As Melbourne's population grew, so did its waste

In 1888, a Royal Commission was carried out to come up with a solution to Melbourne’s waste problems.

Famously dubbed 'Smelbourne', methods for disposing human waste were very basic. Sewage had been collected in open channels that ran into the Yarra River and Hobsons Bay, and cholera and typhoid were common.

The birth of Melbourne's first water treatment plant

The Commission’s findings led to an ambitious plan for the construction of a sewerage system. A series of pipes, sewers and drains were built underground to carry sewage from homes and factories to a sewerage treatment farm, called Werribee Farm.

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Click to learn more about historical and cultural heritage of the Western Treatment Plant.

  • Cocoroc Township

    Learn about the history of Cocoroc, the township that supported the Metropolitan Sewage Farm workers and is now the administration hub for WTP.

    Melbourne Water website 

  • Indigenous Heritage

    Learn about the spiritual significance of the area and understand our work with Aboriginal partners.

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