It has been the atmospheric backdrop in video clips, cult classic
films and iconic TV series – and for the next three weeks visitors can
get an intimate glimpse of the famous Spotswood Pumping Station.
Since its engines fell silent in 1965, the pumping station has appeared in cult favourite Mad Max, iconic Australian television series Prisoner, a Tina Arena music video clip and a memorable Melbourne Workers Theatre performance of We Built This City to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the eight-hour day.
Guided tours of the 1897 landmark are being conducted twice a day
until September 20, giving Scienceworks visitors a chance to discover
the smelly side of Melbourne’s history.
The guided adventure, free with museum entry, explores the engine
room and allows visitors to marvel at the engineering feat that helped
overcome the stench of 19th-century Melbourne.
Fashion designer and model Keira Hudson (aka Lorelle Rouge) said visiting the pumping station last week was a dream come true.
The “steampunk” aficionado is inspired by 19th-century technology and aesthetics.
“I looked at the images before I went so I knew what to expect but it was still amazing,” she said.
Details: museumvictoria.com.au/scienceworks
