Waterworks recycled
THE recently completed redevelopment of the Barwon Water offices on Ryrie St next to the Geelong Performing Arts Centre brought back memories of the earlier decorative Geelong Waterworks and Sewerage Trust building on the same site.
The original building was erected in Ryrie St in 1912, and a sketch of the planned building was featured in an edition of the Geelong Advertiser’s weekly illustrated magazine, The News of the Week, in May 1911.
The somewhat elaborate building was designed by a renowned firm of Geelong architects, Laird Buchan. Some might say that the elaborate façade of the original building has been matched by the facade of the latest redevelopment.
The original building was demolished in 1976 and our main picture shows construction works well under way in November of the same year.
Of interest to us were the businesses on the other side of Ryrie St at the time. The building labelled 50–56 was, from memory, the local Chrysler dealership, and probably went by the bland name of Geelong Chrysler. Immediately to the west of that is a used car lot, and further to the west are the offices and garage of Trans Otway busline, which is today an office furniture outlet.
Barwon Water has been in the news lately with the closure of Malop St between Moorabool and Yarra streets for the relining of 100-year-old sewer pipes.
The water and sewerage authority was established in January 1908, and soon afterwards work started on sewering Geelong. The first connections to the system took place in 1916.
By then a pipeline had been built from Geelong to the Black Rock ocean outfall. Originally untreated sewage was discharged into the sea, but now the sewage is treated and soon it will all be recycled.
Along the way the authority has had a couple of name changes, becoming the Geelong and District Water Board before settling on Barwon Water. Contact: peterjohnbegg@gmail.com