The Pipeline

In 1895 the first plans were prepared for an engineering feat that would stagger the world — an attempt to pump water uphill some 500 km, from the hills near Perth to the goldfields of Coolgardie.

Before construction began, the dream had become bigger. The pipeline was extended for water to be pumped even further east, to the new goldfields of Kalgoorlie.

On 24 January 1903, the dream became a reality when water, which began its journey at Mundaring Weir, flowed into to Mt Charlotte Reservoir at Kalgoorlie.

Today, water is supplied to over 100 000 people and six million sheep in an area covering 44 000 square kilometres (two thirds the size of Tasmania).

The Golden Pipeline commemorates this great undertaking.

The Project

The time frame for the development of the Golden Pipeline almost mirrors, one hundred years later, the program of building the scheme that it seeks to celebrate.

It was in 1998 that the Board of the Water Corporation approved an offer of $1.3M to the National Trust to undertake work on the Golden Pipeline. It was in 1898 that work began in earnest on the construction of Mundaring Weir, the first element of the Goldfields Water Supply Scheme (GWSS). Other funding bodies came on board.

It has been a truly remarkable project to work on. It is the National Trust’s most ambitious project so far in Western Australia.

The project started with planning and developed a sound strategic base.

Plans covered

• conservation of both major and minor sites,
• interpretation,
• a series of walk and drive trails,
• a business plan and master planning at Mundaring Weir and Mt Charlotte.

The Trust was assisted in its endeavours by a large number of people who volunteered their time to serve on consultative groups — Planning Advisory Groups in each Local Government Area, the Business Planning Steering Group, the Interpretation Advisory Group, the Conservation Advisory Group, the Golden Pipeline Council, the Wheatbelt Development Commission’s Working Group. and some 500 individuals.

Tangible achievements include:

• The development and construction of the 650 km Golden Pipeline Heritage Trail consisting of 25 sites of varying scale and including infrastructure (parking, picnic facilities, etc) and significant directional and interpretation signage.
• The preparation of the Golden Pipeline Heritage Trail guidebook – 120 page, full colour.
• Works to conserve the original fabric and values of No 1 Pump Station, No 3 Pump Station, No 4 Pump Station, Karalee Rocks (railway water catchment), No 8 Pump Station, Jack Carin’s Camp and Mt Charlotte Reservoir and, where relevant, their communities.
• Work to conserve the remnant machinery at No 1, No 3, No 6 and No 8 Pump Stations.
• Building works to No 1 Pump Station (temporary staff facility) and Mundaring Weir Precinct (landscaping, construction of the Learning Centre), No 3 Pump Station (display pavilion, Visitor Centre) and Mt Charlotte Reservoir (viewing platform and water feature, upgrading existing walk trails and constructing new trails).
• Substantial interpretation works at No 1 Pump Station and No 3 Pump Station.
• Construction of walk trails in the Mundaring Weir precinct (Weir Walk – 1.9 km, O’Connor Trail – 5.3 km), and the Kep Track, a multi use trail between Mundaring Weir and Northam (75 km).
• Implementation of education and public programs at No 1 Pump Station and along the Pipeline in conjunction with community based partners including Water Corporation and Department of Environment and Conservation.
  

Sponsors

• Water Corporation
• Environment Australia
• Western Australian State Government
• Main Roads Western Australia
• City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder
• Lotteries Commission
• Department of Transport & Regional Services
• Tyco Water
• OneSteel
• 3M Corporation
• Battye Library

Coolgardie Mining Company Pty Ltd, Shire of Coolgardie, Shire of Cunderdin, Shire of Kalamunda, Shire of Kellerberrin, Shire of Merredin, Shire of Mundaring, Shire of Northam , Shire of Tammin, Shire of Westonia, Shire of Yilgarn, Town of Northam, Western Australian Tourism Commission, Wheatbelt Development Commission, Goldfields-Esperance Development Commission, Area Consultative Committees, Goldfields Tourism Association, Heartland Tourism Association, Dept. of Conservation and Land Management, Department of Justice, Institution of Engineers (Australia), Ken Kelsall.

Current and former Water Corporation workers & their families.

Community groups from all local government areas along the pipeline.

 

 

The National Trust of Australia (WA)
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