THE Psyche Bend pumps boiler fired up on Sunday morning for a classic demonstration of steam power.
The Sunraysia Steam Preservation Society ran guided tours of the facilities and showed visitors how the pumps operated when they were installed by George Chaffey in 1891.
The secrets of steam power were revealed as the original Mildura irrigation scheme was explained.
COVID-19 arrangements were in order and numbers in the pump house were limited but, according to organiser Mal White, there was plenty of time for all visitors to see the “mighty” pumps in action.
“We fire up the boiler and run the pumps exactly the same way they would have been run when they were installed,” Mr White said.
“The pumps are the original pumps which used to pump water from the river into (Kings Billabong), then from the billabong into the channel … this is where Mildura started.
“This was the start of the irrigation colony and if the pumps hadn’t started there’d be no Mildura.
“It’s important people see exactly where the Mildura irrigation colony started and just how it was done in the old days.”
Mr White said because it was such a big weekend, lots of people were around and the society prepared for 500 visitors.
The demonstration is run four times a year, on New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, the Queen’s Birthday long weekend and AFL Grand Final day.
