Railway dams and reservoirs of Western Australia facts for kids

Railway dams and reservoirs were built to give water to the many trains in Western Australia during the 1890s. This was important because the railway lines went into very dry areas with not much rain. The water was also sometimes not very good quality.

Later, a huge project called the Goldfields Water Supply Scheme was finished. This new system brought a lot more water to the Eastern and Goldfields railway lines. Because of this, some of the old railway dams were no longer needed.

Why Water Was a Big Deal

Trains in the past, especially steam locomotives, needed a lot of water to work. They used steam to power their engines, and that steam came from boiling water.

Dealing with Dry Spells

Western Australia often has dry weather, and sometimes long periods of no rain, called droughts. When it finally rained and the dams filled up, it was such a big event that newspapers in Western Australia would even report on it! This shows how important water was for the railways.

Water Quality Challenges

The quality of the water was a constant problem. Some dams had water that was too salty or had other things in it that were bad for the trains. This poor water could damage the steam boilers of the Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) locomotives, making them wear out faster.

Railway Lines and Their Dams

The railway system in Western Australia grew a lot in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Along these lines, many dams were built to make sure trains always had water.

Eastern Railway Dams

In the 1890s, the Eastern Railway connected Fremantle to Kalgoorlie. Along this important route, railway dams were located at places like:

• Midland Junction
• Chidlows Well
• Clackline Junction
• Spencers Brook
• Burlong Pool
• Northam

Eastern Goldfields Railway Dams

The Eastern Goldfields railway started east of Northam. This line went through even drier areas, so many dams were needed. Some of the places with dams on this line included:

• Cunderdin
• Tammin
• Kellerberrin
• Merredin
• Burracoppin
• Bodallin
• Parkers Pool
• Southern Cross
• Yellowdine No. 1 and No. 2
• Karalee
• Koorarawalyee
• Boorabbin No. 1 and No. 2
• Boondi
• Woolgangie No. 1 and No. 2
• Bullabulling No. 1 and No. 2
• Broad Arrow
• Bardoc
• Goongarrie
• Coolgardie
• Malcolm
• Laverton

Great Southern Railway Dams

The Great Southern Railway was first owned by a private company, but the government later took it over. This line ran from Beverley to Albany in the 1890s. Later, trains on this line could also start from York, Spencers Brook, or Avon Yard. Dams were found at places like:

• Yornan (at the 195-mile mark)
• Wagin Lake (Wagin)
• Tambellup
• Cranbrook
• Albany

Northern Railways Dams

The Northern Railways also had dams to support their operations in the drier northern parts of the state. These included locations such as:

• Mullewa
• Yalgoo
• Mount Magnet
• Day Dawn
• Stakewell
• Nallan

Keeping Records of the Dams

The Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) kept records of their dams and reservoirs. You can find information about them in the WAGR's yearly reports. These reports included details like how much water each dam could hold and how far they were from the Perth railway station.