WA considers 22 ‘Golden Pipeline’ sites for historic register

Twenty-two culturally significant heritage sites along Western Australia’s historic Goldfields Water Supply Scheme – including original pump station buildings and equipment – will be considered for inclusion in the State Register of Heritage Places pending further consultation with community and stakeholders.

Located within the 119 year old Goldfields Water Supply Scheme – known to most as the CY O’Connor Pipeline, or the Golden Pipeline – the sites include original supporting infrastructure for what was formerly the world’s longest overland pipeline.

Western Australia’s Heritage Minister, David Templeman, said the pipeline has left a lasting legacy of innovation.

“The Goldfields Water Supply Scheme represents one of Western Australia’s greatest public engineering feats and we are seeking public input to better understand what its history means to our community,” Mr Templeman said.

“The success of this pipeline has left a lasting legacy of innovation and robust public water infrastructure that has underpinned our economic and social development for more than a century – and public consultation is an integral part of understanding what it means to the community.

“The pipeline remains in service today with parts of the system removed or replaced at times to ensure continued use.”

Spanning 17 locations, the sites include all the Goldfields Water Supply Scheme’s original steam pump station buildings, a selection of staff accommodation, original and second-generation reservoirs and tank sites, and archaeological sites and equipment associated with construction and operation of the pipeline in its 119-year history.

While the pipeline itself was recognised on the National Heritage List in 2011, it is not included as part of the current proposal as some individual components are already on the State Register, some sections have been retired, and other sections are subject to removal and repurposing to ensure continued use.

Places entered on the State Register can be developed to meet contemporary needs or adapted for a new use in a way that respects the heritage values of the place.

To view the draft Register Entry and Assessment Documentation and to make a submission, visit https://consultation.dplh.wa.gov.au/

Comments close on 2 September 2022.

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