Refrigeration Plant

The refrigeration plant in the basement rooms of Urrbrae House was designed and installed by Wildridge & Sinclair of Sydney for Peter Waite in 1895. It was the first domestic refrigeration plant in Australia. The plant consists of four rooms, the plant room containing the compressor, electric motor and other equipment, the freezer or chiller room and two cold rooms. In 1895 it took four reasonable size rooms to accommodate what we now fit into a fridge/freezer unit in our kitchens.

The refrigeration plant was restored by a group of enthusiastic volunteers led by Ray White of White Refrigeration and the late Dr John Pickles. The restoration was completed in 1996 and is recognised with a Historic Engineering Marker plaque at the entrance to Urrbrae House.

A visit to the refrigeration plant can be arranged. Click here for details.