The Red Cliffs Pumping Station The pumps were one of the first essentials built when the Red Cliffs Irrigation Settlement was being established. The main railway line was already completed, and a station was built for the new town. A branch narrow guage rail line was built for an engine and skips to carry briquettes from the depot at the station, down to the pumping station. The Lukee Type Skylark locomotive was built at Leeds in England 1901 for service in India then to Mt Lyell in Tasmania till 1921, had a side trip to Loveday, South Australia and in 1924 arrived at Red Cliffs where it worked till 1953. It was obtained by the Red Cliffs Rotary Club for preservation and till 1976 was stored at Red Cliffs Kindergarten. Restoration began in 1987 and on 29 Jan 1995 the Skylark was fired into life again. It has its special station south of Red Cliffs and takes tourists for rides. The pumps in the pumping station are now powered by electricity. They lift the water in two inlet pipes, which then feed into our channel system.

Return to my Sultana Page.