Historic (Built) Heritage
The city’s first water storage tank was erected in 1854 in East Melbourne and stored water from the Yarra River. It was moved to Cocoroc as a backup water supply for the workers at Werribee Farm. It was decommissioned in 1925 after the township was connected to mains water. It is now preserved at the Western Treatment Plant.
We are responsible for managing a large number of historic places and objects. These assets tell us about social changes, technical and creative achievements, and provide a tangible link to past events, processes and people.
It is our responsibility to not only maintain and protect these valuable assets, but when such infrastructure is no longer used, to ensure heritage values are documented and protected.
In Victoria, historic (built) heritage is primarily managed through the Heritage Act 1995 and the Planning and Environment Act 1987. We now have more than 20 places and assets listed on the Victorian Heritage Register, with a number of sites yet to be assessed. We work closely with our partners at Heritage Victoria to make sure that these assets are protected for future generations to appreciate.
Related information:
- Western Treatment Plant – A Brief History
- History of Melbourne’s water supply
- History of our rivers and creeks