In 1927 the Maroondah Reservoir, on the Watts river at Healesville came into service. This flooded the 1891 weir. The open channel aqueduct coped with the increased flow but all the pipe sections were duplicated. These pipes on the Plenty River trail at Greensborough show the on the right the original pipe from 1891 showing the 19th century technology of rivetted construction and the left pipe of 1927 shows the 20th century technology of welding
Constructed as part of the Maroondah Aqueduct and requiring an extensive workforce of labourers who frequented the adjacent Evelyn Arms hotel, in Greensborough, previously the Halfway House near were the Shell service station is at present.
High spirited patrons received a dunking in the horse trough, their ear cuffed or a boot up their behind by the local constable to calm them down.
Source: “Banyule City Council Spring Outdoors Programme 2008: Greensborough & the Plenty River Pioneer Trail with Dennis Ward & Noel Withers. A ramble from the lower part of town and along the river bank learning about historic sites and the pioneering families that settled there from 1840 onward.”
Further Reading: Along the length: an account of living and working on the Maroondah Aqueduct by Fred Sadlier ; edited (with introduction and additional notes) by Leigh Ahern ; photographs by Gwen Sadlier and Leigh Ahern.
Diamond Valley Story by Dianne Edwards
Photo: Aqueduct at Greensborough, by Kevin Patterson, 1981. Reflections of Diamond Valley Collction, Yarra Plenty Regional Library
