Media release – Hydro Tasmania,7 May 2023
Workers come home to historic Tarraleah Village
Nearly a century after construction, the heritage-rich Tarraleah Estate will again be a bustling workers’ village, housing Hydro Tasmania employees working on the iconic Tarraleah hydropower scheme.
Hydro Tasmania today (Sunday 7 May) announced it is purchasing the site to support the Battery of the Nation workforce and plans for a redevelopment to boost the scheme’s capacity and generate around 30 per cent more energy.
The Village was built in the 1930s to house workers constructing the original Tarraleah Power Station, and then for decades was an operational centre for Hydro Tasmania, home to the people and families of the civil maintenance branch and power branch. In recent years, the picturesque Central Highlands village has operated as a privately-owned commercial tourism venture.
“Tarraleah Village is an important piece of Tasmania’s hydropower history and now it will be part of its hydropower future,” Hydro Tasmania CEO Ian Brooksbank said. “Providing high-quality accommodation and living amenities will help us retain and attract the workers we need, which can be challenging in remote locations.”
The 97-hectare Tarraleah Village has undergone significant renovations in recent years. It currently accommodates up to 100 people, with amenities including a hall, restaurant, café, and recreational facilities. The site also has cleared land for establishing maintenance, storage, and handling facilities to support the future workforce.
Mr Brooksbank said the Tarraleah Village will continue to offer accommodation facilities to the travelling public until its full capacity is needed for the construction workforce. The $11.2 million purchase is currently in the settlement period. Important upgrades to the Tarraleah scheme are already underway, involving around 100 full-time roles.
Hydro Tasmania is assessing the commercial viability of redeveloping the Tarraleah scheme, with a final investment decision expected in mid-2024. If the full redevelopment does not go ahead, the Village will be used to house workers carrying out necessary refurbishment works on the scheme. The Tarraleah Village will be managed as part of Hydro Tasmania’s portfolio of remote accommodation, which includes Pedder Wilderness Lodge, and accommodation, restaurant, and bar at Wayatinah.
Media release – Guy Barnett, Minister for Energy and Renewables, 7 May 2023
Tarraleah Village returns to its renewable energy roots
The Rockliff Liberal Government is enormously proud of our renewable energy achievements and the exciting opportunities in front of us with Battery of the Nation and doubling our renewable energy output to 200 per cent by 2040.
“Tarraleah Village was built nearly a century ago to support Hydro Tasmania employees working on the iconic Tarraleah hydropower scheme,’’ Minister Barnett said.
“Tarraleah Village is now returning to the fold to help Tasmania achieve the next rich chapter in our nation-leading renewables story and will once again be a bustling workers’ village.
“Congratulations to Hydro Tasmania with the announcement that it is purchasing the site to support the Battery of the Nation workforce and plans for a redevelopment to boost the scheme’s capacity to generate more energy. The $11.2 million purchase is currently in the settlement period.
“The Tarraleah hydropower scheme, in the Central Highlands, is an iconic part of Hydro’s 100-year history in Tasmania and is well positioned to play a significant role in this exciting future as the Australian energy market rapidly transforms.
“The planned $700 million redevelopment of the Tarraleah power scheme, which could create up to 250 jobs at peak construction, is planned to increase the output from 110MW to 190MW from the same amount of water and is currently being assessed for commercial viability, with a final investment decision due in mid-2024.
“This is in addition to the current Tarraleah upgrade works underway at Lake King William with investment of $65 million from the Federal Government and $58 million from the Tasmanian Government and Hydro Tasmania, which is supporting nearly 100 jobs in the Derwent Valley and Central Highlands through a range of roles within Hydro Tasmania and civil construction.
“The current Tarraleah power scheme is ageing and is in need of significant investment. The upgrade works currently underway will position the scheme well for the future and will support improved safety and reliability of the current scheme.
“The purchase of Tarraleah Village in preparation for the redevelopment of the Tarraleah hydropower scheme is another positive step towards making Tasmania the renewables powerhouse of Australia through the Battery of the Nation hydropower upgrades and pumped hydro and the Marinus Link vision agreed to in a historic partnership with the Australian Government announced in October 2022.
“These benefits will be returned to all Tasmanians through dividends that help fund schools, hospitals, roads and other important services and infrastructure that we rely on.
This work is also in addition to $300 million in upgrades to several west coast power stations over the next 5-7 years and an additional $100 million in annual upgrades and maintenance that Hydro Tasmania spends on its current infrastructure.
The Tasmanian Government is committed to delivering amongst the lowest electricity prices in Australia and this will only happen under a Rockliff Liberal Government.
Hydro Tasmania has also stated that the Tarraleah Village would continue to offer accommodation facilities to the travelling public until its full capacity is needed for the construction workforce.
