Local Government
Wagin
Region
Wheatbelt
Wagin
Badjarning Dam and Puntapin Dam/Rock Reserve
Wagin
Wheatbelt
Constructed from 1927, Constructed from 1911
| Type | Status | Date | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| (no listings) |
| Type | Status | Date | Documents |
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| Type | Status | Date | Grading/Management | |
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| Municipal Inventory | Adopted | Category 3 | ||
The place has historic value as a demonstration of the importance of a reliable water supply to a town's development prior to the introduction of the Comprehensive Water Scheme.
Puntapin Dam (as for Badgarning Dam) comprises a dam of clay pipe with no intrusions of granite rock. The catchment area is granite rock (broken rock at Bargarning). Puntapin Dam has a rock with a retaining wall around and contour drains which direct the water to the dam at the foot of the rock. Puntapin Dam is south-east of Wagin on Bullock Hills Road.
Badgarning Dam was constructed in 1911, to supply water to the town of Wagin. It had a capacity of 76 million litres and was handed over to the Shire of Wagin by the Minister for Works, Henry Daglish. It was completed at a cost of £11,000 and was estimated to impound 17,000,000 gallons.1 The Water Board took it over in 1914, for £15,000. There were 16 km of piping to carry the water the 8 km to town. The official opening ceremony for the new Water Scheme utilising Puntapin Dam was described extensively in the Wagin Argus: There was great rejoicing in Wagin on Saturday, 19th inst., when the Minister for Country Water Supply (Mr J. Cunningham) declared the town's new water scheme open. ... The whole engineering work has been admirably carried out, and reflects the greatest credit on the engineers of the Country Water Supply Department. ... They visited the Water Scheme in the morning. Miss Cunningham set the machinery in the pumping station working, and Mr Stubbs [MLA] turned on the water, which is pumped from the dam to the concrete tower on the top of Puntapin Rock, and then gravitated to Wagin.... The new Puntapin scheme is estimated to cost £35,000. In 1930, the Badgarning Dam was superseded by the Puntapin Rock Catchment Scheme. The Puntapin Rock Catchment Scheme was started in early June 1927. The bottom was of solid clay with no intrusions of granite rock as with the Badgarning Dam. In 1928, a retaining wall was built around the rock and contour drains to take the water into the dam at the foot of the rock. A concrete tank of 675,000 litres capacity has since been constructed on top of the rock, Mr A. C. Diamond being the engineer. In 1930, Wagin was cut off from the Badgarning Dam supply and was entirely dependent on the water from Puntapin Dam. Mr E. G. H. Ganzer, chairman of the Wagin Road Board, during the opening ceremony had commented that, "the Puntapin scheme would be of incalculable benefit to the district". In 1956, Wagin was connected with the comprehensive scheme which brought water from the Wellington Dam. However, water from Puntapin Dam is still used, mixed with water from Wellington Dam.
INTEGRITY: High AUTHENTICITY: High
Good
| Name | Type | Year From | Year To |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Daglish. Minister of Works | Architect | 1911 | - |
| Mr A. C. Diamond (Concrete Tank) | Architect | 1930 | - |
| Ref ID No | Ref Name | Ref Source | Ref Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| MJ Pederick; "The Emu's Watering Place: A Brief History of the Wagin District". p.150 | Churchlands College, Perth | 1979 | |
| "Wagin Argus". p.5 | 31-1-1929 | ||
| JS Battye; "Cyclopaedia of Western Australia". p,713 | Hussey & Gillingham, Adelaide, | 1913 |
Historic site
| Epoch | General | Specific |
|---|---|---|
| Present Use | GOVERNMENTAL | Reservoir or Dam |
| Original Use | GOVERNMENTAL | Reservoir or Dam |
| General | Specific |
|---|---|
| OCCUPATIONS | Technology & technological change |
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