Hillman Dam

Statement of Significance

The site is important for its connection with the railways which assisted in the development of the district. It is also notable for its association with the Great Depression of the 1930’s which had a catastrophic effect on the lives and financial affairs of those at the time.

Physical Description

Located at the foot of Mt. Harris using the catchment off Julikin Rock- a large granite rock with an area of about 5 ha.

A concrete channel was made from the base of this rock to the dam. A pipe line ran from the dam to the siding, and the water gravitated into a large overhead iron storage tank.

The dam is approximately 100m x 60m and the extremities have been covered an by asbestos roof supported by timber uprights. The cover has collapsed in many places. Above the dam the concrete channel runs about 1.5km to the Julikin Rock where a rock wall on the extremities of the rock guides the water into the channel. The wall contains some huge flat granite rocks- 2m x 1m. The first section (50m) of channel is rock lined, there after concrete. About 40 metres east of the rock and 20m south of channel is a well which probably was used in the construction phase.

During the route of the channel, it is met with earth drains which have a silt trap prior to joining the channel. Close to the dam is a large angled grate and diversion channel to divert debris during a flash flood. About 50m from the dam a large silt trap lies across the 1m high channel which has been widened from 1m to 3m for the last 100m to reduce the rate of flow. Tent poles remain near the dam from the construction days.

History

When the Narrogin-Collie railway was built, a concrete weir was erected across the Hillman River. Don McLeod was employed to drive the steam engine used to pump water from the dam to the overhead tank, at Hillman Siding, for the steam trains.

In the early 1930s it was found that the water was becoming too saline and causing the boilers of the engines to rust, so a new dam was built, using the catchment from the Julikin Rock. Most of the labour used were sustenance workers and the dam itself was sunk by horse teams owned and driven by local farmers. Jum (G.M.) and Bob Bates, Ron Medlen and the Richards’s from Tarwonga were all employed. It is believed Jim Beavan first started dam-sinking on the Hillman Dam. Jim sank dams from then until just before he sold his farm in the early 1950’s, using horse teams. (No doubt others were employed, including Bert Gibbs, who was also well-known as a dam-sinker in this area.)

Don McLeod left Hillman when the pumping station at the old dam was closed, and sold the block of land he had selected to Arthur Hulse, from Merredin. (1)

Hillman Siding took its name from the Hillman River which was so called after Surveyor Alfred Hillman- the father of the Albany Road marking the first direct route from Perth to Albany- 1837. (2) (Mount Harris was named after the early pioneer settler, Joseph Harris, who is credited with the discovery of the plants causing losses through poisoning of stock).

Integrity/Authenticity

Modifications: Few
Extent of original fabric: All

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

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