Historical information

This set of photos is from a leather bound album bearing the inscription "HUME RESERVOIR AUSTRALIA" plus 'The Rt. Hon. L. C. M. S. Amery, P. C., M .P.' all inscribed in gold. It was presented to The Rt. Hon. L. C. M. S. Amery, P. C., M. P, Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs on the occasion of his visit to the Hume Reservoir on 2nd November 1927.

Significance

This album is of local and national significance as it documents the planning and development of the Hume Reservoir up to 1927. It was the largest water reservoir in the British Empire. The album records the pioneering engineering work that went into its construction.

Physical description

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS, N.S.W. RIVER MURRAY WATERS SCHEME. HUME RESERVOIR.
27. Preparing a Paddock for Concrete. Great care is taken in cleaning the surface of the concrete before placing the next layer. A hose applies a jet of water with a pressure of about 150 pounds to remove laitance and all dirt, which is swept off with brooms. (Laitance is the weak, milky or powdery layer of cement dust, lime and sand fines that appear on the surface of concrete. ) The square block of concrete in the foreground is poured at the same time as the concrete surrounding it and acts as a key for the next layer. Usually large granite “plums” or displacers weighing from 2 tons to 8 tons are used for this purpose and are placed in position by the cableway, but while the cableway is out of action the other method has been adopted. In this view may also be seen some of the timber piles and sheeting which form the inner side of the coffer dam. The outer side is formed of steel sheet piling. The space between the two lines of piles is 20 feet wide and is filled with earth after the steel and timber lines have been bound together by steel tie rods. New South Wales, August 1927.