About this objectLake Canobolas Pump House is historically, aesthetically, and technologically significant. It is a rare surviving early twentieth century pumping station purpose built as part of the Meadow Creek Water Supply Scheme between 1915 and 1918 to augment the existing water supply of the growing town of Orange. The Lake Canobolas Pump House illustrates efforts to provide an adequate water supply for Orange which, unlike many other NSW towns, is not located a river. The Pump House demonstrates the effectiveness of the Country Towns Water Supply and Sewerage Act 1880 in the provision of water supply infrastructure for country towns in NSW.
The Pump House includes a remarkably intact collection of pumping equipment, the purpose of which was to pump water from Meadow Creek reservoir (Lake Canobolas) to the Cargo Road service reservoir. The Pump House has the ability to provide further information about the history, technology, operation, and rarity of individual pieces of its equipment collection.
The Pump House demonstrates the reliance of Australia on British technology and manufacturing in the early twentieth century, and the use of technology common at this time. The Pump House interior has a raw industrial aesthetic and illustrates working conditions in small industrial work places at the beginning of the twentieth century.
