Wangi Wangi, New South Wales - 1948-1986

Wangi Power Station

Wangi Power Station operated on the southern shore of Lake Macquarie from 1958 to 1986, supplying electricity to the NSW grid for 33 years. Construction began in 1948. The first generating units came online in 1953, with additional units added through the late 1950s as demand across the state grew.

At full capacity the station ran 4 steam turbine generators, fed by coal barges that crossed the lake from the northern shore. Workers operated the plant in rotating shifts around the clock. The boiler house, the turbine hall, the A and B stations, and the administrative block each served a distinct function in a facility that never stopped.

Wangi closed in 1986 when newer generating capacity elsewhere in the state made it redundant. The turbines, overhead cranes, and the bulk of the plant infrastructure remained in place after decommissioning. The boiler house accumulated 33 years of combustion residue that no cleaning schedule addressed after the last shift ended.

The station is heritage listed and on the NSW State Heritage Register. The turbine hall, boiler house, and surrounding infrastructure sit largely as they were left.