Wadderin Dam

Author

Shire of Narembeen

Place Number

05875

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Location

12 k NE of Narembeen

Location Details

Local Government

Narembeen

Region

Wheatbelt

Construction Date

Constructed from 1927

Demolition Year

N/A

Statutory Heritage Listings

Type	Status	Date	Documents	More information
(no listings)

Heritage Council Decisions and Deliberations

Type	Status	Date	Documents
RHP - Does not warrant assessment	Current	26 Jun 2020

Other Heritage Listings and Surveys

Type	Status	Date	Grading/Management		More information
Type	Status	Date	Category	Description	More information
Municipal Inventory	Adopted	31 Jul 1996	Category 2	Category 2 A place of considerable cultural heritage significance; provide an appropriate level of recognition and protection. Recommend that maximum encouragement is provided to the owner to conserve the significance of the place. Nomination to the National Trust Classified List is recommended, to afford protection by means of moral persuasion. (TPS procedure also relevant)

Statement of Significance

The dam is significant in the development of Narembeen.

Physical Description

16 million gallon capacity. Natural rock catchment has an excavated dam - originally covered. Water pumped from the dam to a 0.5 million gallon service tank on the highest rock (a landmark). From there the water supply is reticulated to Narembeen town. Brick pump house?

History

It may well be that as the dam was constructed during the Depression it could have been a Government sustenance worker's project, (unsubstantiated) During the construction of the dam in 1927, PWD camps were located close by, and the number of children at the camp boosted the numbers enabling the Wadderin School to be established in the vicinity. It subsequently closed less than a year later and relocated to the Siding. The dam was opened on 1 December 1928 by the Minister for Water Supply, JC Cunningham. The importance of the event is evidenced by the attendance of the Leader of the Opposition, Sir James Mitchell, and the Deputy leader of the Country Party, Charles Latham. The recently formed Narembeen Brass Band played for the occasion, in 1928 the dam was reticulated to the town of Narembeen there-by supply the town's water. In 1955 a 2 million gallon storage tank was constructed on the west side of the scheme, and a 7" main connected the Wadderin Dam to the Goldfields Water Scheme. In the 1960s the scheme was renovated and extended with the construction of a 120,000 gallon tank in Soldiers Rd, for use by those not reticulated by the scheme. Located near the golf club, as the largest dam in the district it is a popular picnic venue.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Intact
Authenticity: High degree

Condition

Good

Associations

Name	Type	Year From	Year To
PWD	Architect	1927	-

References

Ref ID No	Ref Name	Ref Source	Ref Date
	"Newspaper Article".	Merredin Mercury	13/02/1974
	Bristow I; "Seedtime & Harvest A History of the Narembeen District 1888-1988".	Shire of Narembeen	1988

Place Type

Historic site

Uses

Epoch	General	Specific
Original Use	GOVERNMENTAL	Reservoir or Dam
Present Use	GOVERNMENTAL	Reservoir or Dam

Historic Themes

General	Specific
DEMOGRAPHIC SETTLEMENT & MOBILITY	Settlements

Creation Date

16 May 1997

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Approved

Last Update

01 Jan 2017

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.