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Justine Loe, Change and Communications Lead
August 2025
In 2028, Yallourn power station and mine will close after more than a century of powering Victoria. For some, the soaring cooling towers define Yallourn, but ask anyone who’s worked there and they’ll tell you its true story. Yallourn has always been about the people.
Generations of families have worked here, since 1921 when the first temporary power station commenced generation. Among those families are the Hutchinsons, whose connection spans three generations and almost 100 years.
Jock Hutchinson - the legacy begins
In 1925, John “Jock” Hutchinson joined the State Electricity Commission of Victoria (SECV) in Melbourne as a draftsman. By 1929, he was at Yallourn power station, working on mechanical tests and boiler efficiency – a challenge made greater by the Valley’s notoriously wet brown coal.
“Yallourn was so important to Victoria,” Michael Hutchinson, Jock’s grandson, explains. “Before Yallourn we were relying on New South Wales and their black coal. Generating our own power at a large scale allowed our manufacturing sector to flourish and fuelled the state’s economic development.”
At the start of World War Two in 1939 Jock applied for military duty, but because energy generation was considered essential work, he was turned away.
Jock rose through the SEC’s ranks, working at Richmond, Geelong and Ballarat power stations, before becoming superintendent – what’s now known as the head of Yallourn – in 1950. He was there to see Queen Elizabeth visit Yallourn during her 1954 royal tour.
Though Jock passed away in 1956 at the age of just 52, his passion for Yallourn left an impression on his family.
John’s path from cadet to leader
In December 1956, the same year his father died, John Hutchinson started at Yallourn as a cadet engineer, aged 20.
John’s career thrived, taking him to Morwell Briquette and Power and Hazelwood power station before returning to manage Yallourn in the late 1970s. Later, he became Manager of Power Generation for the SEC’s entire fleet. His community spirit and leadership saw him awarded an Order of Australia.
But ask John what mattered most and his answer is simple. “It was all about the people. Yallourn was a great place to work in and come home to.
“We had all sorts of people coming through, but we didn’t have any nasties. They were all good guys and girls.”
Michael continues the tradition
Michael “Hutchy” Hutchinson, shares his father’s opinion of what’s important.
“Yallourn – the town and its power station, turned out sporting stars, academics, industry leaders and just a lot of really good people. That’s Yallourn’s legacy – the people.”
Michael did work experience at Yallourn in the early 1980s as a student, then took a permanent job in November 1983 straight after finishing exams. Over the next nine years, he worked across maintenance and planning. “I was lucky to have so many great mentors and teammates. And I didn’t realise it at the time but that experience at Yallourn set me up for future opportunities including working overseas.”
In 1993, as privatisation loomed, Michael left for the newly opened Loy Yang B. But in 2005, he returned to Yallourn, continuing the family’s link to the power station.
Not just a job – a community
For the Hutchinsons, Yallourn wasn’t just about energy generation – it was about community.
John was president of the Yallourn social club. “The SEC social club was terrific,” Michael says. “The Christmas picnics were the best. You’d go in the car, open the boot, put a rug out, then head off to the gumboot throwing, or the rolling pin throwing, or a race. It was always really good fun.”
The town of Yallourn, before it was relocated in the early 1980s to make way for the coal underneath, was also special. “It had everything,” Michael recalls. “A picture theatre, swimming pool, sporting fields, great schools, a hall. It was a wonderful place to grow up.”
Sport played a big role. “Soccer was big at Yallourn. We had lots of people coming from Europe to work here and soccer was their love.
“Tennis, cricket and AFL were also popular with the Yallourn community and in summer the pool was a great place to hang out with family and friends.”
Building futures
For the Hutchinsons, Yallourn was a training ground for life.
Michael says, “The main thing Dad would say was, have a go and back yourself. That’s what I’ve tried to live by – step out of my comfort zone, have a go, even if I don’t get it perfect. Plus, Dad cares for people. I like to think I’ve picked that up too.”
Michael thinks that culture still exists. “The people we train up at Yallourn are still being pinched by other industries,” he says. “It’s such a good grounding. The station has always invested in its people – apprentices, engineers, trades. The state benefited from that through decades of reliable, affordable electricity. It was a real win-win.”
Looking ahead
As Yallourn heads towards closure, EnergyAustralia, the power station’s owner, is supporting its people. It’s providing personalised career plans, training, coaching, financial advice and more. It’s an approach that aims to ensure every person has what they need to forge a new path.
“Yallourn will have a closure we can all be proud of,” Michael says. “There is a dedicated and capable team in place working hard to achieve good outcomes for our people and the community.”
The Hutchinson family’s story is remarkable – three generations, almost a century of service – but as Michael points out, it’s not unique. “Yallourn is surrounded by families who across generations have dedicated their working lives to producing electricity for the state. And they’ve had a good, rewarding time doing it.”
Thank you
When Yallourn finally closes, it won’t just mark the end of a power station and mine. It will close a chapter in the life of a community. Its true legacy lies in the people – families like the Hutchinsons, and the thousands of others who worked here.
To everyone who’s been part of Yallourn – from the earliest days of the SEC to the team who will power the station until its final days – thank you. Yallourn has been, and always will be, about the people.