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Oakhurst is a rural locality in the Fraser Coast region, just inland of Hervey Bay.
Southern Cross are proud to have been installing windmills Oakhurst can rely on since 1903.
With over 100 years of experience designing and manufacturing windmills, Oakhurst residents can be comfortable knowing they have the support of Australia’s oldest windmill manufacturer.
People all across Queensland are well aware of the need for a sound supply of water, and because of this, many of these people continue to turn to a Southern Cross Windmill.
Southern Cross Windmills are available in a range of both windwheel and windmill tower sizes, and our experts can help you find the windmill that best suits your needs.
Our ‘FA’ Series towers come between 20′ and 60′, and the ‘IZ’ windwheels are available in sizes starting at 6′ all the way up to a 14′ wheel. The dimensions of your windmill will be established by your surrounding landscape.
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 utilised 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. For well over a hundred years, rural Australians in towns like Oakhurst have relied on windmills as a renewable energy source, and the humble windmill has become an Australian icon.
Windmills can be built anywhere there is access to water, whether it be a bore, a well, a river or dam, the windmill continues to be one of the most effective and greenest water harvesting solutions.
Water has always provided a challenge for Australians, living in a famously dry and arid country – so much so that 85% of Australia’s population is located within a mere 50km from the nearest coastline.
Before the introduction of the modern windmill to rural Australia, many pastoralists and graziers were restricted by water supply, but when these windmills were introduced, they had the capacity to set up large stations and pastoral runs well inland.
Despite being mostly used to pump water from deep bores or wells linked to underground aquifers, 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 term as the classic windmill, with many properties across Australia featuring windmills that have been pumping water for more than 50 years.
Windmill accidents account for less than 1% of all accidents on rural properties, so while solar pumps are often regarded as a safer option, they contain a dangerous current, and also pose risk of injury or death.
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.
At Southern Cross we pride ourselves in the design and integrity of our Windmills. We specialise in the design, manufacture, installation and servicing of top-notch windmills, across Australia and around the globe.
All of our windmills are designed and engineered in-house, and are durable enough to thrive in the harshest of Australian climates, rain, hail or shine.
Genuine parts are available for Southern Cross “IZ” windwheels and “FA” towers. Parts for the retired 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 handling Oakhurst and Australia’s unique water harvesting needs.
The Griffiths family produced their first windmills in 1876, which were based on designs from American inventor Daniel Halladay, and improved upon for durability and performance
The introduction of windmills to the Australian outback enabled rural families and pastoralists to occupy 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.
Southern Cross still operates out of Queensland to this day, and is an Australian owned and operated company, servicing Australians all across the country, helping graziers, irrigators, families and more access reliable water harvesting infrastructure.
This 7.3 m Southern Cross windwheel, now happily housed at the Gilgandra Museum and Historical Society was originally constructed by Southern Cross Windmills all the way back 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.
This timeless windmill is now closing in on 100 years old, and serves as a testament to the durability and dependability of a Southern Cross windmill. At its last service, all that was required was an oil top up to keep it operating smoothly.
Oakhurst shares its name with a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales.
Duck across to Fraser Island for the day, or pay a visit to Hervey Bay and see some whales and dolphins.
Not in Oakhurst? For Windmills Maryborough click here.
