Journal Article

The Duck Reach hydroelectric scheme on Tasmania's South Esk River commenced operation in December 1895, making it the first truly successful, substantive scale hydroelectric scheme built for public electricity supply in Australasia, and one of the early municipal hydroelectric schemes on a world scale. The scheme served the City of Launceston for 60 years until it was superseded by the Hydroelectric Commission's larger Trevallyn hydroelectric development in 1955. This paper reviews the history of the Duck Reach scheme, its rapid public acceptance and early expansion to meet an ever increasing demand for electricity supply. It also looks at the associated electricity distribution in the City of Launceston that began with series DC circuits for arc lights in the major streets, and single-phase AC for suburban street lighting and private consumers. Within 10 years the scheme converted to three-phase AC, with four-wire, MEN-connected, low-voltage distribution, reportedly making Launceston one of the first cities in the British Commonwealth to adopt the latter system. The paper is based primarily upon the study of earlier written records, particularly the seminal early papers by the scheme's original design engineers and the first City Electrical Engineer. While the important civil and hydraulic engineering elements are described, more detail is devoted to the electrical engineering aspects.