Serpentine Dam

Statement of Significance

One of the largest water storage facilities supporting the Perth population, allowing for the rapid industrial growth in the 1950's in Kwinana

Physical Description

Pipehead dam, 7.4 kms above the Serpentine Falls. The main dam situated below the junction of Serpentine River and Big Brook (main tributary) where the valley broadens and provides an storage basin expanse. Earthern filled wall construction.

History

In the late 1950s, Perth was on the brink of the rapid industrial growth which changed it in a matter of years into a bustling, modern city. The Kwinana industrial area south of the city was then in its infancy but growing at such a rate that new water sources were urgently needed. Planners saw the potential of the Serpentine River as a major water supply source, and so began the Serpentine Scheme. The project aimed to increase storage capacity in the Hills by 170 per cent. This scale made it the biggest construction project undertaken by the then Water Authority since 1940, when Canning Dam had been completed. The first stage was a Pipehead Dam, seven kilometres upstream from the Serpentine Falls. The official opening of the Pipehead Dam in 1957 also marked the beginning of work on the Serpentine Main Dam which was finished in 1961. The main dam’s capacity of 137.7 million kilolitres, makes it one of the biggest supplying the Perth metropolitan area. Water from the Serpentine Scheme is piped under gravity to the city from the Pipehead Dam through two 55 kilometre long pipelines. Landscape Architect, John Oldham was born in Perth in 1907. He was appointed WA’s first Government landscape architect in the 1950s. Among many of his achievements were the landscaping of the Narrows Interchange, Parliament House, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Serpentine and Wellington Dams, Western Australian Institute of Technology and developing a master plan for Kings Park and the Swan River foreshores. John Oldham was given the responsibility of Landscape Architect for the Serpentine Dam project. His impact spans logistical influence regarding large scale earth works as well as a high level of detailed design documentation involving stone and planting. A parterre garden featuring a Serpent paving design is perhaps one of the earliest attempts at referencing Aboriginal culture through landscape design. John Oldham had incorporated a water fountain, steps, and seating utilising rock from the site.

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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