Yallourn Production Centre

Location - https://maps.app.goo.gl/octv7j5JB8K3C1pC8

Origins & the Birth of the Centre:
The first sod was turned in 1921, and by June 15, 1924, electricity from the State Electricity Commission of Victoria’s (SECV) Yallourn Power Station began flowing into Melbourne via a 177 km high-voltage line. The Yallourn Production Centre, originally SECV’s administration building, was erected in 1922 in a grand inter‑war Academic Classical style, featuring imposing Ionic columns, designed by SECV architect A.R. La Gerche.

Growth & Power Generation:
Power generation expanded in stages - Yallourn A station began in 1928, followed by Yallourn B (1932), C (1954), D (1957), and E (1961). Together, these units powered Victoria through mid-century and were complemented by the briquette factory (opened 1924), which compressed brown coal for domestic fuel and supplied electricity to the grid.

The Company Town:
Adjacent to the production complex lay the garden-city company town of Yallourn, built between the 1920s and 1950s to house workers. At its peak, it supported around 5,000 residents and included schools, hospitals, and community facilities. In 1969, expansion of the open-cut coal mine sealed the town’s fate: demolition began in the early 1970s and was complete by 1982.

Demolition of Power Units:
Yallourn A was retired on 25 October 1968, and Yallourn B followed in 1969. The remaining Units C, D, and E shut down between 1984 and 1989, with E ceasing in January 1989. All were demolished by 1999.

Transformation of the Production Centre:
This 1922 administration building survived those changes. After SECV’s privatisation in 1996, it was sold and eventually converted into a heritage-listed pub, nightclub, functions venue and even briefly featured a brothel. These days dubbed a Social, Community & Creative Hub, it hosts woodwork and metalwork workshops, arts classes, and community events preserving its civic legacy.