Wadamanna Power Station Heritage Site - TAS

This heritage site is open daily (free) for self guided tours. Comfort facilities include coffee shop, flushing toilets and bbq area.Construction of Waddamana A power station commenced in 1910 by private enterprise. Weather and war, among other things, sent them broke, so the Tasmanian Hydro Electric Department was formed to take over and finish the job. The finished facility was commissioned in May 1916. Turbines were added to keep up with demand. Between 1939 and 1949 Waddamana B station was constructed beside Waddamana A. Between the building of A and B a third station was built at Shannon, just downstream of Shannon Lagoon and The Great Lake but on the same river that supplied Waddamana with water.The three stations operated together until 1964 when Waddamana A and Shannon stations were decommissioned. Shannon was demolished. The town of Shannon disappeared with it. Waddamana B closed the following year.Waddamana A is now a hydro electric museum. It can be reached by a turn onto the Hydro Electric Heritage Trail which turns off the Lakes Highway about 10 km south east of Miena. It is a fairly well kept gravel road that generally follows the course of the Shannon River. If travelling south, continue along this road after visiting Waddamana and you have a choice between joining the Lyell Highway at Ouse or Tarraleah. If travelling north continue to Penstock Lagoon (which played a role in the power station operations) then Miena.