Heritage tours: White Bay Power Station

Decommissioned in 1984, Sydney’s longest-serving power station at White Bay will once again energise Sydney as part of the 2024 Biennale of Sydney.

This exclusive behind the scenes tour has been developed by the Museums of History NSW as part of the Sydney Open Series in partnership with Placemaking NSW and the Biennale of Sydney.

Discover the stories behind this extraordinary heritage-listed landmark, the only one of its kind to survive on Sydney Harbour. Built between 1912 and 1917 to cope with the expansion of Sydney’s electric tram and rail systems, White Bay fed the largest metropolitan tramway network in the Southern Hemisphere and provided power to the trains as well as the suburban electricity grid. The building’s dominant harbourside position, dramatic vertical facade, castellated parapets and steam funnels mark the entrance to the Balmain waterfront, and are an enduring symbol of the area’s industrial origins and traditions.

The tour will include never-before-seen areas of White Bay Power Station, including the vast and cathedral-like Boiler House and Turbine Hall, as well as some hidden spaces not open to the general public. In addition, you will be able to see remarkably intact equipment and machinery and learn about the last remaining example of a coal-fired harbourside industrial complex in NSW.

Places are extremely limited so book early to reserve your place.