The Perth to Coolgardie Water Scheme

The Premier's Pipe Dream

As the population in the goldfields grew, so did the need for water. Desalination plants could not cope with the increased numbers of people and burgeoning industries.

Forrest and O'Connor shared a vision for opening up the state by pumping water through pipes across the desert. But the undertaking was massive and before the pipeline could even be built, supporting infrastructure needed to be put in place:

The West at War

For five years the construction of the pipeline was clouded in controversy. By the close of the century, as the rest of Australia was preparing to vote for Federation, WA was in turmoil with Forrest and the miners at war with one another:

In January 1903, the pipeline was opened and the dream of water in the goldfields became a reality. The biggest and most ambitious engineering project of its kind in the world saved thousands from disease and drought, unlocked untold riches in gold and allowed the 'Cinderella' state of Western Australia to take its place in Australia's Commonwealth.

PIPELINE TRIVIA:

• Length of pipeline: 526 kilometres
• Length of pipe: 8.4 metres
• Diameter of pipe: 30 centimetres
• Number of joins: 100,000 (approximately)
• Diameter of joining sleeve: 20 centimetres
• Volume of water: 22.7 million litres per day
• Water pressure: up to 400 pounds per square inch
• Cost: £2.5 million (equivalent to approximately $380 million in 2018)

Constructing Australia: Pipe Dreams (2007) © NFSA, Prospero Productions, ScreenWest

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