LAKES ENTRANCE OIL SHAFT (THE SHAFT & HOLDING TANKS)

WHITERS STREET AND OUTLOOK AVENUE LAKES ENTRANCE AND PALMERS ROAD LAKES ENTRANCE, EAST GIPPSLAND SHIRE

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Victorian Heritage Inventory

Statement of Significance

• Additional Place Information

  • History

    LAKES ENTRANCE OIL SHAFT (THE SHAFT & HOLDING TANKS) - History

    THE LAKES ENTRANCE OIL SHAFT WAS BEGUN IN THE 1930S BY THE AUSTRAL OIL DRILLING SYNDICATE. IT WAS TAKEN OVER BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN 1942 UNDER THE NATIONAL SECURITY REGULATIONS TO FIND OIL. IT WAS FINANCIALLY UNSUCCESSFUL BUT WAS A UNIQUE ENGINEERING SUCCESS. WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVT PULLED OUT AT THE END OF THE WAR, THE WORK WAS CONTINUED BY A REFORMED "LAKES OIL PTY LTD". IT WAS TAKEN OVER BY "WOODSIDE" IN THE LATEFIFTIES UNTIL BOUGHT BY ROB ANNELLS ANDRESTRUCTURED. IT IS AUSTRALIA'S OLDEST SURVIVING OIL COMPANY AND NOW RETAINS THE LEASE OVER THE EXISTING ORIGINAL OIL SHAFT. IT PAVED THE WAY FOR EAST GIPPSLAND OFFSHORE OIL FINDS.

    Interpretation of Site

    LAKES ENTRANCE OIL SHAFT (THE SHAFT & HOLDING TANKS) - Interpretation of Site

    ALTHOUGH THE SITE IS NOT INTACT, IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO TELL THE STORY OF EARLY OIL EXPLORATION AS WE LL AS BEING USED AS A CENTRE FOR PRESENTING BASS STRAIT OIL PRODUCTION AND OIL INDUSTRY GENERALLY. THE LOCATION OF THE SIRE NEAR THE TOURIST RESORT OF LAKES ENTRANCE ADDS TO THE APPEAL AND POTENTIAL FOR INTERPRETATION. THE OIL SHAFT HAS BEEN USED OVER THE YEARS AS A TIP AND MAY CONTAIN MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT FROM THE EARLY DAYS OF OIL DRILLING TECHNOLOGY.

    Heritage Inventory Description

    LAKES ENTRANCE OIL SHAFT (THE SHAFT & HOLDING TANKS) - Heritage Inventory Description

    Part of a 28.1ha site in Palmer Rd; 2-3ha of flat land at the bottom of a gully with a small dam, four concrete holding tanks, and a 300 metre shaft. There is an access road from alongside High School. Rural land zoned. Partly contaminated.

    FOUR CONCRETE HOLDING TANKS; ONE 300M CONCRETE SHAFT; CONCRETE PADS FROM WINDING HOUSE AND POPPETHEAD; FOUR CONCRETE WELL HEADS; ONE WATER DAM.

    Physical Conditions: Tanks in good shape, shaft is sealed. Wells still oozing oil.

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  • LAKES ENTRANCE OIL SHAFT (THE SHAFT & HOLDING TANKS)

    

    Victorian Heritage Inventory
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  Notes See all notes

  Heritage Overlay recommendation

  27/11/16

  This significant site located on part of Lot 2, property plan no. PS610073 at Lakes Entrance should have a Heritage Overlay and the significance of the site and remaining foundations and tanks, etc. interpreted.

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    Oil Shaft site