Northampton State Battery

Statement of Significance

1993
The site has very high local and high State significance for historic, social, and scientific reasons.
2004
Northampton State Battery, a lead battery complex consisting of crushing mill, offices, workshop,
managers house, weighbridge and a large [gravity] dam has cultural heritage significance for the
following reasons:
•The place is the only surviving gravity separation plant for the treatment of heavy minerals in the
Western Australian State Battery complex.
•The place is directly related to the third phase of mining activity (1948-1981) in the Northampton
[Murchison] mineral fields.
•The place is valued by the local community and contributes to its sense of place.
•The group of structures and machinery are dominant features in [over the natural] their modified
environment.

Physical Description

1993
The State lead battery site still contains significant structures and machinery indicative of its former operation
although some material has been removed. It is a good example of industrial architecture and the importance of
the site is acknowledged with the Wheal Ellen mine site (Site 117) as a precinct in the Northampton Town
Planning Policies which suggests tourism potential for the site. See also similar comments for Wheal Fortune
(Site No.35) and Baddera (Site No.37) mines.
2004
For a full description see Eastman and Poletti etal.
The structure of the building housing the Battery remains relatively intact although the external cladding fabric is in
poor condition. Much of the Battery plant is however missing, having been sold off and removed upon closure of
the site. The Battery is now in need of some urgent repair work, particularly in the weatherproofing of the building
and the stabilisation of adjacent ground, to ensure that it does not suffer further deterioration, which may seriously
undermine its condition.
The fabric of the Managers Residence and office is in poor condition, but does not contribute to the cultural
significance of the site and would not warrant substantial repair works.
At the time of the 2004 Ml review a section of the rear gantry had been deliberately collapsed by the (presumably
illegal) removal of vertical pipework (State Battery 1 to 2).
The tailings dump area remains relatively unstable and unvegetated, and the issue of lead contamination of the
Nokanena Brook continues to be of environmental concern for the community and the Department of
Environmental Protection. At the time of the 2004 Ml review there was no evident progress in rehabilitation of the
tailings area.

History

1993
Construction of the Lead Battery commenced in 1953 and was operational by 1954 continuing through into the midlate
60's; though less than 50 years old it was, nonetheless, an important part of the mining industry for the time.
Its construction was in response to the jump in the world price of lead in the mid 1940's which caused a post war
revival in the Western Australian mining industry.
2004
The structure of the building housing the Battery remains relatively intact although the external cladding fabric is in
poor condition. Much of the Battery plant is however missing, having been sold off and removed upon closure of
the site. The Battery is now in need of some urgent repair work, particularly in the weatherproofing of the building
and the stabilisation of adjacent ground, to ensure that it does not suffer further deterioration, which may seriously
undermine its condition.
The fabric of the Managers Residence and office is in poor condition, but does not contribute to the cultural
significance of the site and would not warrant substantial repair works.
The tailings dump area remains relatively unstable and unvegetated, and the issue of lead contamination of the
Nokanena Brook continues to be of environmental concern for the community and the Department of
Environmental Protection.
Planning by the Department of Mines, for the Former State Battery at Northampton, had commenced even before
1949 when the site was surveyed. Construction, coordinated by the Department, commenced in 1952 and the
Battery was officially opened in 1954. The Battery was built on mineral lease land surrendered to the Department
in 1952. This original reservation has been extended on a number of occasions to form the site currently vested in
the Minister.
The Battery was inactive from 1 April 1983. The Shire of Northampton expressed interest in taking the place over
for tourism, and the Superintendent of State Batteries recommended this strategy to the Director General of Mines.
However, the proposal was rejected for reasons of insurance and a desire to keep the Battery in working order.
The plant was put on a care and maintenance from November 1984.
In June 1989, the Western Australian Mint announced that the mill and fittings, house and ancillary buildings at the
Battery had been sold at public tender to Plantagenet Securities Pty Ltd. In the succeeding years, most of the
plant was sold off piecemeal by the company. The Battery, its site and the associated building infrastructure are
now the property of the Western Australian State Government through the Western Australian Mint. The Battery
and buildings are unused and derelict, and the site secured and signposted with warnings as to the dangerous
nature of the lead tailings at the site.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity: Low

Condition

Poor

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.