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Southern Cross Windmills have been supplying windmills Emerald families can depend on for over a century.
People of can rest assured that they have the backing of over 100 years of experience, from Australia’s oldest windmill manufacturer.
Queensland families know how important reliable water harvesting systems are in the Australian outback, and this is why people all across the nation continue to look to a Southern Cross windmill.
Emerald was established in 1879 as a base for the Central Line Railway from Rockhampton, and flourishes today as an inland hub
Southern Cross offers a range of sizes in both windwheels, and windmill towers, and can coordinate with you to find the right windmill for you.
Our ‘IZ’ Double Geared Windmills range from a 6′ windwheel to a 14′ windwheel, and we offer tower heights from 20′ up to 60′. The best windmill tower for you will be determined by your geographical location, and the size of your chosen windwheel.
The Southern Cross “FA” Series Windmill Towers are available in the following heights:
The minimum recommended tower height for each windwheel size, is as follows:
For centuries, we have employed wind to power our boats, mill our grain and pump our water. Wind power is the first renewable energy to be harnessed by mankind.
Windmills have been a part of rural living in Australia for well over a century, and is a great renewable energy source, along with being an Australian icon. Australian towns like Emerald have been using windmills to help them meet their water harvesting needs for over 100 years now, stretching over all parts of the continent.
Still one of the best and most environmentally friendly water harvesting solutions, a windmill can be constructed and effective anywhere there is access to water, whether that be underground in a well or bore, or drawing from a river or dam.
More than 80% of Australians live within a mere 50km of the coast – a testament to how dry and harsh the Australian conditions can be – and access to reliable water has always been a challenge for rural Australians.
When George Washington Griffiths introduced the Southern Cross Windmill to rural Australians, it was a game changer, allowing pastoralists and graziers to explore further away from the coast for stock grazing and pastoral runs.
Despite being mostly used to pump water from deep bores or wells linked to underground water tables, windmills can also be used to pump from any body of water, such as dams or rivers.
As with any other sector, as technology improves, challengers will present themselves. The most recent challenger to the windmill being solar pumps
While solar pumps look promising, they certainly aren’t as tried and tested in the long run as the classic windmill, with many properties across Australia featuring windmills that have been pumping water for more than 50 years.
While many solar systems may be advertised as a safer option, windmill accidents make up not even 1% of all accidents on rural properties, while many electric pumps contain a dangerous or lethal current.
Southern Cross has been providing windmills that Australian families can rely on for over a century, and all of our windmills have a 30+ year design life.
Since 1903, over 250 000 iconic Southern Cross Windmills have been built. All windmills produced by Southern Cross are hot dip galvanised, and supported by over 100 years of winning windmill design.
A 3 year warranty is included in every purchase of a new Southern Cross Windmill.
Southern Cross Windmills pride ourselves on the quality and integrity of our product. We specialise in the manufacture, installation and service of industry leading windmills around the country and across the globe.
Designed to thrive in even the most harsh Australian climates, all Southern Cross Windmills are designed and engineered in house.
Genuine Southern Cross parts for all current range windmills are available, as well as other parts for A, J, R & Z Pattern Windmills”, “J” Series Windmill Pumps, Troughs, Check Valves, Pump Heads and Pump Jacks may still be available upon request.
From the very first Southern Cross windmill rolling off the Toowoomba Foundry line in 1903, nobody has experience like we do of dealing with Emerald and Australia’s unique water harvesting needs.
The first windmill built by the Griffiths family was produced in 1876, based on blueprints by Daniel Halladay, which were improved upon for Australian conditions.
The introduction of windmills to the Australian outback allowed rural families and pastoralists to populate more arid areas of the country, causing towns and pastoral runs to begin growing across these areas.
Unlike another Aussie classic, the lamington, Southern Cross Windmills origins in Toowoomba are not up for debate, however, both have certainly gone on to become recognisable Australian icons.
Operating out of Queensland to this day – in our Withcott factory – Southern Cross is an Australian owned and operated brand, servicing Australians from all across the country, from irrigators and graziers to rural families and households.
Now confortably located at the Gilgandra Museum and Historical Society, this 7.3 m Southern Cross windwheel was built and delivered to Mendooran in 1924.
Before being donated to the Gilgandra Museum and Historical Society by the Payne family, this antique gentle giant dependably pumped water in Mendooran for over 73 years.
Closing in on its 100th birthday, at the most recent service, all it required was some oil in order to keep it in operating condition. This Mendooran windmill is a testament to the durability and dependability of a Southern Cross Windmill.
The nearby Fairbarn Dam, which holds back the waters of Lake Maraboon, when full, holds an incredible three times more water than the Sydney Harbour.
Not in Emerald? For Windmills Gracemere click here.
