History of electricity supply in Brisbane

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← Previous revision Revision as of 01:56, 18 April 2026 Line 59: Line 59: Four initial 11 kV Substations were constructed in 1928 by Council at: Victoria Park (No.4), Lang Park (No. 6), Victoria Street, Woolloongabba (No. 9) and Cairns St, Kangaroo Point (No.11). By 1930 they had constructed four more 11 kV Substations: Balmoral (No. 12), Stephens (now Moorooka) (No. 13), Hamilton (No. 5), and Coorparoo (No. 10).<ref name="Heritage Register">{{cite QHR|19619|Coorparoo Substation No. 210|602495|accessdate=15 August 2015}}</ref> These substations were supplied with 11 kV, and had to transform down to 5 kV, which was the voltage that CEL had constructed in these areas. The primary purpose initially was to supply residential areas with electric light, as electricity was an expensive commodity, and most houses did not use it for any other purposes. Four initial 11 kV Substations were constructed in 1928 by Council at: Victoria Park (No.4), Lang Park (No. 6), Victoria Street, Woolloongabba (No. 9) and Cairns St, Kangaroo Point (No.11). By 1930 they had constructed four more 11 kV Substations: Balmoral (No. 12), Stephens (now Moorooka) (No. 13), Hamilton (No. 5), and Coorparoo (No. 10).<ref name="Heritage Register">{{cite QHR|19619|Coorparoo Substation No. 210|602495|accessdate=15 August 2015}}</ref> These substations were supplied with 11 kV, and had to transform down to 5 kV, which was the voltage that CEL had constructed in these areas. The primary purpose initially was to supply residential areas with electric light, as electricity was an expensive commodity, and most houses did not use it for any other purposes.

These substations were constructed in accordance with the designs of long term City Architect Alfred Herbert Foster (A.H.Foster, 1873–23 March 1932). He joined the old [[Town of Brisbane|City of Brisbane]] in 1913 as an Architectural Assistant to the City Engineer, and was made City Architect upon the formation of the greater Brisbane City Council.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21793085?searchTerm=A.H.%20foster%20city%20architect%20death&searchLimits=l-state=Queensland|title=Mr. A. H. Foster|publisher=Trove.nla.gov.au|accessdate=3 November 2014}}</ref> Harold Austen Erwood (H.A.Erwood, born c.1884–1947) was Foster's long term assistant and successor, working as an Architect with Foster at the old City of Brisbane, from 1914, then at the greater Brisbane City Council after 1925, until Foster's death in 1932. Erwood had to wait to be appointed City Architect however, and was still waiting in August 1932.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21976425?searchTerm=A.H.%20foster%20city%20architect%20death&searchLimits=l-state=Queensland%7C%7C%7Cl-title=16%7C%7C%7Csortby=dateDesc|title=City Beautiful : Advisory Committee|publisher=Trove.nla.gov.au|accessdate=3 November 2014}}</ref> BCC finally changed his designation from Chief Architectural Assistant to Chief Architect on 30 April 1933.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22141158?searchTerm=erwood%20city%20architect&searchLimits=l-state=Queensland%7C%7C%7Cl-title=16#pstart1692755|title=Personal|publisher=Trove.nla.gov.au|accessdate=3 November 2014}}</ref> Reyburn Jameson (c.1880–1950) was employed as an Assistant Architect from 1926–1929. South African born Jameson was previously employed as a draftsman by CEL from 1918 to 1920 and the City of Brisbane from 1921–1922. All three men appear to have been made Registered Architects from 14 June 1929, when the Architects Registration Act 1929 was enacted.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21420109?searchTerm=erwood%20city%20architect&searchLimits=l-state=Queensland|title=The City Skyline : Beauty and Solidity|publisher=Trove.nla.gov.au|accessdate=3 November 2014}}</ref> These substations were constructed in accordance with the designs of long term City Architect [[Alfred Herbert Foster]] (A.H.Foster, 1873–23 March 1932). He joined the old [[Town of Brisbane|City of Brisbane]] in 1913 as an Architectural Assistant to the City Engineer, and was made City Architect upon the formation of the greater Brisbane City Council.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21793085?searchTerm=A.H.%20foster%20city%20architect%20death&searchLimits=l-state=Queensland|title=Mr. A. H. Foster|publisher=Trove.nla.gov.au|accessdate=3 November 2014}}</ref> Harold Austen Erwood (H.A.Erwood, born c.1884–1947) was Foster's long term assistant and successor, working as an Architect with Foster at the old City of Brisbane, from 1914, then at the greater Brisbane City Council after 1925, until Foster's death in 1932. Erwood had to wait to be appointed City Architect however, and was still waiting in August 1932.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21976425?searchTerm=A.H.%20foster%20city%20architect%20death&searchLimits=l-state=Queensland%7C%7C%7Cl-title=16%7C%7C%7Csortby=dateDesc|title=City Beautiful : Advisory Committee|publisher=Trove.nla.gov.au|accessdate=3 November 2014}}</ref> BCC finally changed his designation from Chief Architectural Assistant to Chief Architect on 30 April 1933.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22141158?searchTerm=erwood%20city%20architect&searchLimits=l-state=Queensland%7C%7C%7Cl-title=16#pstart1692755|title=Personal|publisher=Trove.nla.gov.au|accessdate=3 November 2014}}</ref> Reyburn Jameson (c.1880–1950) was employed as an Assistant Architect from 1926–1929. South African born Jameson was previously employed as a draftsman by CEL from 1918 to 1920 and the City of Brisbane from 1921–1922. All three men appear to have been made Registered Architects from 14 June 1929, when the Architects Registration Act 1929 was enacted.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article21420109?searchTerm=erwood%20city%20architect&searchLimits=l-state=Queensland|title=The City Skyline : Beauty and Solidity|publisher=Trove.nla.gov.au|accessdate=3 November 2014}}</ref>

The substation buildings near or in residential areas were designed by Foster to fit in with residential areas, with similar designs employed by his successor Erwood.<ref name="Heritage Register"/> The substation buildings near or in residential areas were designed by Foster to fit in with residential areas, with similar designs employed by his successor Erwood.<ref name="Heritage Register"/> Line 103: Line 103: Erwood designed Kedron, Hamilton, Toowong and Holland Park Substations, which no longer exist. His remaining examples are the Nundah and Newmarket Substations, and while both the original brick buildings survive, both sites have been expanded and upgraded to 33 kV/11 kV Zone Substations. Kedron Substation site is still in use as a 33 kV zone substation, but Erwoods's original building, built c.1933 was designed to take underground 11 kV supply from the New Farm Powerhouse. Kedron Substation was also where the BCC's 33 kV transmission line to Somerset dam originated, which was constructed on-site about the same time as the substation. A photo of the site taken in 1950 with the new enclosed 33 kV building and the old 11 kV building side by side is [https://library.brisbane.qld.gov.au/client/search/asset/29838 here] (Brisbane City Council). Similarly, there is another photo of the beautiful original Holland Park Substation [https://library.brisbane.qld.gov.au/client/search/asset/29933 taken in 1953] (Brisbane City Council), Erwood designed Kedron, Hamilton, Toowong and Holland Park Substations, which no longer exist. His remaining examples are the Nundah and Newmarket Substations, and while both the original brick buildings survive, both sites have been expanded and upgraded to 33 kV/11 kV Zone Substations. Kedron Substation site is still in use as a 33 kV zone substation, but Erwoods's original building, built c.1933 was designed to take underground 11 kV supply from the New Farm Powerhouse. Kedron Substation was also where the BCC's 33 kV transmission line to Somerset dam originated, which was constructed on-site about the same time as the substation. A photo of the site taken in 1950 with the new enclosed 33 kV building and the old 11 kV building side by side is [https://library.brisbane.qld.gov.au/client/search/asset/29838 here] (Brisbane City Council). Similarly, there is another photo of the beautiful original Holland Park Substation [https://library.brisbane.qld.gov.au/client/search/asset/29933 taken in 1953] (Brisbane City Council),

The old Coorparoo Street Lighting Substation, located at Main Avenue, Coorparoo was constructed in May 1930 for the new 'Series' system street lighting. While there were already three 5 kV street lighting substation buildings, Coorparoo Substation (No. 10) was the first BCC 11 kV public lighting substation building, and by 1940, there were three such buildings. Coorparoo Substation was fed from the old Woolloongabba (No.9) Substation with 11 kV, which it then converted to 5 kV. The 'series' system was replaced by the 'parallel' system of street lighting by 1965, with the last of the 'series' system removed by 1977, with the Coorparoo Substation (No. 10) made redundant and decommissioned. The plans for the substation were signed by Reyburn Jameson (rather than Foster) which is perhaps why, unlike the other substation, it is made out of 200 mm concrete blocks, the only pre-World War Two Brisbane substation to be built of such materials.<ref name="Heritage Register"/> The site is still owned by Brisbane City Council, and has become far more visible from [[Old Cleveland Road, Brisbane|Old Cleveland Road]], with the construction of the [[Eastern Busway, Brisbane|Eastern Busway]] in 2011, resulting in the demolition of homes between the substation and Old Cleveland Road, giving a much clearer views of the building from that road, as well as Main Avenue. The demolition of the Bowls Club for the [[Eastern Busway, Brisbane|Eastern Busway]] also resulted in the building becoming far more prominent with much more clear space around the site. The old Coorparoo Street Lighting Substation, located at Main Avenue, Coorparoo was constructed in May 1930 for the new 'Series' system street lighting. While there were already three 5 kV street lighting substation buildings, Coorparoo Substation (No. 10) was the first BCC 11 kV public lighting substation building, and by 1940, there were three such buildings. Coorparoo Substation was fed from the old Woolloongabba (No.9) Substation with 11 kV, which it then converted to 5 kV. The 'series' system was replaced by the 'parallel' system of street lighting by 1965, with the last of the 'series' system removed by 1977, with the Coorparoo Substation (No. 10) made redundant and decommissioned. The plans for the substation were signed by Reyburn Jameson (rather than Foster) which is perhaps why, unlike the other substation, it is made out of 200 mm concrete blocks, the only pre-World War Two Brisbane substation to be built of such materials.<ref name="Heritage Register"/> The site is still owned by Brisbane City Council, and has become far more visible from [[Old Cleveland Road, Brisbane|Old Cleveland Road]], with the construction of the [[Eastern Busway, Brisbane|Eastern Busway]] in 2011, resulting in the demolition of homes between the substation and Old Cleveland Road, giving a much clearer views of the building from that road, as well as Main Avenue. The demolition of the Bowls Club for the Eastern Busway also resulted in the building becoming far more prominent with much more clear space around the site.

The interwar BCC 11 kV substation buildings have "a landmark quality due to its picturesque design, which was the result of a decision by the City Architect of the period, A.H. Foster, to limit the visual impact of Electrical Supply Department substations in residential areas by drawing on contemporary domestic architecture. The small industrial building reflects the prestige that the BCC associated with its electrification drive of the late 1920s and 1930s"<ref name="Heritage Register"/> The interwar BCC 11 kV substation buildings have "a landmark quality due to its picturesque design, which was the result of a decision by the City Architect of the period, A.H. Foster, to limit the visual impact of Electrical Supply Department substations in residential areas by drawing on contemporary domestic architecture. The small industrial building reflects the prestige that the BCC associated with its electrification drive of the late 1920s and 1930s"<ref name="Heritage Register"/>