In November 1935, the Governor of Queensland, Sir Leslie Orme Wilson, officially opened Barron Gorge, Queensland's first hydroelectric power station. Demand for power soon exceeded supply and in 1940 the two turbo alternators were supplemented by a unit. The original site was largely dismantled and decommissioned in 1959 and the present Barron Falls power station was commissioned in 1963 further down stream. A new, larger power station was needed to supply the rapidly growing demand in north Queensland. Construction of the new power station began on 6 October 1960 and it was expected to cost £2,055,000.