside the station. 
Evandale to Launceston Water Supply Scheme (1836)
While never completed, the convict built Evandale to Launceston Water Supply Scheme was designed to convey water from the South Esk River to Launceston by tunnel and canal. In March 1836 Lieutenant Governor Arthur of Van Diemens Land turned the first sod. Engineer Alexander Cheyne and convict engineer James Blackburn directed the work. Work ceased early in 1838 after public outrage over a proposed water rate, and road construction was given precedence. If completed the scheme could have supplied the current water needs of Launceston. Shaft No. 2 in the front garden of 24 High Street, Evandale, and other surviving works demonstrate the skills of early colonial engineers and their convict labour forces. 
Kings Bridge (1864)
Located across the entrance to Cataract Gorge in Launceston, the beautiful wrought iron arch bridge fabricated in England. Built in two complementary sections forty years apart (1863 and 1903), Kings Bridge is a very elegant and gracefully arched, open girder steel bridge which carries Bridge Road/Trevallyn Road across the Tamar River. A pathway, known as the King s Bridge-Cataract Walk, and originally built by volunteers in the 1890s, runs along the north bank of the Cataract Gorge, and is a popular tourist destination. The original toll house at which pedestrians had to pay to enter the walk can still be seen near King's Bridge on the northern edge of the gorge. 
Lake Margaret Power Scheme (1914)
The Mt Lyell Mining & Railway Company built this hydro- electric scheme to replace its voracious wood-fired steam- driven station. Commissioned in 1914 and expanded in 1918 and 1931, it was the sole supplier to the West Coast mining communities until 1937. The Lower and Upper Stations operated continuously until closure by Hydro Tasmania in 1994 and 2006. It was the last private scheme to be built in Tasmania, and it displays rare and intact early 20th century machinery and equipment. The Upper Station was refurbished and reopened in 2009, the lower station was reopened a year later. 
Laughing Jack Dam (1957)
Laughing Jack Dam impounds the flow in Powers Rivulet. Controlled releases flow down into the Clarence River and thence to the Tungatinah Power Station.Completed in 1957, the dam is a rockfill embankment with a sloping earth core as the impervious element. The unique feature of this structure is its internal spillway. Flood waters flow into the embankment, pass over a concrete capping on top of the clay core, flow down through the voids in the rockfill and emerge at the downstream toe. This innovative design was put forward by John Wilkins, Engineer for Civil Design in the Hydro-Electric Commission, and was developed into a safe and practical prototype with the aid of hydraulic model testing. There is a section of original wooden pipeline near Laughing Jack lagoon that is constructed in a similar method to a wine barrel using staves and hoops. 
Launceston Water Supply (1857)
This colonial water supply brings water 16 km from the St Patricks River near Nunamara via tunnel and race, and is still operating. Director of Public Works W R Falconer designed the gravity scheme, consisting of a weir, water race and tunnel diverting flow from the St Patricks River into a dam on Distillery Creek. Cast iron pipes delivered the water to brick reservoirs in the town. This fountain was erected to celebrate the opening. By 1860 the town had public drinking fountains, fire brigades and work on a sewerage scheme had begun. A plaque commemorating the scheme is located at the fountain in Prince's Square, Launceston.
Miena Dam No. 2 (1922)
On the Shannon River at the southern end of the Great Lake was the second longest multiple arch dam in the world when built. It is periodically submerged by a later dam. Shannon Power station was built IN 1916 to use the water from Great Lake before it ran onto Penstock Lagoon and Waddamana. A second power station was built at Waddamana - Waddamana B. All three power stations continued to operate until 1964, when Waddamana A and Shannon were decommissioned. Waddamana B continued to operate until 1994. Poatina power station was built to the north of Great Lake to replaced Waddamana. 
McNaught Beam Engine (1854)
The world's oldest McNaught Beam Engine takes pride of place at the entrance to the Hobart institute of TAFE, Bathurst Street, Hobart. This compound steam engine incorporates high and low pressure cylinders placed on opposite sides of the central column in accordance with the 1845 patent of William McNaught. The engine was manufactured in 1854 in Paisley, Scotland, and was probably imported by local engineer, Henry Clark. It was removed from Risby's sawmill in Collins Street, Hobart, and placed in its present location in 1990. 
Richmond Bridge (1825)
Richmond in southern Tasmania is home to many buildings and structures built by convicts under the most appalling conditions. One such structure, the Coal River Bridge was completed in 1825, making it the oldest surviving freestone bridge in Australia.Initially Richmond Bridge, although larger, was identical in line and design to Stourhead Bridge at the Stourhead Gardens in Wiltshire, England, which Wilson copied. Subsequent modifications were made to its pier foundations due to settlement within a few years of construction. Later again, around 1835, changes were made to the townside upper walls, raising the inclined wall to become horizontal in order to take the degree of slope out of the roadway, and to improve safety at the bridge entry point. The eastern end remains as it was.
In 1885, as a result of flood damage, other changes in the form of bulky (and rather unattractive) buttresses were attached to the three mid stream piers. These were required to further protect the piers and foundations against water damage during times of heavy rainfall and flooding.
Scotts Peak Dam (1973)
The Scotts Peak Dam is a rockfill embankment dam without a spillway across the Huon River, located in the South West region of Tasmania. The impounded reservoir, also formed with the Edgar Dam and the Serpentine Dam, is called Lake Pedder which flooded Lake Edgar, a naturally forming fault scarp pond. The dam was constructed in 1973 by the Hydro Electric Corporation (TAS) as part of the Gordon River Power Development Scheme for the purpose of generating hydro-electric power via the conventional Gordon Power Station. Water from Lake Pedder is diverted to Lake Gordon (formed by the Gordon Dam) via the McPartlan Pass Canal. 
Tarraleah Hydro-Electric Development (1938)
Tarraleah Power Station is on the Upper Derwent River. It has six Pelton class turbines, with a generating capacity of 90 MW of electricity. It was opened in 1938. The nearby township of Tarraleah was originally built in the 1930s by the Hydro Electric Commission to house Tasmania's pioneering hydro electricity officers and management. After a multi-million dollar redevelopment, the former Hydro construction village has become a 120 ha estate that comprises Tarraleah Lodge with accommodation, dining options. Fresh water trout fishing, boating, bushwalking, mountain biking and kayaking are all popular activities in and around the township. Tarraleah is also home to one of the highest altitude golf courses in Australia. 
Tasmania Gold Mine (1877-1914)
Underground mining began at Beaconsfield in 1878. The reef is located in an aquifer so that ever-increasing pumping capacity was required as the workings went deeper. Eventually three extremely large Hathorn Davey compound steam pumping engines were installed, which were three of the largest mine dewatering steam pumping engines in the world. The mine supported a thriving town but became uneconomic and closed in 1914; it re-opened in 1999 using electric pumps. When the Hart shaft was re-opened for the new mine, some of the Cornish pit work was recovered and is on display in the Grubb Shaft Gold and Heritage Museum, together with working models. 
Tasmanian Transport Museum (1972)
The museum at Anfield Street, Glenorchy and its collection of trains, trams, buses and fire engines has been recognised by Engineering Heritage Tasmania and been given a heritage marker. Significant heritage items in the collection include the only vertical boiler locomotive preserved in Australia, the first main line diesel electric locomotive operated in Australia, the only Hobart electric tram preserved in original operating condition, and the first production bus to be built with a Hino chassis in Australia. 