104 Years of Yallourn

Tribute to the Township and the People of Yallourn in Victoria, Australia. By Ray Lovison. I was born at the Yallourn Hospital in 1960 and lived in Yallourn North the adjoining town near the Latrobe River that was once called The Brown Coal Mine. I grew up in and around Yallourn and did all my junior and secondary schooling and worked at the Yallourn 'W' Power Station. My family history in the Latrobe Valley began with my grandfather’s brother Frank Lovison at the age of 24 when he decided to migrate to Australia with his first cousin Valentino Lovison. They travelled together on a migrant ship that had left from the Port of Vicenza, Italy in 1924. Yallourn: the most beautiful garden town that sadly disappeared in Victoria's Latrobe Valley and in memory to all the workers at the SEC, and to the people who once lived at Yallourn; ♥ You will always remain in our hearts and minds. ♥ Between the early 1920's and 1950's the State Electricity Commission also known as the S.E.C in Victoria built the town of Yallourn to house employees at their nearby Power Station Site. The design of the town was influenced by the garden city movement coming out of the UK at that time. A method of urban planning that saw the value in self-contained communities that had an equal balance of industry, green areas and agriculture. Much of what was in the plan for instance had stipulated that each house should have enough room to grow vegetables. Up until 1947 the S.E.C was the sole administrator of the town providing housing for their workers. They managed the majority of all other buildings in addition to housing there were significant green areas, large sporting facilities, schools, an in town shopping centre, a local hospital, outer shops, a bus terminal, a full size olympic pool and a beautiful picture theatre. While the town may not have developed in the idyllic manner that the early plan envisioned, a sense of community grew. Yallourn in late years was completely demolished in the 1980’s for the coal that laid beneath the town. Sadness felt by people who had worked all their lives. Today, near the Morwell River in the Latrobe Valley is still the largest Open Cut Coal mine in Australia. There are currently two Coal Fired Power Stations that are operating and Energy Australia intend to close the stations in 2028, some 4 years ahead of schedule and they are going to build a giant battery. The last of Yallourn's six Coal-Fired Power Stations will close. I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude and appreciation; FOR THE KIND SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE FROM THE YALLOURN ASSOCIATION, VIRTUAL YALLOURN SITE, STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA AND THE NATIONAL LIBRARY of AUSTRALIA. THANK YOU SO MUCH, Without your help this video would not have been possible to make. ♥ And for allowing access to download your photographs at; www.nla.gov.au www.slv.vic.gov.au www.virtualyallourn.com To Yallourn with ♥ Love, We will never forget how you made us feel. ♥ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ A tip with YouTube: There's a cog-gear icon called settings on the play menu bar with all movies on YouTube and before you begin to play - check your settings and change from Low resolution 420p to the Higher resolution of 720p for better quality of sound and graphics. A Techie Nerd too :)