Crumbling brickwork whispers tales of industry. This is the Former Australian Plaster Industries Ltd Boilerhouse & Chimney. Before you stands a relic of Melbourne’s industrial past. This boilerhouse fueled a revolution. A revolution in plasterboard manufacturing. The Former Australian Plaster Industries Ltd factory was the first in Victoria to produce plasterboard on an industrial scale. This was in 1948. It changed the construction industry forever.
Imagine the scene in 1946. Construction workers swarm around this very boilerhouse. Its briquette-fired water-tube boiler roars to life. Steam hisses through pipes. It powers the drying process. The distinctive saw-tooth roof of the factory looms large. It houses the massive plasterboard production machinery. Workers toil tirelessly. They usher in a new era of building.
This boilerhouse wasn’t just any boilerhouse. Its location next to the Gippsland railway line was crucial. It meant efficient delivery of fuel. Specifically. Briquettes from the Latrobe Valley. These briquettes were a cost-effective fuel. They reduced Victoria’s reliance on coal from New South Wales. This boilerhouse kept running until 1970. It was then made redundant by direct firing.
The boiler itself is remarkable. A four-drum water-tube boiler designed by John Thompson & Co. It was likely built at their West Footscray factory. Water-tube boilers were safer and more efficient than earlier models. They were crucial to Victoria’s manufacturing boom. This boilerhouse also represents a specific era of work practices. Before automatic boilers a full-time boiler attendant was needed.
The chimney stands tall. A testament to the era’s industrial might. It’s a prominent feature of the landscape. A reminder of a time when large brick chimneys were commonplace. Sadly much of the factory is gone. Demolition has left only fragments. Yet the boilerhouse and chimney survive. They bear witness to the Former Australian Plaster Industries Ltd’s significant role in shaping Melbourne’s built environment. They are a vital part of Victoria’s industrial heritage. A fascinating piece of history. A reminder of the ingenuity and hard work of those who built this city. They stand as silent sentinels of innovation. A testament to progress. And a poignant reminder of what was.