This is the sixth and final silver
proof
coin from a
commemorative
set called the Australian Landmark series and it celebrates the snowy Mountains Tunnel. The series was released in three
stages with 6 coins altogether released in pairs according to three themes between the years of 1997-1999. The three themes
were Sydney, Melbourne and the Snowy Mountains. This particular coin is of course taken from the Snowy Mountains theme issued
in 1999, in which it was paired with a coin commemorating the Snowy Mountains Dam. The Sydney themed pair released in 1997
commemorated the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. Finally the Melbourne pair, released in 1998 commemorates
Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and Melbourne Trams. All six of the coins were stuck into sterling silver and feature quality
design and workmanship from the Royal Australian Mint.
The reverse of this silver coin was designed by Wojciech Pietranik
and features workers and equipment used in the construction of the Snowy Mountains Scheme. The
legend
above reads THE SNOWY MOUNTAIN SCHEME and the one below is the denomination 10 DOLLARS. The
obverse features the traditional portrait of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth as designed by Ian Rank-Broadley and the
legend
ELIZABETH II AUSTRALIA 1998. The original packaging for this coin and its pair was an oblong box with a photograph featuring
images from the Snowy Mountain. COINS OF THE SNOWY MOUNTAIN SCHEME is written above and SNOWY MOUNTAINS AUSTRALIA 1998 below.
A tin box is included inside in which the two coins are presented and accompanied with a small booklet.
1999 Australian Landscapes
The Hydro-Electric scheme that was engineered into the Snowy Mountains is one of the largest of its kind in the world,
and undoubtedly the biggest engineering job ever carried out in Australia. the scheme is used to divert the melting snow
and water from the mountains through the tunnels and into dams to be used and converted into power. Inland New South Wales
and Victoria benefit massively from the scheme mainly through the supply of water to the farms but also from electricity.
(Australian Government, 2013) The entire scheme covers over 5,000 kilometres and only 2 percent of the system is above ground.
the project overseen by Chief Engineer, Sir William Hudson (Wikipedia, 2013) took 25 years to complete and is made up of
16 major dams, 7 power stations and 225 km of tunnels, pipelines and aqueducts. People came from all over the world to work
on the project and many opted to make Australia their home once the scheme was completed. The construction of the snowy mountains
scheme was a hugely significant time in Australia's development and has contributed massively to them becoming an independent,
multi-cultural and resourceful country. The tunnels specifically are commemorated in this coin as they were one of the hardest
parts of the construction and also one of the most dangerous. Over the 25 years, more than 120 people lost their livesin
the wet, noisy, dirty and smelly tunnels that are now such an integral part of the scheme and relied upon by millions of
Australians.
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