Water Supply Office (fmr)

Statement of Significance

The place has historic and architectural heritage values.

Physical Description

The former Water Supply Office is constructed of red brick and has a gable ended corrugated iron roof with ogee profile gutters. It is built to the street boundary of Great Northern Highway (originally Newcastle Road). In the street (north-west) facade a narrow entrance door with a fanlight opens directly onto the footpath. The street facade also has two narrow two paned, double hung, timber framed windows. It has a red brick chimney. An old wall with fairly sympathetic modern alterations runs between the Water Supply Office and the Town Hall, providing privacy and security to the rear of the courthouse grounds. Bricked in doorways in the wall appear to have provided access. Internal layout of the building consisted of a private office, including a fireplace and a public office with a counter and another fireplace. Some internal features, including the stained timber fireplace mantelpieces and narrow moulded skirtings, remain.

History

The former Water Supply Office was designed by the Public Works Department and constructed along with the courthouse as part of one contract by builder Alfred Ede. The contract was completed in August 1907 at the cost of £1,906. The Water Supply Office was built in response to the considerable demand for reticulated water supply connections when Midland Junction was incorporated into the Goldfields Water Supply Scheme in 1906. Until the office's completion, the Water Supply Department had rented two rooms in the newly completed Town Hall. By the 1940s, the office was used only on Fridays, when an officer of the Metropolitan Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Department would travel from Perth, mainly to collect rates. When sewerage connections were in considerable demand in the late 1950s-60s, the office was well used. Since c.1970s the office has no longer been in use.

Integrity/Authenticity

High

Condition

Good

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.