It is in the locality of Barron Gorge in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area 20 kilometres (12 mi) north-west of Cairns.

The 3.8 MW plant was the first underground power station in Australia and supplied the Cairns area with electricity for 28 years.

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.

[4] Water enters a concrete intake tower and then flows through a 2.9-metre (9 ft 6 in) wide horizontal tunnel for 1.6 kilometres (0.99 mi).

In 2003 Stanwell Corporation Limited developed a $28 million strategic plan to extend the life of Barron Gorge Hydro for 40 years.

[1] Phase one was completed in 2006 and included a mid-life refit, upgrading the majority of the originally installed electrical plant.