L A I D L E Y ST.

Laidley, a charming town located 85 km west of Brisbane in the Lockyer Valley, sits at the edge of the renowned Scenic Rim, a popular tourism destination. Settled in 1858, Laidley boasts a rich history, with its historic streetscape featuring distinctive cast iron streetlights that enhance its appeal to visitors.

These streetlights, originally cast by Furphy Foundry in Victoria in the early 19th century, were in need of restoration by 2020.

Alma Lighting was selected for this project due to our extensive expertise in manufacturing and lighting solutions. Our restoration work included the complete refurbishment of all metal components, as well as the rewiring and installation of LED light sources to improve energy efficiency and reduce maintenance costs for the Lockyer Valley Regional Council.

The restoration process involved transporting the streetlights to our Gold Coast factory, where we undertook disassembly, sandblasting, reconstruction, re-coating, and reassembly before returning them to their original location.

Initially, we planned to replace the ES lamp holders with dedicated LED engines to match the original light output. However, the cast poles lacked the space for cutting access panels, necessitating the installation of drivers in below-ground pits. Considering Laidley’s occasional flooding, we opted for a different solution: rewiring with new porcelain ES lamp holders and using mains voltage LED bulbs in a 3000K color temperature to create a warm ambiance. This approach also offers the advantage of locally available replacement bulbs.

This project was successfully concluded on time and in budget using local suppliers who now have detailed knowledge of the street lighting system. The savings in energy and maintenance will benefit the Lockyer Valley Regional Council.

Laidley’s historic streetscape lighting has been restored and will be passed on to future generations to admire. A valuable community asset will help generate tourism dollars for many years to come.