National Engineering Markers Locationless, Locationless, Locationless
By
Yurt on 02-Nov-10. Waypoint GA2720
Cache Details
Difficulty: | |
Terrain: | |
Type: | Locationless |
Container: | Other |
Proximity: | 161m |
Locked: |
Description
Plaqued National Engineering Markers as placed by Engineering Heritage Australia.
Text below from: engheritage-sydney.org.au/heritage_plaqueprog.htm
The Institution of Engineers Australia, through its Heritage Committees, established the Australian Historic Engineering Plaquing Program to acknowledge past engineering achievements and to draw public attention to the significant contributions they have made to society.The Plaquing Program is a means of bringing public recognition to significant historic engineering works and the engineers who created them. The Program is intended to contribute to the conservation of Australian engineering heritage.
The Institution reserves its ultimate accolade, the National Engineering Landmark award for historic engineering works or objects of outstanding engineering importance. The item must be of at least State significant, and must have contributed significantly to the development of Australia and represent a milestone or a benchmark by which progress is measured. These works will be seen not only as part of Australia's engineering heritage, but also as significant components of the National Estate.
An example from the website below:
There are also Historic Engineering Markers which are "significant only within a particular State, region or community". These are not part of this Locationless. A separate Locationless has been published for these at geocaching.com.au/cache/ga3049.
To log this cache take a photo of your GPSr with the marker and take a photo of the information plaque that can be read.
Not sure how many of these there are but would assume there are not that many. Log as many as you like. (Edited from one log per marker - with the new virtuals it's going to be hard to keep track so log away).
Logs
Wheelers Bridge - Engineering Heritage Marker Lawrence, Victoria, Australia
Thanks for Yurt
TASMANIA
The Richmond Bridge is a heritage listed arch bridge located on the B31 in Richmond, 25 kilometres north of Hobart in Tasmania, Australia. It is the oldest stone span bridge in Australia. In 2005, the bridge was recognised as an outstanding historic place and added to the Australian National Heritage List.
Photographed a while back while on a Geotrek event.
It commemorates Victoria's first ever significant hydro-electric scheme and was built in 1908.
There's not much evidence of it ever being here nowadays.
Thanks Yurt.
Thought we'd missed seeing the marker, technically we had because it wasn't on the outside walls as we expected but inside. Great info here.
TFTC Yurt
National Engineering Landmark #24
Found late last year!
The original 635 km narrow gauge railway from Perth to Kalgoorlie was built in the 1890s to mainly serve the Eastern Goldfields. Since the beginning of the 20th century the standardisation of the railway gauge throughout Australia received the investigation and consideration which such an important national problem deserved. However, apart from the Trans Australian Railway, completed in 1917 as a Federation commitment, little was achieved. In 1912 the Commonwealth Government proposed a standard gauge (4 ft 8½ in or 1435 mm) railway from Fremantle to Kalgoorlie, to be completed at the same time as the Trans Australian Railway, but it did not proceed due to a lack of finance.
The catalyst for the Western Australian Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) was the conclusion of an agreement in 1960 between the Western Australian Government and BHP Co Ltd, for the establishment of an integrated iron and steel works at Kwinana, south of Fremantle, contingent on the construction of a standard gauge railway between Koolyanobbing and Kwinana before the end of 1968. The agreement envisaged the haulage of an estimated 1.1 million tons of iron ore per annum from BHP’s Koolyanobbing deposit to the proposed steelworks. Subsequently this commitment formed the basis for an agreement between the Commonwealth and State Governments to jointly fund rail gauge standardisation between Kalgoorlie and Perth (including Kwinana).
The majority of the work was carried out by contract. The railway earthworks, bridgeworks and mainline track works were split into various packages eg. Kwinana to Midland, Midland to Northam, Northam to Merredin etc. Separate contracts were let for marshalling yards, freight terminals, buildings, loco depot. The total cost of the project, executed between 1962 and 1972, comprising 65 major and over 30 minor contacts, was of the order of $ 160 million.
The adoption of the Avon River valley route through the Darling Ranges from Northam to Midland for both narrow and standard gauge trains, enabled the abandonment of the steeply graded and sharply curved narrow gauge alignment from Bellevue over the Darling Scarp (through the Swan View tunnel) to Spencers Brook. The AvonValley alignment has significantly more favourable grades and flatter curvature. The track is double dual gauge (dual signifying that each line has three rails) carrying both narrow and standard gauge (1067mm and 1435mm) trains. Double tracks allow a dedicated train in each direction. Under this arrangement, all trains of both gauges to and from the Perth metropolitan area to the central wheat−belt, goldfields and interstate have the advantage of flatter grades and improved transit times. Complex engineering planning and field operations were involved in building this line and keeping the old narrow gauge track operating while the dual track was being constructed and commissioned. The construction of the SGR set in motion a considerable stream of economic and social benefits in Western Australia. It finally completed the standard gauge connection with South Australia, removing the need for interstate passengers to change trains at Kalgoorlie and put an end to the costly transfer of goods at the Parkeston freight terminal near Kalgoorlie. Journey times between Kalgoorlie and Perth were reduced to half of those taken on the narrow gauge track.
From a historical perspective the construction of the SGR brought Western Australia into the modern era of railway construction and operation.
I teach Civil Engineering at UNI and I spend a whole hour explaining how this concept works so it was good to get a chance to visit this one a couple of weekends ago
TFTC
The Great North Road was constructed between 1826 and 1836 to connect Sydney to the Hunter Valley area. It was constructed using convict labour, the majority in chain gangs, under the supervision of colonial engineers.
There is no plaque, just a marker.
The project was started to create work for WW1 serviceman returning from the Great War.
It is 241km in length.
This plaque is situated near one of the most famous Arches in Victoria.
TFTL
Boy were we thrilled when we found this plaque this arvo while strolling along the parklands of Humpybong Creek in Redcliffe.
The Engineering Heritage National Landmark was awarded on 29 June 2011 for the design of this storm water culvert which was built in 1961. This project was a world-first in hydraulic engineering, pioneering the use of Minimum Energy Loss design.
Thanks Yurt
There were strengthening works done here about a decade ago and this included the addition of a power station too.
The lake enables gravity feed distribution of irrigation water into the Mulwala Channel (NSW) and the Yarrawonga Channel (VIC).
Thanks for the cache
Cheers
MajuraHathi
Found this while on holidays in Cairns last week. Spotted the plaque just as we were boarding the train so quickly took a pic as I'd read this locationless before.
Great day, took the Skyrail up to Kuranda, then the train back. Kids loved it.
Ross Bridge is an historic bridge in the town of Ross in central Tasmania, Australia, completed in July 1836. It crosses the Macquarie River.
The sandstone bridge was constructed by convict labour, and is the third oldest bridge still in use in Australia. Commissioned by Lieutenant-Governor Arthur, the bridge was designed by architect John Lee Archer, with the convict work team including two stonemasons, James Colbeck and Daniel Herbert, the latter being credited with the intricate carvings along both sides of the bridge. The bridge was registered on the Register of the National Estate in 1978.
Here is the National Engineering Mark on the Waddamana power station
Photos attached
This Marker is found at Boyer, Tasmania.
Currently it is in the General Manager's office at the Norske Skog Mill at Boyer.
I went looking for it at the gates where it is supposed to be displayed but a new "stand" is being prepared for it and for safe keeping it is in the above mentioned office.
While looking for it, the security guard enquired of my presence in the area. After explaining about geocaching and what I was looking for; he made a phone call and I was escorted to the marker by Sandra Heatherington. So I was given a tour of the Norske Skog Mill and got the bonus of taking photographs of the marker as well.
My thanks to the security officer and Sandra, both only to willing to help in a very friendly manner.
The Marker Details are given below:
BOYER NEWSPRINT MILL
Location: On the Derwent River near New Norfolk
Owner: Norske Skog.
The marker is located outside the entrance to the
Mill.
The Mill
Construction commenced in 1938 and the mill
started operation in 1941, using 75% eucalyptus
hardwood fibre and 25% imported softwood fibre.
The company, Australian Newsprint Mills, was
granted extensive hardwood forest concessions in
the Styx and Florentine valleys. Logs were
delivered by rail.
Rolls of newsprint were delivered initially by rail to
the port of Hobart, then by barge down the river.
It took 20 years of research to find a way of making newsprint from hardwood. The team was lead by
Lou Benjamin who became general manager of the Mill. Fellow researcher John Somerville became
Chief Chemist. Sir Keith Murdoch was Chairman of the company. Percy Sandwell, a Canadian
Engineer, oversaw the design and construction of the Mill.
The Mill produced 20,000 tons of paper in the first year. A second machine was installed in 1952,
increasing output to 80,000 tonnes/year. The third machine installed in 1969 raised the capacity to
170,000 tonnes/year. The output had reached 300,000 tonnes/year in 2009 when the use of hardwood
fibre ceased, and newsprint was produced entirely from plantation softwood.
Heritage Significance
The Boyer Mill was the first in the world to make newsprint from hardwood fibre and the only newsprint
mill in the southern hemisphere.
Backed by Australia’s major
newspaper publishers, the Mill
averted a shortage of newsprint
during world War 2.
The Mill pioneered the use of low
grade high ash Tasmanian coal and
transferred the technology to other
Tasmanian industries.
The Mill provided significant social
benefits to the town of New Norfolk.
Pic to follow soon.
I was not aware that the Mitchell monument was also the support for the National Engineering Marker, so it was a nice surprise. The 2 plaques are on oposite sides of the square base.
Mt. Victoria, NSW
Joint find with rogerw3!
What a nice surprise to see the official plaque. We tracked down this sandstone commemorative obelisk because it's also been designated as a trig by the NSW Department of Lands.
Presently quite near a construction site, the location was easily accessible on a Sunday afternoon because all the workmen were gone and nothing is fenced off.
Interesting to see yet another generation of road builders at work improving the engineering of the famous pass.
Thanks again to Yurt for a very interesting Locationless cache.
Found this one whilst having lunch at the Powerhouse museum in Sydney today, turns out it has a national engineering marker! (Which i'll admit i did have to do a double step, and a "isnt there a locationless for this?")
of course it's not for the actual powerhouse, but the..i'm having a slight brainfart. Ultimo somethingarather that used to be here.
Pics coming once i'm able to.. (I hope it's on the camera. Otherwise i'll have to go back to sydney, back to the powerhouse, hope the construction still isnt making this one intresting to get to, and take the photo....and or change this to a note)
An interesting area to visit to read how, and why, rock bolting testing was done. For more info see GC Earthcache, GC27REB.
Thanks for the fun little locationless.
Waddamana 'A' was the first major Hydro Electric Power Station in Australia. Commenced in 1911, the first stage of 7 megawatts was in service in 1916 increasing to 49 megawatts on completion in 1923. It was closed in 1965. The power station was part of an Hydro Electric development of international signifigance & was the major engineering achievement of Sir John Buttas Fieaust. It harnessed the water resources of the Great Lake for community benefit & stimulated industrial development in Tasmania.
The site is now a museum with free entry and is well worth a visit.
Very interesting cache - TFTC !!
"PYRMONT BRIDGE
This Bridge, built between 1899 and 1902, was an essential link between the city and the inner western suburbs. The swing span was on of the largest in the world and the first to be powered by electricity. The approach spans represented the highest level of development of the timber truss. Designed by Percy Allan with asistance from J.J.C. Bradfield and Gordon Edgell, its Australian design and construction made is a source of prode to all Sydneysiders.
Dedicated By
The Institution of Engineers, Australia and The Darling Hoarbour Authority, 1992."
Wollongong Harbour HEM Wollongong, New South Wales. Apr,2001
TFTL
#404
Lithgow (Clarence), NSW
Blue Mountains
I was very surprised that no-one else had logged this one.
Today I took the grandchildren from Queensland on the stream train from Clarence to Top Points and Bottom Points and back again.
Found this marker along the way, at Bottom Points Station!
http://geocaching.com.au/cache/ga3049
Found this one (which inspired this locationless) near some recently placed GC caches.
Lake Parramatta Dam was first "constructed to a height of 11 metres in 1856 and raised to 14 m in 1898. This dam supplied water to Parramatta until 1916. It is the first large dam and the first arch dam to be constructed in Australia. It is believed to be the eleventh single arch dam in the world and one of the first two designed mathematically."
Well worth the stop (finally after steaming past at 100km/h for 30 years).
The Great North Road is recognised is one of Australia's most important 19th century achievements in civil engineering.
See WMA0DB for more photos and details.