Pics From The Past | The Shepparton Urban Waterworks Trust

A few months back, I wrote about UWB (Cocky) Robinson and his water delivery service using his Furphy water cart in 1877.

It took another decade before the waters of the mighty Goulburn could be harnessed and utilised by Shepp’s residents and businesses, thanks to the vision of the Urban Waterworks Trust.

(From the booklet Reflections on the Water — 100 Years of the Urban Water Supply by Ron Michael)

By 1888, Shepparton was emerging as the centre of an important district.

It had some 2000 inhabitants, churches for the four main denominations, two newspapers (the News and the Advertiser), a magnificent new post office and both government and Roman Catholic schools.

Public utilities were being established to satisfy the increasing urban needs and, almost within days of each other, the Shepparton Urban Waterworks Trust and the Shepparton Volunteer Fire Brigade were to hold their inaugural meetings.

The need for co-operation between these two utilities became very apparent on a number of occasions during these formative years.

At times, even strong words were exchanged as the fire brigade needed a plentiful supply of water and easy access to fire plugs.

Following the major fire that gutted the Roman Catholic church in January 1900, the News, itself also destroyed by fire in 1893, directed its sharp criticism at the council, which had been the patron of both utilities.

In an editorial, it stated: “If they will but bestir themselves in this direction now, the little bungle on Monday morning will not have been without value, and the town will be freed from the liability of witnessing a fire brigade stand idly by while a business block is razed to the ground.”

At its inaugural meeting on January 16, 1888, Commissioner McDonald was appointed the first Chairman of the Shepparton Urban Waterworks Trust, Shire Secretary Mr J. M. Nickinson was appointed Secretary and Treasurer, and Messrs. Fowler and Gatwood were appointed engineers.

During these initial years, there were growing pains for the new body, and those complained of by the fire brigade could not be resolved immediately.

The trust was expected to serve the area bounded by the Goulburn River and Knight, Archer and Hayes Sts.

Initially, water was supplied through the Victorian Railways main.

Still, the top priority of the trust’s works program was the provision of a pump station, water tower, and reticulation system.

Major costs incurred in the original works program included the supply of cast iron pipes by John Blyth, installation by James Glencross, supply and installation of Tangye pump, as well as extra pipes and firewood.

These initial expenses totalled less than £10,000 ($20,000), but this was a significant commitment for the trust on top of the debt inherited in respect of the Pine Lodge Weir.

Quite naturally, the finance of the trust was a significant concern for the first commissioners.

An annual rate of 1/6d in the pound on the municipal valuation was recommended by the Chairman, Commissioner Rowe, in 1889.

After considerable debate, a rate of 1/3d in the pound was approved on the motion of Commissioners Ford and Furphy.

The fact that the Pine Lodge debt had been written off meant that a rate of 1/3d would be adequate at the time.

Pressure had successfully been brought to bear on The Honourable Alfred Deakin, then Minister for Water Supply, following a conducted inspection of the site.

The administration of the trust occupied the attention of commissioners during this early period.

In October 1889, they approved a draft specifying the duties of the secretary, which were agreed to by Mr G. Bell, who had replaced Mr J. M. Nickinson as secretary.

Some years later, though, this draft did become a contentious issue between the commissioners and the secretary, Mr J. White.

During its first 10 years, the trust had three different secretaries.

The appointment of John E. Byass in May 1897 gave stability to the trust’s administration as he directed its affairs for the next 39 years.

His period as secretary is a catalogue of much of the trust’s achievements during its first 50 years.

He worked with many long-serving commissioners.

He saw the annual rate rise from 1/3d to 1/6d and then to 2/- in 1922 before dropping to 1/9d in 1927, 1/6d in 1932 and back to 1/3d again in 1933 following the hardships of the great depression.

These years saw the Fryers St tower, now the site of the board’s headquarters, supplemented by a second tower in Welsford St in 1903, the installation of electric pumps in 1927, and 1930, the No. 1 Purification Plant was the first of its kind to be installed in Victoria.

The introduction of fully treated water was recognised at a banquet held in the Arcadian Cafe.

Those participating in this historic event paid a subscription of the princely amount of four shillings per person.

The water of the Goulburn, gallons of “liquid gold,” was being harnessed as a significant resource.

The Goulburn Weir was one of Victoria’s glamour water storages; Gowangardie was constructed upstream of the abortive Pine Lodge Weir in 1897, the State Rivers and Water Supply Commission was born in 1905, and the Waranga Basin embankment was completed in 1912.

These storages regulated the flow of water of the Goulburn and Broken rivers and provided security of water supply to Shepparton and the surrounding districts.

• Geoff Allemand is an amateur photographer and Lost Shepparton Facebook page admin