Wodonga water tower was officially opened in December 1924 and the following statistics were provided ...
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The total height of the Wodonga water tower and tank is 103 feet, but three feet of this is below ground level.
The structure rests upon a block of solid concrete two feet deep and 30 feet in diameter.
Under this is a foundation of sand fillings four feet deep.
The cylindrical tower is 77ft. 4 inches high and 20 feet in diameter, the wall having a thickness of eight inches.
There are three floors, each having a window and the landings are of concrete, four inches thick.
Rising through the centre is an octagonal concrete column 22 inches in diameter, which assists in supporting the tank.
Near the bottom of the tank is a balcony, 3ft. 6 inches wide.
Having a height of 22ft. 8 inches and a diameter of 27 feet the tank will hold 75,000 gallons of water, which is estimated to be the daily requirement of the town.
The thickness of the tank bottom is 12 inches; that of the wall tapers from seven inches at the base to four inches at the top.
This is the third highest elevated tank in Australia - the higher two are in South Australia ...
The whole is of reinforced concrete, and with the necessary care having been used to obtain an even foundation there is no ground for the alarm which some have expressed.
There were 180 cubic yards of reinforced concrete used in the construction of the tower and 70 cubic yards in the tank bowl. In addition seven tons of steel were used.
The tank will be supplied by an eight-inch pipe.
The pumping will be done at the Murray River, but a ball valve at the top of the tank will automatically stop the pump when capacity has been reached.
This is the third-highest elevated tank in Australia - the higher two are in South Australia - and its capacity is exceeded only by that of a South Australian tank.
The contract price was £3000.
Water was later pumped from Wodonga Creek.
The water tower was decommissioned in 1959 when water started pumping from the new reservoir on Huon Hill which is where the main storage is today.
The aim of the Wodonga Historical Society is to collect and conserve items and information telling the story of the birth and growth of Wodonga and environs for the benefit of the general public, and especially for future generations.
Like the society's Facebook page for updates and visit the society's website, https://historywodonga.org.au/ for more stories and photographs.
