Gas

From The Orange Wiki

For many years the supply of power in the form of gas and electricity was the responsibility of local government. Early in 1876 a move was made to establish a gas works in Orange and in September of the same year the Orange Gas Company was formed for this purpose. A plant which had been in use at Grafton was purchased and a building to house it erected on the east side of Peisley Street between Byng Street and Summer Street. Gas lighting was installed across the Municipality the following year.

Before this the town had been lit by 17 kerosene lamps set on posts and operated by a gear which was wound up to run the light for a certain number of hours. It is believed that these were maintained by a man named Fripp. While gas was originally intended only for lighting purposes by 1892 there were 13 gas stoves operating in the town. The company managed the supply for 11 years until it was taken over by the Orange Municipal Council for ₤13,000.

Before the outbreak of World War I the streets of Orange were lined with 80 gas lamps which required the lamplighter to travel 16 miles each night to light them. According to former Orange Municipal Council worker, Bill Hart, the most remote of these was at the Green Gate where 3 hotels carried on a lively trade with teamsters and travellers generally. Hart also recalled that 10 nights in each month the gas lamps were not lighted as the moon sufficed to light the streets on those days.

The works remained in almost original condition until 1915 when a special loan of ₤6,100 was obtained and under the management of Mr James Dwyer they were remodelled, the distribution system enlarged and extended and the output increased. In early January 1920 Council’s Gasworks Manager reported that the plant was operating to full capacity with unaccounted for gas at very low levels unlike some places like Forbes where ‘something like a quarter of the make leaks away. Further improvements were made in 1926.

While the advent of electricity considerably reduced the call on the gas supply they were still a viable proposition and after discussing the project for many years in November 1953 council determined to go ahead with a new plant. Plans for the new gasworks in Peisley Street were adopted by council in May 1955. At 90 feet in height it was the tallest building in the city when it was officially opened on 11 October 1958 by the NSW Governor, Lieutenant General Sir Eric Woodward in front of a crowd of 250 people. Due to rain and strong wind the ceremony was held inside.

The plant continued to satisfy the City’s gas needs although its future was sealed in December 1970 when State Cabinet approved a route for the supply of natural gas from Adelaide with a spur line to be constructed to Orange. At the end of November 1976 Council decided to cease making gas and to provide only LPG. Now redundant the Peisley street works were dismantled in 1978 and a mountain comprising 300 tons of coke sold off. The natural gas supply to the central west was turned on by Senator Gareth Evans on 15 June 1987 with supply into Orange turned on the following week.

• Miller, J., Holmes, D., and Honey, A. (2001) Orange a vision splendid. Orange City Council, Orange NSW.
• Notes for a history of Orange compiled by John Miller (1995-1997). Unpublished.