Summary

Black and white silver gelatin photograph, Building 11, Power House Boiler Hall and chimney stack, Kodak factory, Coburg, circa 1961.

The steel framed aluminium clad boiler hall was shaped to accommodate two 4.5Kg/s Thompson oil-fired refractory boilers and associated equipment. The eastern face of the boiler hall was designed to allow a public view from Elizabeth Street of operations of a modern factory with a set of tall windows rising from ground level. The 62 metre stack was designed and built to accommodate up to eight refractory boilers similar to the two that were being installed with a view to major expansion of the complex. The hexagonal base and round rise were several building bricks thick and lined with refractory bricks.

When completed, Building 11 consisted of an integrated machinery hall with its north & south annexes, boiler hall, evaporative water cooling towers, a 62 metre brick chimney stack, oil bunkers, tank farm and office/amenities block. This fully integrated Power House provided the most efficient use of electricity and fuel oil (and later natural gas) to match the variable load of the factory.

Kodak manufactured and distributed a wide range of photographic products to Australasia, such as, film, paper, chemicals, cameras and miscellaneous equipment. Its client base included amateur and professional photographers as well as specialist medical and graphic art professionals who used photography, x-ray and other imaging techniques.

This photograph is part of the Kodak collection of products, promotional materials, photographs and working life artefacts collected from Kodak Australasia in 2005 after the manufacturing plant at Coburg had closed down the year before.

Description of Content

Aluminium clad building with windows at street level and along the roof-line. To the right is the base of a large brick chimney stack. To the left, workers are in front of the building. Around the building and chimney there are piles of building materials. In the foreground is cleared land.

Physical Description

Black and white silver gelatin photograph printed on light weight paper, landscape format.

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