· Jess
Noojee's Quiet History of Innovation: The Hydro Scheme That Powered Three Towns
Long before the State Electricity Commission rolled in, a handful of locals built their own power station out near Toorongo Falls. The story still flows beneath the surface.
In 1922, a group of Gippsland businesses formed the River Latrobe Hydro-Electric Co. and built a small hydro-electric station near Toorongo Falls. Long before the State Electricity Commission reached the valley, Noojee generated its own power — and supplied Warragul and Neerim as well.
It was done the hard way: rough terrain, second-hand generators, and a lot of local resolve. The scheme ran for around ten years, until the SEC’s Yallourn supply took over.
Traces of the scheme remain near Toorongo Falls, and the old water wheel behind the pub still marks the story. It is a reminder that resourcefulness and resilience are not new to this town — they are the tradition.