Description of Historic Place

The National Electric Tramway and Light Company Powerhouse is a two-storey brick industrial building located close to the south bank of Rock Bay in the Upper Harbour of Victoria.

Heritage Value

The National Electric Tramway and Light Company Powerhouse is valued as a representation of Victoria's industrial heritage. Constructed in 1892 as a steam generating plant, this building was the source of power for newly electrified street lights and the city's early public transportation tram system; it facilitated the modernization of the city as it grew in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

As an excellent example of the industrial architecture of noted architect John Teague, the value of this building lies in its solid purpose-built form, simple Romanesque detailing, and large, open interior spaces. This powerhouse is an edifice in the Upper Harbour industrial area, and contributes to the diversification of Victoria's architectural heritage.

Source: City of Victoria Planning and Development Department

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the National Electric Tramway and Light Company Powerhouse include:
- the location of the building by Rock Bay, and its relationship with the Upper Harbour waterway;
- the patina of industrial use as seen on interior and exterior surfaces;
- the solid massing, purpose-built form, and spatial configurations relating to the design of John Teague;
- the brick smokestack;
- masonry construction and Romanesque features such as corbelling and arched windows;
- the large, open floor plan of the interior spatial configurations.