White Cliffs Solar Power Station, where NSW first proved renewable energy could power a community, has secured its place in history with a listing on the State Heritage Register.
Built in 1981, the solar power station was the first full-scale demonstration of solar thermal research put to commercial use in NSW. It helped prove solar power could reliably supply electricity for everyday use long before renewable energy became an established part of the NSW energy grid.
It is the only early solar thermal dish installation of its kind in NSW and one of only a few surviving worldwide.
Developed through a collaboration between the NSW Government and the Australian National University, the system used 14 sun-tracking parabolic dishes to concentrate sunlight, heat water and produce steam to drive an electricity generator.
The generator produced up to 25 kilowatts of electricity, with some energy stored in batteries for use at night. Electricity from the station supplied the local hospital, school, post office and 12 homes in the remote community.
Each five-metre dish was covered with more than 2,000 small mirrors aligned by hand and mounted on a system that allowed it to track the sun. The site was adapted to photovoltaic technology in 1997 and continued operating until 2005.
The heritage listing honours both the station’s engineering and the volunteers who have worked to preserve the site and open it to visitors.
The listing received unanimous community support, with all 34 submissions advocating for listing.
The listing protects the 14 parabolic dishes, nine water tanks and a stone wall surrounding a steel shed containing the original steam engine, computers and associated equipment.
As one of the world’s few intact examples of early solar technology, the site provides a rare opportunity to study the long-term performance of renewable energy infrastructure in harsh outback conditions. It now operates as a tourism attraction and is also used periodically for scientific research.
Executive Director Heritage Sam Kidman said:
“White Cliffs Solar Power Station tells an important story about the ingenuity that helped prove renewable energy could power homes and essential services in remote NSW.
“This remarkable engineering achievement put solar technology into practical use decades before renewable energy became part of everyday life.
“The State Heritage Register listing recognises the station’s extraordinary history while supporting its continued use for tourism, education and scientific research.”
