Carnarvon Water Tanks

Child Places

• 03469 Water Tower

Values

 The Water Tank (1920) is a prominent landmark located on the highest point in the Town of Carnarvon.

 The Water Tank (1920) is associated with the early development of Carnarvon and the provision of water supplies to the town in the 1920s.

 The place is representative of the changes in technology over time to provide water supplies to remote communities.

Physical Description

The Water Tank (1920) is constructed of reinforced concrete and is 40 feet in height, 30 feet in diameter and has a capacity of 176,000 gallons. The adjacent reinforced concrete Water Tank (1960) is of a wider profile. The MI states that the appearance of the Tanks are typical of early construction in North West regional towns, the bulk and size of which were required to withstand cyclones, and being constructed on a foundation of sand.

History

First permanently settled in 1876, Carnarvon was settled to serve the developing pastoral industry in the region. As coastal shipping was the only form of reliable transport a port at Carnarvon was created in 1886 to serve the Gascoyne district. At the turn of the century, a one-mile long jetty was built on Babbage Island, with a tramway providing transport from the jetty to the mainland and the town. By the early 1920s primary production was increasing in the state. In 1920, canning and freezing facilities for a meatworks were built on Babbage Island adjacent to Carnarvon.
The Water Tank (1920s) was constructed between 1920 and 1923 by the Public Works Department for the Carnarvon Water Board. It replaced an elevated tank in a nearby location that was not high enough to provide sufficient water pressure to the town. The Tank is constructed of reinforced concrete and is 40 feet in height, 30 feet in diameter and has a capacity of 176,000 gallons. The tank was constructed using timber forming and concrete batched on site, with aggregate materials sourced from the Gascoyne River. The foundations extend 10 feet into the sand hill.
The Tank was commissioned as part of a scheme of infrastructure improvements which commenced in 1920, to cater for increases in residential growth and shipping, and predicted demand from the proposed North West Meatworks company. Other improvements included the construction of a pipeline from the Tank to the jetty along the tramway jetty, construction of a storage tank at the jetty, and the upgrade of power supplies at the town power station. These improvements were completed in 1923. On its completion, the Department of the North West took over responsibility for the Tank, with maintenance still carried out by the Carnarvon Water Board. When in use, water was pumped from a bore at Yankee Town, now known as East Carnarvon, and then reticulated to the town and to the storage tank at the jetty, which supplied water for shipping. However, the proposed meatworks for which the scheme was constructed did not come to fruition. In c1960s a new Water Tank with half a million gallon storage capacity was constructed adjacent to the existing 1920s Tank to improve water security and provide for peak supply. The existing Tank remained in operation for a further 68 years when it decommissioned after the town supply was sourced from tanks constructed at Brown Range.
In 1994, the State Heritage Office received a nomination for the Water Tank (1920). At that time, the Register Committee deferred further consideration of the matter until the local Municipal Inventory was completed, allowing for the heritage values of the place to be considered within a broader context. A review of the Shire of Carnarvon MI was undertaken in June 2015, and includes both the 1920s and 1960s tank as one place.

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.