Month: October 2024

More than a mountain of concrete – building Warragamba Dam

Sydney’s early water woes

Since European settlement, Sydney has faced frequent water crises due to unreliable water supplies.

The first water supply for Sydney was Tank Stream, named for the “tanks” or reservoirs cut into its sides to save water. The stream, which wound through the early settlement, eventually degenerated into an open sewer and was abandoned in 1826.

Read more

The unsung timber product during war time

At the start of WWII, Australia was unprepared for a prolonged conflict, processing just enough petrol reserves for three months and limited storage capacity.

Though fuel rationing wasn’t immediately imposed, the government urged citizens  to conserve petrol, hoping to avoid drastic measures.

While the motor industry strongly petitioned against any fuel rationing, by 1 October 1940, however, fuel rationing became a necessity.

Read more