Mrs Archer was born in Deloraine, and moved to Bronte Park in 1950 at the age of four, where she lived for ten years.

"When you're in a village like that, it's sort of isolated,” Mrs Archer said.

“You just become one big family and that family bond lasts a lifetime.”

“My happy memories are growing up with my mum and dad and my two brothers; lots of snow in those days going to school."

The Tasmanian government bought a struggling electricity company, which became the Hydro-Electric Department, in 1914.

Hydro's first power station was opened in 1916 at Waddamana.

With power stations came villages to house Hydro workers and their families.

Hydro villages appeared with increasing frequency to accommodate workers constructing Tasmania’s power systems, especially in the 1930s and ‘40s, after the Great Depression. 

Hydro towns had all the necessary amenities- stores, recreational areas and even schools. 

"There was a weekly dance that we had, there was a little hospital there, our school was there, the chalet was there,” Mrs Archer said. 

When Mrs Archer was 13-years-old, her family vacated Bronte Park for another Hydro town, Poatina. 

"I worked in Poatina at the little local shoe store that was there," Mrs Archer recalled. 

Mrs Archer said because Poatina was less isolated than Bronte Park, she became exposed to regular towns. 

“It was a time in our life when the guys were getting cars so that enabled us to then go into Launceston and then go to the drive-in,” she said.

“That interacted us with more people.”

She moved to Hobart at the age of 17 to pursue studies in nursing, having spent 13 years growing up in Hydro villages. 

Mrs Archer is now married to Lyle Archer, who also spent time living the Hydro life.

Mr Archer moved from NSW to Liawenee as a 15-year-old around 1950. 

He moved to Bronte Park in 1952.

“For many years his life was on the Hydro as well," Mrs Archer said. 

Mr Archer has known Mrs Archer since she was an 8-year-old girl living at Bronte Park.

However, they didn’t wed until 11 years ago.

The pair reconnected after both their respective spouses passed away from cancer. 

"Fate just bought us together after we both lost our husband and wife and here we are with 11 beautiful years, and hopefully many more to come," Mrs Archer said. 

"It sort of brought me back into that Hydro family after being out of it for 30 years...I came back into it, I mix with all these Hydro people again through marrying Lyle,” she said.

“Lyle worked with my dad on the same construction site.”

Former Hydro kids are spread around the state, and happily join forces to reminisce.

Late last year, a Hydro reunion which the Archers helped organise saw 400 people meet up to discuss their time in the villages.

Attendees from all around Tasmania gathered at the Spreyton Football Club in the North-West to reflect on their unique upbringings.

"They came from all over the state, it was absolutely wonderful," Mrs Archer said. 

David Morgan was born in 1947, and soon after he and his family moved from Launceston to Hilltop village at Waddamana.

They lived there until he was five. 

The family then moved to Bronte Park, where Mr Morgan attended school.

One of earliest memories from Bronte Park is the day of Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation on June 3, 1953. 

"[Hilltop] was good, it was a fairly big village in those days,” Mr Morgan said.

“There were 1000 single men in the single men's quarters, and about 850 houses there."

Mr Morgan, who now lives “a life of leisure” and resides in George Town, said the village kids made their own fun. 

"We grew up with it, and we didn't know much different so we used to make our own fun,” Mr Morgan said.

“We used to do a lot of bushwalking around the place as kids," he said. 

After growing up in Hydro towns, Mr Morgan went on to work at Tungatinah Power Station when he was 18-years-old.

After getting married in 1969, Mr Morgan and his wife moved to Wayatinah Power Station. 

He left Hydro in 1976, as his twin children having to take a 26-mile bus ride to school was becoming inconvenient. 

He moved to George Town and went on to work for Comalco. 

Mr Morgan said he keeps in contact with some other past Hydro residents.

"We did [form quite strong friendships]...it was quite a big school, as you can imagine with all the families living there,” he said.

“There are friendships that are still going on today."

Tarraleah Village in the Central Highlands holds a nostalgic place in Devonport man Ross Warren’s heart. 

"The village really was a mini United Nations back in those days,” Mr Warren said.

“There were people from all over the world that had come to work for the Hydro from Britain, Italy, Germany, all over Europe."

Mr Warren said all the village children got along well, and he thoroughly enjoyed catching up with other Tarraleah ex-residents at Hydro celebrations. 

Hydro towns have been reinvented in many ways: Tarraleah became a tourist destination; Christian organisation Fusion Australia took over Poatina; and Waddamana has the Waddamana Power Station Museum.