Snowy Mountains Scheme

The Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme is the largest engineering project ever undertaken in Australia. Besides it is also one of the largest and most complex hydro-electric schemes in the world and seen by many as a symbol of Australia as an independent and resourceful nation. The scheme is of great importance to the economy as it supplies water for the farming industries in New South Wales and Victoria and also produces up to ten per cent of all electricity needs for New South Wales. The scheme consists of 16 major dams, 7 power stations, a pumping station and 225 km of tunnels, pipelines and aqueducts. The project was started in 1949 and consequently finished in 1974. At the launch of the project, the then Prime Minister Ben Chifley presented it as a national milestone - important for the drought relief it would bring to inland Australia, the power it would supply and for the ambitious size of the project.