Biennale of Sydney

This is event is now sold out!

Decommissioned in 1984, Sydney’s longest serving power station, at White Bay, will once again energise the city as part of the 2024 Biennale of Sydney. Exclusive tours have been developed by MHNSW as part of its Sydney Open Series in partnership with Placemaking NSW and the Biennale of Sydney.

Discover the stories behind this extraordinary heritage-listed landmark, the only one of its kind to survive on Sydney Harbour. Built between 1912 and 1917 to cope with the expansion of Sydney’s electric tram and rail systems, White Bay fed the largest metropolitan tramway network in the Southern Hemisphere and provided power to the trains as well as to the suburban electricity grid. The building’s dominant harbourside position, dramatic vertical facade, castellated parapets and steam funnels mark the entrance to the Balmain waterfront, and are an enduring symbol of the area’s industrial origins and traditions.

The tour will include never-before-seen areas of White Bay Power Station, including the vast and cathedral-like Boiler House and Turbine Hall, as well as some hidden spaces not open to the public. In addition, you will be able to see remarkably intact equipment and machinery and learn about the last remaining example of a coal-fired harbourside industrial complex in NSW.

These curated tours are free, thanks to the NSW Government. Take advantage of this special free event!

Note: Due to the heavy industrial history of the site, participants (particularly new and expectant mothers) may wish to seek medical advice before entering the restricted areas of White Bay Power Station. Hazards include:

• Potential flaking lead paint
• Material containing asbestos in walls and equipment
• Biological hazards – traces of biological hazards remaining include bacteria from rodent, bird and roach droppings; soil, corrosion, mould spores and stagnant water.