INTRODUCTION

This account of the construction villages, which have been built by the Hydro, was written by Sarah Rackham and published in 1981-3 as three separate books. Sarah came to Tasmania with her husband Chris as migrants in 1971. They lived for 7 years in Strathgordon, an experience that they both much enjoyed. During this time she became interested in the social history of the Hydro and this account, based in part on interviews with past employees, was written so that an important part of Tasmania's history was recorded while these people were alive to tell their stories.

Below is the introduction to the first book. As indicated by the list, the books cover all the Hydro villages except Tullah. This is because it was still a very active construction site at the time the books were written.

It should also be noted that the Hydro Electric Commission has changed markedly since the early 1980s. Not the least of these changes is that there is no longer a Civil Engineering Branch, whose responsibility it was to investigate, design and build the dams, power stations and ancillary works that necessitated the building of these villages. When reading this account, this needs to be taken into consideration.

Introduction to Book 1

"It is the story of the people and places which were ancillary to the engineering works, although the works themselves also deserve recognition. There have been numerous camps occupied by men from the Hydro and these too probably merit some attention, but my interest lay in the more permanent and populated establishments. Some of these are no longer in existence, but they are treated in chronological order from the date when work began. This story covers the pre-war villages of Waddamana, Shannon and Tarraleah. The second will include Butlers Gorge, Bronte Park, Trevallyn and Wayatinah, while the third will bring the story up to date with Poatina, Gowrie Park and Strathgordon.

Each village has been built for a specific scheme, and as the areas being utilised were largely out of range of an existing township, there was no option but to provide the necessary accommodation. This was never easy. Although communication and methods of construction have changed, the problems and cost of establishing a village to house the workforce are probably as great now as they were in 1916 as expectations and values have increased over the years.

The Hydro-Electric Department, the fore-runner of the Commission, made no provision for housing the wives and families of the construction men but with a work force of up to 1800 men in 1920/21 there were tremendous organisational difficulties. Now the social climate is such that the workforce is offered every sort of amenity in the village. Many of these amenities would not be available in other country towns of a similar population, but even in these days of high unemployment, men are reluctant to give up the security of the city for the challenge of the bush, even when the "bush" consists of a modern comfortable house with all sorts of extra benefits.

The Hydro-Electric Department was formed to complete the Great Lake Scheme providing electricity for industry in Hobart as well as for domestic purposes. The demand for electricity has grown continuously since that time. Industries have been established in Tasmania as a result of the availability and comparative cheapness of the power, which obviated the disadvantage of being an island State.

With increasing industrial activity came increasing population, and further demands by the domestic users for electricity. There was a period during the Depression when this cycle faltered slightly. The Nive / Upper Derwent scheme which passed through Parliament in 1934, was begun in the faith that this equation would justify itself, that development would take place and that the State would benefit. There was a secondary motive in pushing ahead with the scheme, that of providing jobs for the unemployed. Road construction programmes had been undertaken but here was a job which held the promise of long lasting economic advantage.

The Commission has had to change to meet the needs of the times. In 1914 the Department, in addition to the hydroelectric scheme, under-took to complete a hydrometric survey of the State. This was achieved and was instrumental in the change of status from a Department to a Commission. The Commission, which came into being in 1930 was responsible for the existing works, and for the control of the waters of the State. ln it was vested the sole right of generating, distributing and selling electricity throughout Tasmania.

There have been alterations to the Hydro-Electric Commission Act since that time, removing the control of the waters from the Commission to another State authority, and consolidating the law in relation to its function and powers. Basically however the situation is still the same today. The Commission is responsible for the generation, transmission, distribution and sale of electricity in Tasmania.

It is a complex task which requires experts in all fields, so not surprisingly it is a large organisation. In the Department days there were four separate branches, secretarial, hydraulic, electrical and operating. Now there are five branches: Secretarial, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Power and Distribution. Although each is vital to the smooth running of the other, the villages and hence this story, are not really concerned with distribution. All the other groups have varying degrees of involvement, the percentage changing over the years and during different stages.

In relation to this book it is hard to generalise the administrative situation. Each village has been different, each organisation more complex. In a construction village the overall responsibility for the area is held by the Project Manager, with subordinates in both the engineering and administrative branches. In a Power Branch village, the population is smaller and control is in the hands of the Power Station Superintendent. His job is diverse, covering the villages as well as the Power Stations. He is the mayor, justice of the peace, welfare and public relations officer for the area under his charge. He has loyalties in two directions, to those in his area and to those in Head Office. There are others on a construction site to share this load, but the task of Project Manager has its own difficulties which make it no less formidable.

Although each job needs a "chief", no job has yet been completed without the 'indians'. The engineering feats will stand as a tribute to the skill and dedication of the workmen who built them. Each in his own way has given some of is life to those achievements. Supporting their vital contribution has been the role of the women in the villages. A stable experienced workforce is needed to complete a job satisfactorily, and the importance of the family is recognised in establishing the village. It is however more difficult for the women to adjust to village life, when the demands of isolation and climate take their toll.

The other group of people who deserve tribute is the large migrant population who have joined the Commission since the war. Some say that they are the ones who built the schemes, that they tolerated what the Australians preferred to avoid. The real truth is hard to establish, but all Tasmanians have benefitted because of the pollution-free and cheaply produced power from schemes built by the Commission over the years, and in addition the tourist assets created have brought many visitors to the State.

The Hydro-Electric Commission can be justly proud of its past, and the contribution it has made to Tasmania. It has earned its place in history.