Since this documentary was produced the Northern Outfall Sewer has been duplicated in 1999/2000 and the extracted sandstone was carted to Jordan Springs by rail and packed down for housing I presume. The stars seem to align for Sydney's water supply and sewage system because it is blessed with a temperate rainfall and favourable geography for tunnel and aqueduct construction. Those grey and army-green sewage vents are suburban icons of the city themselves in the established areas north and south of the harbour from the Mosman peninsula to as far north as Hornsby. Brisbane's sewage system was first discussed in May 1913 and commenced later that year by Nudgee Municipal Council and Sandgate Town Council. It was briefly interrupted when a German registered ship carrying construction equipment from New York was interned in South Africa. The well to do suburbs like Herston, Bowen Hills, Ascot, Hamilton and Clayfield were sewered long before the reign of Mayor Clem Jones who sewered the 1950s era suburbs.
This documentary blew my mind as a kid. I was obsessed with water and sewerage infrastructure and its history. The VHS tape that held it was very well worn. Weird kid ... I wish the full thing was available. But a massive thanks to you for this much!
