Pumping Station sign and building façade.
Exhibition

Spotswood Pumping Station

Various dates

Get Tickets Join members
Museums Victoria / Scienceworks / What's on / Spotswood Pumping Station
Overview Gallery Events Excursions Stories Plan your visit Accessibility

The historic pumping station pumped Melbourne’s sewage from 1898 to 1965. Come see the enormous steam engines and boilers, inside a gorgeous building reminiscent of a French mansion.

Building the Spotswood Pumping Station was the engineering marvel of its day, saving Melbourne from its derogatory nickname “Smellbourne”.

Even though the giant engines don’t pump sewage anymore, the museum keeps them in perfect working order and runs them on compressed air for visitors to marvel at.
Explore Melbourne’s history of innovation as part of your visit to Scienceworks.
Our expert engine drivers will activate the steam engines at the following times:

Included with museum entry

Adult $15

Senior $12

Child Free

Concession Free

Member Free

Date & Time

Various dates

School Term
Tuesday to Thursday – 12:30 to 1:30pm
Sunday – 10:30am to 4pm

School Holidays
Tuesday to Thursday – 11am to 12 noon
Weekends – 10:30am to 4pm

Public Holidays
10am to 4pm

Get Tickets Join members
Get Tickets Join members

Gallery

Children running in front of the Spotswood Pumping Station. Engine Driver standing in front of a large steam engine. Two large boilers in a red brick building. Dials for measuring the pumping station's performance. Engine Driver gibing a tour of the pumping station.
3 more
Large steam engine in a red brick building. Large steam engine in a red brick building. Pumping Station sign and building façade.

Related Events

Pumping Station Guided Walk

TOUR |

THURSDAYS AND SATURDAYS

FlushBack iPad Activity

ACTIVITY |

DAILY

School Excurisons

Digital Scavenger Hunt: FlushBack

FlushBack Digital Scavenger Hunt: Primary

Exhibition Years 3 to 6
A hand holds an iPad showing an Augmented reality character in front of two large black boilers

FlushBack Digital Scavenger Hunt: Secondary

Exhibition Years 7 to 10
School children watch look at a steam engine that powers a pump

Pumping Station Gallery Visit

Exhibition Years 3 to 12, VCE, VCE VM, VET

Stories

The Spotswood Pumping Station

The Spotswood Pumping Station

The fascinating story of one of Australia's most important industrial heritage sites.
Great Melbourne Telescope

Great Melbourne Telescope

The Great Melbourne Telescope was the largest fully steerable telescope of the 19th century. Installed at the Melbourne Observatory in 1869, the telescope symbolised a transition for early Melbourne from a colonial outpost to a city of learning and science.

PLAN YOUR VISIT

Exhibition Location Map

Scienceworks

Open daily 10am to 4:30pm

2 Booker Street, Spotswood

More visiting information

Included with museum entry

Adult $15

Senior $12

Child Free

Concession Free

Member Free

Get Tickets Join members

ACCESSIBILITY

The Pumping Station can be accessed by hardstand paths and ramps.

Please view our accessibility page for general information. Contact our team on 13 11 02 or email us at [email protected] to discuss how we can support your visit.

MORE FROM MUSEUMS VICTORIA

Museums Victoria Museums Victoria Melbourne Museum Melbourne Museum Immigration Museum Immigration Museum Royal Exhibition Building Royal Exhibition Building Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre IMAX Melbourne IMAX Melbourne