Yeah it was. Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. Opened in 1951, the power station was once a pillar of progress, meeting the rapidly expanding energy demands of Perth. Educational Research Center. (October 5) Syria and Egypt launched an attack on Israel, which started the Yom Kippur War. South Fremantle Power Station. [2], Power generation was achieved by coal heating steam, which in turn spun two turbines that rotated the two 25 MW generators to create electricity, with the second generator coming online in September 1951. (Mid 80s) the State Energy Commission of WA sampled for PCBs around the South Fremantle Power Station groyne, following the detection of PCB which was traced to capacitors in the groyne structure. Further, over 300 meters of tunnels were excavated for storage and various facilities. It fears a four-year-old redevelopment plan may never be . I should have gone back but I had parked about 5km away. Dude, great photos. What do. Inside, the walls which once contained the hustle and bustle of daily working life now are covered in magnificent displays of artwork from the large to the scribbly. (January) Construction began on the South Fremantle Power Station. This process was intended to prepare the building for sale and demolition. The power station is shortlisted for the 7 Most Endangered Programme by Europa Nostra in an attempt to prevent demolition of the historic building. 10 years after a dead car was left behind at the power station, it is still there. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today. I especially like that your granddad worked there. But with its massive output this particular plant was responsible for 10 per cent of the total CO2 emissions in all of Belgium, and after environmental group Greenpeace protested, the site was shut down in 2007. There were discussions about demolishing the power station, but fortunately it was declared a heritage building in 2014. This is an amazing building that should be celebrated, not ignored. (July) Authorities deliberately collapse the only entrance tunnel and barricaded it. Antioch College was a private liberal arts college in Yellow Springs, Ohio, that was founded in 1850 by the Christian Connection. The South Fremantle site was chosen as it was relatively close to the metropolitan population, its proximity to nearby railway facilities for the delivery of coal and the ease with which seawater could be accessed for use in the cooling system. Barney does great pano tours so take his advice if you would like to experience the building totally without risk. 41 photos This site uses cookies to improve your experience and to help show content that is more relevant to your interests. I followed some girls they went through a window which lead to that entrance hall which is short and you can find the staircase and levels to the top floor. Enquire now. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Copyright 2022 Energy Source & Distribution, All Rights Reserved. Visitorsare required to sign the following declaration form before participating in the Tunnels Tour (hard copies available on arrival). The Delaware Station of the Philadelphia Electric Company is a closed 468MW coal-fired power plant along the Delaware River in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The South Fremantle Power Station, which opened in 1951 and served the city of Perth for 34 years, was a state-of-the-art construction. August 11 - Member for Fremantle Simone McGurk, reveals the State Government's masterplan for the former power station. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=SnJt9p-sHho#t=35s. The decision was based on three one day counts in 1971, 1975 and 1977. This place is amazing been there many times without any problems. Once you were able to freely wander about inside, but now the entire building is fenced off & theres often security there too. Saturdays and Sundays only at 9.00am, 9.45am, 10.40am, 12.20pm, 1.40pm, 2.40pm and 3.25pm || Subject to availability. Somewhere inside theres a huge Fear Factory logo. If youve taken a long late night drive through an isolated road, you may have encountered the phenomena of Min Min. 2 inches of steel plate and at least 40 tonnes of sand and rock. Four murders have also taken place in the lower levels of the building. Weve explored some of Perths most haunted places over HERE, and now were looking into some of the peculiar stories weve heard about our fair city over the years. Power generation in Perth throughout the 1940s relied heavily on the sole 25-megawatt generator of the East Perth Power Station, backed up by a number of older, smaller and less efficient generators. This place would be awesome as a tony hawk level, just chuck in some quater pipes. It is recommended that at least two adults accompany groups of two or more children to ensure an adequate level of adult supervision. The smoke emissions at East Perth and South Fremantle had to meet new environmental standards by 1977. Youll still need to walk about 200 metres to McTaggart Cove though, as its the only access due to the railway line. (December 11) 48 year old linesman William Ralph Thomas Vowles was burnt and crippled by power lines carrying 22,000 volts. They curtailed production by five million barrels per day, despite other countries being able to increase production by a million barrels. And so many rooms and an underground. Under the ruins, there is said to be a network of tunnels that leads all the way to the seashore. this is just the best place for photographers, Great article :) Awesome place. At the recommendation of Russell Dumas of the Public Works Department, a 25 MW/50 Hz generator was purchased for the future South Fremantle Power Station in 1945. Casting an imposing shadow over C.Y. May 14, 2013 - I had to make an emergency trip to Garden island last week, fly in fly out, to help a client in WA which meant a trip from airport to Garden island Submarine base (where I stayed over 2 nights) then directly back again. The power station was almost entirely guttered by demolition contractors, who conducted the removal of asbestos and hydrocarbons from the building and grounds, and stripped all removable equipment and plant from the roof and interior. [2][1], The South Fremantle Power Station was one of only two power stations in Western Australia to be constructed as a steel and concrete structure, with extensive glazing. 5 of the worlds creepiest abandoned power stations, Survey shows record levels of energy consumer satisfaction, Net zero by 2050? The State Energy Commission was formed to unify WAs power supply under one parent organisation in order to catch up with demand. Get directions. Reports state that entry to the upper floors is still accessible, through a window to the office area, to the left of the entry into the main area (as you look at the building from the outside), Visitors have reported once you get to the upper levels, a lot of the walkways and bridges tend to be a little iffy, some creak/crack as you walk on them, others such as the ladders to the upper outer balconies have a lot of rust on them and could break at any time. The floors, with no workers to keep them swept, are now a minefield of spray cans, broken glass, and rubble. 5 The building was designed and constructed to be developed and operational in stages. However, 1/3 of it was retained as public space, later to be entered in the National Estate as an A Class reserve. He died in the Fremantle Hospital the next day, after receiving a fractured left thigh, a compound fracture of the jaw and a fractured collarbone in the fall. Australia Work & Travel Magazine What's On Aus, Cheap Tours & Accommodation. 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Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts Somewhere inside there's a huge Fear Factory logo (to Fs), http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/man-24-dies-after-falling-from-old-south-fremantle-power-station-20160501-gojfoq.html. If you do sneak in somehow, it is considered trespassing & you could be prosecuted & fined up to $5,000. Construction for the foundations began in 1917, and the first 30MW turbine of the six planned was put in operation on October 30, 1920. 2. With construction beginning in 1946, the station was in use from 1951 until it was decommissioned 1985. The main defences were on Rottnest Island with the big 9.2-inch guns with a range of 28 kilometre The next such was in Victoria in 1924, when the State began a seventy year programme of power development based on the vast brown North Coogee is a coastal, western suburb of Perth, Western Australia, located within the City of Cockburn.The suburb is immediately to the north of Coogee, which takes its name from the lake, Lake Coogee, in the area, which translates to "Body of water" in the native Aboriginal Nyoongar language.Originally this lake was named Lake Munster after Prince William, the Earl of Munster, and later . In 1954, a major fire at South Fremantle in the coal conveyor from the crusher house caused structural damage and resulted in a switch to oil fuel for the boilers. 01/08/2015 Abandoned South Fremantle Power Station, Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia - Townske . Some people report it as being a vintage Datsun 120Y while another said was a Holden Torano. Originally almost 64 metres long, the tunnel was built by convicts in 1837 to transport goods easily from the original port at Bathers Beach to Fremantle town. Like Atlas Obscura and get our latest and greatest stories in your Facebook feed. [1], In June 2021, the owner of the South Fremantle Power Station, Synergy, in turn owned by the Government of Western Australia, put the site up for sale. All evidence of a working station are gone and what remains now is just the shell. With the decline of coal as an economical power source, the station closed in 1985 and was stripped of all its machinery, leaving the building facade to remain. Where's the Best Buffet Restaurant in Perth. I was speaking to Mum about it later and it turns out my Granddad used to work there in the 50's which is kinda cool, gives me a bit of a personal link to the place. Pentagrams are scattered throughout the buildings empty rooms. With the expansion of the Muja Power Station at Collie, both East Perth and South Fremantle Power Stations became uneconomical to operate, with the former closed in 1981 and the latter in 1985. . When people talk or reflect on the South Fremantle Power Station, it seems like the Main Staircase and the Tunnels are the biggest attractions. This is an abandoned power station built in the 50s, it likely has asbestos built into the building. (December) The nominal price of oil had quadrupled to more than $12.00. According to some explorers, a network of tunnels also still exists beneath the ruins. Should a child be unable to complete the tour for any reason they must be accompanied by at least onerespectiveparent or guardian. Get into your hardhat, slip into your overalls, lock into the ladder system and descend below the Prison to explore a labyrinth of tunnels built by prisoners. 2023 Atlas Obscura. Sunday, 2 November 1997. Children between 12 and 15 must be accompanied by an adult (18+). Tunnels Tour; Torchlight Tour; Tour Conditions; Tour Prices; Gift Vouchers; Tours will run today from 10:00am through till 5:00pm. All a bit spooky, probably for the best that access inside is no longer possible. There was also 76 anti-aircraft guns dotted throughout Fremantle in case of bombing. I'd suggest not. There are rumors of tunnels connecting the White House to the Capitol, Blair House, VP Residence, Camp . [2], From 1994 to 1997, equipment was removed from the plant and some of the facilities demolished. But theres a track that you can access from the corner of Caledonia Loop & Robb Road. The asbestos-lined steam tunnels are one of the vestigial remains of an Antioch that no longer exists.