WA's greatest engineering achievement - The Golden Pipeline
The Golden Pipeline, otherwise known as the Goldfields Water Supply Scheme, the Coolgardie Water Supple Scheme and lastly, the Goldfields and Agricultural Water Supple Scheme transports water from Mundaring Weir to Kalgoorlie.
It was badly needed once the gold rush began in the 1890s. There is little rain and no natural water sources in the goldfields. As such, diseases like Typhoid Fever were running rampant.
A solution was desperately needed and the premier at the time, John Forrest, enlisted an Irish engineer named C.Y O'Connor to devise a scheme. The freshwater pipeline would be nearly 600km long - an engineering feat yet to be achieved worldwide. This project drew large amounts of criticism from opposing politicians and the press. Its predicted cost was equal to the colonies entire annual budget.
This was all too much for O'Connor, and in one of the biggest loses the state would ever see - he took his own life after riding his horse into the ocean south of Fremantle.
The project was ultimately a success and it's a shame he couldn't see its completion. In this video, I will deep dive into the projects planning, construction and numerous upgrades and extensions over the decades. I'll also take you on a grand tour of the entire pipeline. This includes Mundaring Weir, Toorak Hill in Coolgardie, Mount Charlotte Reservoir in Kalgoorlie and the site of eight steam pumping stations. These are found in locations such as Cunderdin, Merredin, Yerbillon, Ghooli, Gilgai and Dedari.
Sources:
https://www.watercorporation.com.au/outages-and-works/ongoing-works/goldfields-pipeline-replacement
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldfields_Water_Supply_Scheme
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mephan_Ferguson
https://trailswa.com.au/trails/trail/golden-pipeline-heritage-trail?print=1
https://www.dcceew.gov.au/parks-heritage/heritage/places/national/goldfields
https://www.goldenpipeline.com.au/
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-11/goldfields-water-pipeline-capacity-upgrade/105403262
http://museum.wa.gov.au/explore/wa-goldfields/water-arid-land/building-pipeline
https://www.ntwa.com.au/things-to-do/golden-pipeline-heritage-trail/
https://www.wa.gov.au/government/announcements/goldfields-water-supply-scheme
https://infrastructurepipeline.org/project/goldfields-pipeline-renewal
https://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;place_id=106007
https://inherit.dplh.wa.gov.au/Public/Inventory/Details/92d541a7-7621-4eb1-82cb-569e6573e9ec
https://inherit.dplh.wa.gov.au/Public/Inventory/Details/d2d91482-34f2-4afc-937d-bd47222e4b89
https://inherit.dplh.wa.gov.au/Public/Inventory/Details/d9370f0d-b0d1-4512-9c37-4ea512b1a6e0
https://inherit.dplh.wa.gov.au/Public/Inventory/Details/016faa0f-6ce1-46d9-8a74-f4025e77044e
https://inherit.dplh.wa.gov.au/Public/Inventory/Details/e990338e-59b6-47b6-9d6f-1b73348dd85c
https://www.mundaringweirhotel.com.au/about-us/history/
https://inherit.dplh.wa.gov.au/Public/Inventory/Details/29fb1f61-9dfd-4a53-83c8-f5f79df94efa
https://inherit.dplh.wa.gov.au/Public/Inventory/Details/2cc675ef-9127-422a-becf-3be272a8146f
https://inherit.dplh.wa.gov.au/Public/Inventory/Details/99e7afcb-d66f-49dd-bb04-abb7a94fcdd7
https://inherit.dplh.wa.gov.au/Public/Inventory/Details/4d1ca27b-999a-4e2b-9988-1184348bec23
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Hoskins
https://slwa.wa.gov.au/pdf/battye/pods/1903/0261.pdf
https://heritage.engineersaustralia.org.au/wiki/Person:Hodgson,_Thomas
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Walker_(Australian_politician)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mundaring_Weir_railway_line
https://www.railtrails.org.au/trails/mundaring-weir-rail-trail/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mundaring_Weir
https://heritage.engineersaustralia.org.au/wiki/Person:Palmer,_Charles
https://www.ghd.com/en-au/projects/sustainable-heritage-restoration-at-ghooli-pump-station
Images:
C. Y. O'Connor
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2103153_2
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1993228_1
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2088241_1
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2126119_1
Charles Yelverton O'Connor as a young man in Dublin, ca.1862
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2136344_1
Albany 1880s
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2121942_1
Cargo sheds and railway at Fremantle Harbour, 1883
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2035049_1
The Public Works Department
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2193601_1
Longitudinal plan of the pipeline showing elevation
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2100667_2
Water condenser, 1890s
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1920110_1
Water condenser at Woolgangie, 1894.
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b4538089_3
A.H. Henning, George Leake and J. Howard Taylor outside their offices, Coolgardie, 1894
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b3016867_001
First train from Southern Cross to Coolgardie, 1890s
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1922334_1
View from wall site, looking east showing temporary weir, part of the Goldfields water supply scheme, 1898.
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1924258_1
Temporary weir and flume for bypassing water at Mundaring, 1898
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1924251_1
Looking downstream from temporary reservoir
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2115328_1
Looking upstream from excavations
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2115328_2
Excavations for foundations of weir wall, 1898
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1924243_4
Close view of excavations for the wall, 1898
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1926753_2
Camel train hauling water tank through Southern Cross, 1900.
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b3789506_1
showing the depth of the footings before pouring (men for scale) 1900
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1926779_1
Concreting of weir wall almost complete, 1900
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1926779_2
Closing locking bars on a 30 pipe, 1901
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2267481_1
Manufacture of water pipes, 1901?
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1926823_1
Goldfields Water Supply Scheme crossing salt lakes - pipes partly covered, ca. 1901
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2960293_001
Pipes ready for use, ca.1901
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2114947_2
Pump Station 2 construction camp 1901
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2302368_4
Humphreys Store, Mundaring Weir Construction Camp, ca.1901
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2267271_1
Humphreys Store, Mundaring Weir Construction Camp, ca.1901
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2267271_1
Humphreys Post Office Cash Store, Mundaring Weir, ca.1901
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2267271_2
Lowering a pipe into the trench, 1902
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2125978_2
George Leake, 1902
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b6583042_2
Boxing fun at the Mundaring Weir Construction Camp, ca.1902
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2267288_1
Pump Station 2 reservoir – showing Hodgson? 1902
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2116161_1
Reservoir No.2 Pumping Station, 1902
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2116161_2
Interior of a pumping station, 1902
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1927000_1
Hood over pipeline at Lake Polaris, 1902
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1926996_1
Caulking machine, 1902
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1926991_1
Running lead into a joint, 1902
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1926990_1
Laying pipes, 1902
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1927052_1
Unloading pipes, 1902
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1926964_1
No.2 Pumping Station Mundaring, 1902
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2116165_1
Cunderdin Dam, 1902
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2116463_1
Hand caulking joints, Karalee, August 11th 1902
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2301641_1
1st days pumping, No.1 Pumping Station, 31 Mar. 1902
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2116138_1
Sir John Forrest opens Goldfields Water Supply Scheme, Coolgardie, 1903
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1913661_1
Water entering Mt Charlotte Reservoir at the opening of the Goldfields Water Supply Scheme, 24 January 1903
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2561481_1
History of the goldfields of Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie water supply scheme [1904]: Page 15, diagram of the locking bar pipe
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1269930_53
Cumberland Gold Mine, Norseman, ca. 1905
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2464114_1
No.2 Pumping Station interior 1905
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b4614799_1
Sir John Forrest, ca.1905
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1938236_2
Sir John Forrest, 20 March 1909
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2567462_2
Esperance 1911
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b7581169_1 1
Thomas Walker (left) and John Scaddan, 1915
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2350019_1
Thomas Walker, 1929
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2511985_1
Mundaring Weir, 1935 (overflowing)
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b3388417_1
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b3388417_2
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b3388417_4
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b3388417_6
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b3388417_9
No. 1 Pumping Station, Mundaring Weir, 1935 (shows train tracks)
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b3388417_12
Mt Charlotte reservoir from the air, 1935
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2383891_1
No.3 Pumping Station staff, 1936
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2114412_1
#7 pump station late 50s (album): https://encore.slwa.wa.gov.au/iii/encore/record/C__Rb2216824__Skaralee__P0%2C12__Orightresult__U__X3?lang=eng&suite=def
Electric Pump Station 1955
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2354975_4
No.7 Pumping Station 1961-1962
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2126013_1
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b2126020_1
Interior of Electric Pumping Station 'A' at Mundaring Weir, ca. 1962.
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b3760385_1
Pipe manufacturing in Midland
https://collectionswa.net.au/items/5d8b0011-9c55-43c7-833a-818c4356f7ef
Mundaring Weir Locomotive
http://railheritagewa.org.au/archive_scans/displayimage.php?pid=533
kardo mordo
http://railheritagewa.org.au/archive_scans/displayimage.php?pid=20800
tourist train
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b6355963_2
Videos:
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1593575_1 14:00
https://youtu.be/9YWj08fZYhA?si=XeN3C43PH6U7Zhpj Ghooli townsite before demolition
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1397409_1
https://purl.slwa.wa.gov.au/slwa_b1396256_1
Trove
11th December 1898
"The Sunday Times has come to the conclusion that the whole thing is a sham…”
2nd December 1900
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/32724427?searchTerm=weir
SOUTH PERTH SWEPT OUT TO SEA
9th February 1902
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/32722146?searchTerm=C%20Y%20O%27Connor
Corruption by contract. The Sunday Times. Referred to the construction contract as a “swindle”. They claim O’Connor had flourished on palm grease. The article goes on with all sorts of personal attacks and accusations of corruption. It’s a very wild read in hindsight, knowing just how much of a success the pipeline is.
“We cannot escape the conclusion that O’Connor is a palm-greased humbug who has imposed on this state the first he entered upon his duties.”
28th February 1902
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/203480840?searchTerm=C%20Y%20O%27Connor
O’Connor himself replies stating the facts about the budget blowouts and corruption are incorrect, stating his figures. It should be noted how small this rebuttal is on a page… and is not even posted in the Sunday Times. Couldn’t find such a reply printed there
From my research, this reply was posted in the Western Mail, the West Australian, the Evening Star and the Coolgardie Miner – but not the Sunday Times.
1st March 1902
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/37795492?searchTerm=C%20Y%20O%27Connor
Same statement as above but easier to read. Addresses some inconsistencies but says “There are very many similarly erroneous statements in circulation at present, which I hope to have opportunity of replying to shortly : but this one is so important, and has been so often repeated, that I think it is desirable to reply to it without further delay."
Sadly, O’Connor would not have the opportunity to prove himself further.
1st March 1902
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/37795488?searchTerm=C%20Y%20O%27Connor
to read
10th March 1902
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/80868040?searchTerm=C%20Y%20O%27Connor
His horse was found wandering around scrub by itself. A short search found his body in the water, but close to the shoreline and Robb Jetty. He was 58 years old.
He was involved in railway works in his native Ireland before immigrating to New Zealand
It appears the Sunday Times didn’t even report on his death, but they were quick to turn their attention to Hodgeson. Their comment, as per their own quote in the bellow 3rd of August article six days after his death “At the present we prefer to say nothing even in justification of our past attitude towards the man when living, beyond saying that towards him, as towards all others, we have always been actuated by the highest sense of public duty, which we cannot forget even in the presence of death itself. We are content to wait for the vindication of time.”
They use the commission as an excuse to say O’Connor was now instead lead on by Hodgeson. They referred to him as “Chief Robber”. The article goes on and on to accuse him of all manner of wrong doings, mostly relating to loans. You can find it in my sources if you’d like to read it, follow a link in the description
More articles about O’Connor’s suicide
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/203481346?searchTerm=C%20Y%20O%27Connor
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/218091202?searchTerm=C%20Y%20O%27Connor
3rd August 1902
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/57217650?searchTerm=O%27Connor
They turn their attention to Hodgson, being so bold to claim he caused the death of O’Connor. They finally address his suicide, only to state “His untimely decease was a shock to the community, and there were people despicable enough not to trace his strain of mind and its sad unhinging to the fraudulent Knaves at Work on the pipe track, but to our exposure of them.”
They even admit that O’Connor had shown the newspaper article to Hoskin’s and had told him that it was more than he could bear.
