Local Government
Merredin
Region
Wheatbelt
Gravel Trk, cont Benson St Merredin
Continuation of Benson Street North side of road
Durdgutling; Durdgutting
Merredin Peak Dam (Well No.8); Quarries, Wall
Merredin
Wheatbelt
Constructed from 1930, Constructed from 1893
| Type | Status | Date | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| State Register | Registered | 07 Dec 2007 | HCWebsite.Listing+ListingDocument, HCWebsite.Listing+ListingDocument |
| Type | Status | Date | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| (no listings) |
| Type | Status | Date | Grading/Management | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | ||||
| Statewide Railway Heritage Surve | Completed | 01 Mar 1994 | ||
| Wells of Explorer Charles Hunt Survey | Recorded | 01 Nov 1991 | ||
| Municipal Inventory | Adopted | 16 Apr 1999 | Category 2 | |
In a feat of engineering that was bold, imaginative and efficient, Merredin Peak was surrounded by a rock wall arid network of channels to direct run-off from the rock into Railway Dam. It was one of the first rock catchment dams in the state and at the time of its construction was an engineering show-piece, being modelled in clay and exhibited in the museum. Originally built in 1893 by J. McDowell, a railway contractor, it was enlarged in the 1930s and presently has a capacity of around 30 million litres. Even after Merredin was connected to water from the Goldfields Pipeline, the Railway Dam continued to be used to supply water for steam engines, until the 1960s, because of its purity. The children of Merredin used to swim in the dam before the Town's Olympic Pool, the second in Western Australia, was opened in 1955. The channel connecting the dam with Merredin Peak is some 100 metres along and is made from rock taken from the Peak itself. Walking along the channel you can see variations in colour and texture where the rock was taken from different parts of the Peak and holes drilled in the rock during the process of removing it in blocks. A sluice gate at the entrance of, the channel was used to control the flow of water into the dam in conjunction with a second gate to the left of the channel along the rock wall. This ensured that the town would not be flooded in the event of exceptional rainfall. The rock wall feeds run-off water into the channel and dam. The enterprising use of indigenous material in the wall's construction has been described as one of the best examples of this kind ever built. 45,000 cubic metres of run-off is channelled into Railway Dam annually and is now used to water the parks and gardens of Merredin. The rock used to build the dam, wall and channels was taken from a number of sites on the Peak. Wooden pegs were driven into the rock and moistened with water, and as they expanded the rock was fractured. One such quarry site is near the southern end of the Peak and has been included in a heritage trail. North of this quarry is the foundation of the reservoir which supplied water to the war time hospital complex. Still visible are remnants of the pipe which carried water from the reservoir to the base.
Situated on the north-eastern edge of the townsite is Merredin Peak, a granite outcrop. A retaining wall and water channels have been constructed to direct run-off water into a holding dam situated on the south-west corner, referred to as Railway Dam because its purpose was to supply railway engines with water. A wall on the northern side of the Peak bears the initials of a railway contractor "W.H.S. AD 1896". Stone to construct the walls was taken from various quarries on the Peak. The dam holds about 30 million litres and is still used to irrigate sporting facilities in the town and supply the "waterfall".
Themes: Population Settlement and Mobility - Water Source Transport and Communications - Rail
The original fabric is in place providing a very high integrity.
Good
| Name | Type | Year From | Year To |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Herbert Shields, Public Works Department engineer | Architect | - | - |
| Public Works Department (PWD) Country Water Supply | Architect | - | - |
| Ref ID No | Ref Name | Ref Source | Ref Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Merredin Tourist" booklet | Merredin Tourist & Information Centre (Inc) | 1979 | |
| "Merredin Peak Heritage Trail" booklet | WA Heritage Committee | 1988 |
| Library Id | Title | Medium | Year Of Publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8904 | Merredin Peak Reserve [WA] : interpretation plan. | Heritage Study {Other} | 2007 |
Other Built Type
| Epoch | General | Specific |
|---|---|---|
| Original Use | GOVERNMENTAL | Reservoir or Dam |
| Present Use | SOCIAL\RECREATIONAL | Other |
| Original Use | GOVERNMENTAL | Other |
| Original Use | Transport\Communications | Rail: Other |
| Type | General | Specific |
|---|---|---|
| Wall | STONE | Granite |
| General | Specific |
|---|---|
| DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY | Aboriginal Occupation |
| TRANSPORT & COMMUNICATIONS | Rail & light rail transport |
| DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY | Exploration & surveying |
| DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY | Settlements |
| SOCIAL & CIVIC ACTIVITIES | Community services & utilities |
| DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY | Resource exploitation & depletion |
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