Morwell Power Station and Briquette Factories Heritage Interpretation Plan 16 August 2018 Morwell Power Station and Briquette Factories Acknowledgements ACKNOWLEDGMENT INTERVIEWEES SHP (SUE HODGES Peer Review Geoff Wilson OF COUNTRY PRODUCTIONS PTY LTD) Professor Paula Hamilton Daryl Hall We Acknowledge the Traditional Custodians and First Interpretation strategy authors Adjunct Professor of History and Visiting Fellow George Davis Peoples of this Land and pay our respects to Elders, Alinde Bierhuizen Australian Centre for Public History Horace ‘Cyril’ Hibbert past and present. Beatrice Harris University of Technology Sydney Marie Smith Sue Hodges Ian Lofts Nicola Henriksson Adjunct Professor Len Staff Dr Caroline Hubschmann Department of History ORGANISATIONS Macquarie University Historical research Energy Brix Australia Pty Ltd Ben Wrigley Alinde Bierhuizen Barry Dungey, General Manager Remediation EBAC Photographer Beatrice Harris Robyn Shingles, Financial Manager EBAC Nicola Henriksson Federation University Dr Caroline Hubschmann Professor Erik Eklund, Centre for Gippsland Studies Interpretive concepts Gippsland Asbestos Related Diseases Support Sue Hodges Inc. (GARDS) Jackie Malter Vicky Hamilton Interpretive and graphic design Heritage Victoria Jackie Malter Sophia Garcia Erin Williams Janet Sullivan Tourism Latrobe Council Carolyn Childs (MyTravelResearch.com) Sue Hodges Tegan McKenzie Latrobe Valley community Significance Assessment Dr Sarah Mirams Morwell Historical Society Cheryl Wragg Peer Review State Electricity Commission Victoria Professor Paul Ashton Brett McKenzie, General manager Adjunct Professor of History John Drewett, Office of the Administrator Australian Centre for Public HIstory University of Technology Sydney Adjunct Professor Department of History Macquarie University Adjunct Professor Department of History Canberra University © Copyright SHP 2018 - Page 2 Morwell Power Station and Briquette Factories Contents 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5 6.4.1 Interpretation will make the Morwell a destination attraction 39 6.4.2 Interpretive stories will drive visitor experiences 39 2. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE 7 6.4.3 Interpretation will create authentic experiences 39 6.4.4 Interpretation will assist in creating sustainable economic, social and environmental outcomes 39 2.1 Thresholds 7 6.4.5 Interpretation will integrate natural and cultural heritage 39 6.4.5.1 Case Studies 40 3. DOCUMENT REVIEW 9 6.4.6 Interpretation will create ‘pride of place’ in Morwell 40 3.1 Conservation Management Plan 9 6.4.7 Interpretation will extend length of stay 40 3.2 Future Morwell. Future Latrobe Valley, 27 July 2017 9 6.4.8 Interpretation will be based on the model of ‘The experience economy’ 40 3.2.1 Key issues and opportunities 9 6.4.9 Interpretation will make use of a wide range of media 40 3.2.2 Key objectives 9 6.4.10 Interpretation will focus on both tangible and intangible history 40 3.2.3 Key issues 10 6.4.11 Interpretation will be the basis for a new series of products for the region 40 3.2.4 Relevance of this document to the Morwell Power Station Interpretation Plan 10 6.5 The role of stories 41 6.5.1 How stories were selected 41 4. A CONTEXTUAL HISTORY OF THE LATROBE VALLEY 12 6.5.2 How stories create experiences 41 4.1 An Aboriginal history of the Latrobe Valley 12 6.5.3 Signage locations 41 4.2 Aboriginal and European encounters 12 4.3 Early European settlement 13 7. INTERPRETIVE THEMES 43 4.4 Farming and early industries 13 4.5 Power generation in the Latrobe Valley 14 8. THEMING MATRIX 45 4.5.1 The discovery of brown coal 14 4.5.2 Coal mining at Morwell 14 9. RECOMMENDATIONS 72 4.5.3 War and the early 20th century 15 4.5.4 The State Electricity Commission and its Model Town 15 9.1 Overview 72 4.5.5 A true power centre 17 9.2 Detailed recommendations 72 4.5.6 Morwell during the post-war boom 18 9.2.1 Interpretive signage 72 4.5.7 Privatisation and closure 21 9.2.2 Short Illustrated history 72 4.6 The Morwell Power Station and Briquette Factories 21 9.2.3 Education Kit 72 4.6.1 Background 21 9.2.4 Video Histories 72 4.6.2 Initial planning 21 9.2.5 Podcast: ‘Fight for the Power Station’ 73 4.6.3 The operation of the Morwell Coal Mine and Briquette Factories 22 9.2.6 Town banners 73 4.6.3.1 The Briquette Factories 23 9.2.7 Memorial for the victims of asbestos-related diseases 73 4.6.3.2 Difficulties with briquetting operations 23 9.2.8 Commemorative sculpture/installation about workers of the Morwell Power Station and Briquette Factories 73 4.6.3.3 Production processes 23 9.2.9 PowerWorks Visitor Centre development 73 4.6.3.4 Training and safety 24 9.2.10 Themed Playground: Morwell Power Station 73 4.6.4 Employment 24 4.6.5 The local impact of the Morwell Power Station and Briquette Factories 25 10. PROPOSED SIGNAGE LOCATIONS 75 4.7 Community concerns over the coal industry 26 4.7.1 Health issues at the Latrobe Valley 26 11. APPENDIXES 77 4.7.2 Air pollution 26 11.1 Community Engagement Plan 77 4.7.3 Asbestos-related disease 26 11.1.1 What is community engagement? 77 4.7.4 The 2014 Hazelwood mine fire 28 11.1.2 Aims of the Community Engagement Plan 77 4.7.5 Morwell, the Morwell Power Station and Briquette Factories and transitioning to the future 29 11.1.3 Background information 77 11.2 Target communities and stakeholders 77 5. STRATEGIC POSITIONING 31 11.2.1 Latrobe City Council 77 5.1 Tourism analysis 31 11.2.2 Societies and Associations 77 5.2 Difficult histories 33 11.2.3 Universities 77 5.2.1 Coal mining, tangible history and memory 33 11.2.4 Residents/businesses directly impacted by the development 77 5.2.2 The fight for the Power Station 34 11.3 Predicted impact of the decision to retain or demolish the Morwell Power Station 77 5.3 Sustainable tourism 35 11.4 Strategies for Community Engagement 78 5.4 ‘Best practice’ examples of mining tourism 37 11.4.1 Stakeholder relationships 78 5.5 Place identity and heritage interpretation 37 11.4.2 Target communities 78 6. HERITAGE INTERPRETATION 39 12. CONSULTATIONS 79 6.1 Overview 39 6.2 Vision for interpretation 39 13. ENDNOTES 84 6.3 Positioning statement for interpretation 39 6.4 Guiding principles for the Interpretation Strategy 39 © Copyright SHP 2018 - Page 3 Executive Summary © Copyright SHP 2018 - Page 4 Morwell Power Station and Briquette Factories Executive Summary This Interpretation Plan was commenced prior to 1. Executive Summary Heritage Victoria deciding to allow demolition of In April 2018 SHP (Sue Hodges Productions Pty Ltd) the Power Station and while there was significant was commissioned by Energy Brix Australia Pty Ltd, public debate about the future of the site. Therefore, the owner of Energy Brix Power Station, formerly the this document includes an analysis of best practice Morwell Power Station and Briquette Factories, to approaches to interpretation of industrial heritage sites prepare an Interpretation Plan for the site. that are intact, as well as those that have been modified or demolished. The Interpretation Plan comprises: Morwell Power Station and Briquette Factories is historically significant to the State of Victoria. Its A history of Morwell Power Station and Briquette significance relates to the built structure as well as its Factories including a review of contemporary association with the power generation industry of the community issues associated with the site Latrobe Valley and the people who lived, worked and Document review continue to live in the area. Strategic positioning and best practice analysis for Morwell Power Station and Briquette Factories was interpretation of the site constructed by the State Electricity Commission of Thematic matrix Victoria (SEC/SECV) between 1949 and 1959 to supply Recommendations for interpretive media, including Victoria’s electricity needs. The Power Station closed proposed content and design in 2014, but the Briquette Factories is still operational. Appendix: Community Engagement Plan Today, the site is associated with a number of contemporary community issues. These include serious health problems and unemployment as the coal-based power industry that formed the backbone of the region closes down. In June 2018, Heritage Victoria gave EBAC Remediation permission to demolish the Power Station due to the extensive amounts of asbestos contained within its structures. © Copyright SHP 2018 - Page 5 Morwell Power Station and Briquette Factories Statement of Significance of Significance © Copyright SHP 2018 - Page 6 Morwell Power Station and Briquette Factories Statement of Significance The Morwell Power Station and Briquette Factories 2.1 Thresholds D Importance in demonstrating the principal 2. Statement of is rare for containing the only remaining, intact characteristics of a class of cultural places or Significance assemblage of briquetting machinery from the The Heritage Council Registrations Committee environments mid-twentieth century in Victoria. The boilers used determined that Morwell Power Station and Briquette The Morwell Power Station and Briquette Factories On 12 February 2018, the Heritage Council of Victoria in the production of electricity at the Morwell Power Factories should be included in the Register because is a largely intact example of a mid-20th century determined that Morwell Power Station and Briquette Station are rare examples of water tube boilers it met the State-level threshold for inclusion under the power station that has had few alterations since the Factories were of cultural heritage significance to the which have been specifically adapted for the burning following Criteria: 1950s. State of Victoria and should be included in the Victorian of brown coal. [Criterion B2] 1 A Importance to the course, or pattern, of Victoria’s Heritage Register.