Tamworth celebrated yesterday to mark 136 years since it became the first town in Australia to flick the switch on electric street lighting. The pioneering move made it Australia’s original “City of Light.”
Tamworth Powerstation Museum hosted a day of free entertainment and activities for the whole family to mark the anniversary of Tamworth being the first town in the southern hemisphere to have municipal funded electric lighting.
“People are surprised that we were the first town to have electric street lighting, 15 years ahead of Sydney, and it all came down to the fact we had an Alderman who was before his time (Alderman William Smith and fellow Tamworthian George Hooke from The Observer),” Museum Operations and Visitor Engagement Co-Ordinator Naomi Blakey said.
“We were on gas and they actually looked at it (electricity) originally in 1881 and were vetoed, but by the time the contract came up in 1887, it was awarded and then turned on in 1888 and here we are.
“When the electric street lighting was turned on, they had a dinner the night before in the Tamworth Town Hall and a foot race in No. 1 Oval. It was the first foot race or athletic event that was conducted under electric lighting.”
Hundreds of people attended the open day yesterday, treated to watching old steam engines and other artefacts from a time when Tamworth led the world in its embrace of power over gas.
“We have so many locals and travellers who visit the museum who are keen to learn about history,” Ms Blakey said.
“The highlight for them is being able to step back into the past and reminisce even if you’re younger and have heard stories from the past. Younger people come in here and say, ‘oh my goodness, I can’t believe the appliances looked like that’ through to amazement of how far we’ve come because electrical innovation is pretty amazing.”
In yet another first, the Powerstation Museum launched a calendar on Saturday for sale for $20 with proceeds going back into running the museum.
“We couldn’t operate the museum without the volunteers. We have 27 volunteers and they are the lifeblood of the museum and also contributed a massive effort to the calendar,” Ms Blakey said.
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