Electricity Substation No. 269 facts for kids

The Electricity Substation No. 269 is a special old building in Bondi, Australia. It was built in 1928 to help power the homes and businesses in Sydney. This building is known by a few names, like Waverley Zone Substation. It was designed by Walter Frederick White and the City Architect's Office. Today, it is owned by Ausgrid, a company that provides electricity. Because of its history and unique design, it was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 2008.

Powering Sydney: A Look at Substation History

The Waverley Zone Substation No. 269 was built in 1928. It was a very important part of Sydney's electricity system. In the 1920s and 1930s, Sydney grew a lot. More and more homes needed electricity. So, many substations were built each year. Substation No. 269 helped supply high-voltage power (33 kV) to the smaller substations in the fast-growing Bondi area. It still does its job today!

How Sydney Got Its Electricity

In 1904, Sydney's first power station started working. The Municipal Council of Sydney (MCS) was in charge of making and sending out electricity. From 1904 to 1935, the MCS built hundreds of small substations. Many of these are still used today. The MCS gave power to homes and businesses in central Sydney. It also sent large amounts of power to outer suburbs.

At first, the MCS had rivals, mostly small private power companies. By 1914, the MCS had bought most of them. One big private company, the Electric Light and Power Supply Corporation (ELPSC), lasted until 1955. Then, the government took it over. In 1935, the MCS's electricity work was taken over by the Sydney County Council (SCC). The SCC was responsible for electricity all over Sydney. They built 40-50 new substations every year! The SCC became the biggest local authority in Australia. In 1991, the SCC became Sydney Electricity. Then, in 1996, it joined with another company and became EnergyAustralia. In 2011, the part of EnergyAustralia that handles electricity distribution was renamed Ausgrid.

How Substation Buildings Changed Over Time

Electricity substations were usually small buildings, one or two stories high. Zone substations, like the one in Bondi, were much bigger. Over time, their design became more standard. The first substations were often large and fancy. But as more were needed, they became smaller and simpler. This helped save money and build them faster. Electrical equipment also got smaller, which helped.

Early substations were often designed just for one spot. But by the late 1920s, standard designs were common. They were usually built to fit on a typical suburban block. Substation designs also followed popular building styles. You can see different architectural styles in them. Sometimes, unique substations were still built. These were often in "high-class" suburbs in Sydney's east.

By the 1950s, the fancy designs stopped. Newer substations were often just metal boxes. Or, if they were buildings, they were plain brick. Also, new large buildings started to include substations inside them. This meant the electricity company had less say in the look of the substation. Today, you often see substations hidden inside new buildings. Older, smaller substations are sometimes knocked down for these new ones.

Electricity companies wanted substations in neighborhoods to look nice. An architect joined the Sydney County Council in 1936 to help with this. But today, the goal is often to make substations invisible. They might be underground or in plain boxes. Big zone substations, though, still need large buildings or land. Historically, the nicer buildings were in wealthy areas like Woollahra and Mosman. Middle and working-class areas got simpler buildings.

What the Waverley Substation Looks Like

The Waverley Zone Substation is a large building made of brick with a cement finish. It has two stories and a sloped roof. There's also a smaller single-story part next to it. Its style is called Interwar Mediterranean, with some Spanish Mission features. You can see a decorative balcony with arch-shaped supports. It also has a curved tile panel for air and fancy roof beams. The building has rounded roof tiles and windows with many small panes. The large metal roller door at the front was replaced later.

Current Condition

There is a large crack in the front wall. Some parts of the building need new paint. There's also some minor damage to the roof tiles. Overall, the substation is still in good shape. The gutters and drainpipes have been replaced with new ones that match the original style. The doors and fences have also been replaced.

Why This Substation is Important

The Waverley Zone Substation No. 269 is very important for a few reasons. It's a great example of a large and detailed Mediterranean-style substation. It was designed by the City Architect's Office in 1928. It's the biggest substation of its kind and the only zone substation built in this style. This shows that the Municipal Council of Sydney wanted its useful buildings to look good. They wanted them to fit in with the style of the area.

This substation is also important because it was a key part of Sydney's electricity system. It shows how much electricity expanded in Sydney's suburbs in the 1920s and 1930s. The zone substation brought high-voltage power to the Bondi area. It helped power the local homes and businesses. The substation still works today, doing its original job.

The Electricity Substation No. 269 was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register in 2008 because:

• It shows how history unfolded in New South Wales.

This substation is important because it was part of a big growth in electricity for Sydney's eastern suburbs in the 1920s and 1930s. Zone substations are like the backbone of the electricity network. They take high-voltage power and change it for distribution to smaller substations and then to customers. This substation was a key part of bringing power to Bondi. It still serves this important role today.

• It is linked to important people in history.

This substation is connected to the work of Walter Frederick White. He worked at the City Architect's Office from about 1924 to 1947. He designed other beautiful substations in Sydney.

• It shows great design and technical skill.

The Waverley Zone Substation No. 269 is important because of its size and style. It's a well-preserved example of a substation in the Interwar Mediterranean/Spanish Mission style. It's the only zone substation built by the Municipal Council of Sydney in this design. This high standard of design shows that the Council wanted to build beautiful buildings in what they called "high-class" suburbs.

• It is rare or uncommon.

The Waverley Zone Substation No. 269 is special because it's the only zone substation built in the Interwar Mediterranean/Spanish Mission styles. There are four smaller substations in Sydney's eastern suburbs that share a similar style. These were built between 1929 and 1939: * No. 300, Clovelly (around 1929) * No. 314, Vaucluse (1930) * No. 364, Bellevue Hill (1931) * No. 592, Watsons Bay (1939) These are all smaller and less detailed than the Waverley Zone Substation.

• It shows the main features of its type of place.

The Waverley Zone Substation No. 269 is typical in its shape, size, and technical details compared to other zone substations. However, it stands out as the only one designed in the Interwar Mediterranean/Spanish Mission styles.