Lincoln Street Ventilation Stack, Ventilation tower in Highgate, Australia.
The Lincoln Street Ventilation Stack is a brick tower with Art Deco design features located at the corner of Lincoln and Smith Street in Highgate. The structure rises prominently above the surrounding neighborhood and stands out visually in the urban landscape.
The structure was built in 1935 by the Metropolitan Water Supply Department to help manage sewer gas ventilation. During World War II, it was repurposed to serve as a communications antenna for the Police Wireless Service.
The structure earned the name 'Dumas's Folly' after Chief Engineer Russell Dumas when it failed to properly vent sewer gases over the surrounding neighborhood.
The tower can be viewed from outside and is visible from the street, making it easy to spot during a walk through the neighborhood. The best view is obtained from around the street corner where Lincoln and Smith Street meet.
The structure initially earned the nickname 'Dumas's Folly' when its original purpose failed and sewer gases spread over the surrounding houses. This moniker reflects a peculiar moment in the city's past.
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