Cobdogla Irrigation Museum

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The Museum focuses on the area's irrigation history, particularly the unique Humphrey Pumps. The Humphrey Pump

Australia's Big Thumper is alive again at the Cobdogla Irrigation Museum. The world's only working Humphrey Pump has been carefully restored and is demonstrated along with a steam locomotive, steam traction engine, oil engines, tractors and machinery from the early development era of the Irrigation Areas.

The Humphrey pump, invented by Mr H A Humphrey, is an internal combustion pump in which the force exerted by the explosion of a mixture of inflammable gas and air acts directly on the suface of the water, forcing it to an elevated position. All non-return valves and pistons are eliminated from the water path within the pump. The liquid itself is made to perform the functions of the piston and fly-wheel required in other gas engines. The oscillation of the water column in the pump (approximately 300 tonnes) serves to draw in a fresh supply of water, exhaust the products of combustion, take in a new charge of combustible mixture, and compress and ignite it during each four stroke cycle.

The two pumps at Cobdogla, placed adjacent to each other on a common foundation, provided irrigation water for the Cobdogla Irrigation Area for 40 years until 1965. Only one pump was used at a time, the other pump acting as a standby.

History

The museum originally was a major project to commence South Australia's 150th birthday.

Location

Trussell Terrace, Cobdogla, 6km west of Barmera

The Museum is well sign-posted from the Sturt Highway

Latitude-longitude -34.2465,140.4005

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Open

A number of general operating days and Humphrey Pump operating days are held per year on a Sunday. Refer Events or contact Barmera Visitor Information Centre