Toorak Hill, Goldfields Water Supply Reservoir

Parent Place or Precinct

16610 Goldfields Water Supply Scheme

Values

The place represents water storage on the Goldfields pipeline.

The place has historical value as it forms part of the Goldfields pipeline.

The place has associations with the establishment of the railway network to the Eastern Goldfields during the gold boom of the 1890s.

The place forms part of system of reservoirs and dams established to provide water for the steam engines that once operated on the railway; a function which is no longer practised.

Physical Description

A large circular reservoir tank into which the Eastern Goldfields Water Supply at first terminated. The tank sits atop Toorak Hill, once the extreme of the gazetted town and the name of its northern suburb and is at a point from which the most extensive and informative views of Coolgardie may be seen.

History

This place is associated with the Railways but not directly linked. It was a storage tank for the end of the Mundaring to Kalgoorlie pipeline and supplied water to Coolgardie and later Kalgoorlie.



‘At the opening of the Southern Cross to Coolgardie railway on 23 March 1896, Premier Sir John Forrest formally announced his governments intention to construct a water pipeline to Coolgardie. Toorak Hill was chosen as the endpoint of the pipeline as it could provide sufficient fall for the reticulation of the town. By November, Toorak Hill had been surveyed. The plan indicated housing allotments, public reserves, an observatory and a school as well as the tank.’



‘Even as the water scheme was being implemented Coolgardie was in decline. Alluvial mining was drying up and Kalgoorlie was fast becoming the major Goldfields town. The decision was made that water from the Toorak Tank would be gravity fed a further 40 kilometres to a reservoir to be built on Mt Charlotte at Kalgoorlie and the previously named Coolgardie Water Supply Scheme became the Goldfields Water Supply Scheme.’



‘Water first flowed into the Toorak Tank on 22 December 1902. At the official opening ceremony the mayor’s wife was first to taste the light brown, less than pleasant tasting water, but at least she had the privilage of doing so from a gold cup.’



‘By 1912 Toorak Tank was used solely to supply Coolgardies water requirements.’

Integrity/Authenticity

High

Condition

Good - operational and maintained

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.