This artwork which features at the Hart Road entrance into Kurri Kurri remembers the aluminium industry in Kurri Kurri.
During the mid-1960s Alcan Australia Limited investigated five potential sites along the NSW Eastern seaboard for land to build a small aluminium smelter to service the Australian demand for aluminium. They chose the site at Kurri Kurri because of its proximity to the port of Newcastle, available power and a seven day industrial workforce.
The plant was opened in June 1969 by the then Governor General of Australia Sir Paul Hasluck. It was a one line 22,000 tonnes per annum plant at that time. In 1979 potline 2 was added increasing tonnage to 100,00 tonnes and in 1985 potline 3 was commissioned taking annual tonnage to 150,000 tonnes.
At the closure of the plant in September 2012 it was producing over 180,000 tonnes per annum, and had produced more than 5 million tonnes of aluminium ingots and over 3 million tonnes of carbon anodes.
The plant had four owners, Alcan Australia Limited 1969-1995, Capral Aluminium 1995-2000, VAW 2000-2002 and Hydro Aluminium Kurri Kurri 2002-2012.
Over its operation, the smelter employed up to 1,000 people directly, with many more contractors and service providers engaged to provide support services.
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