State Government heritage lists Niagara Dam, Kookynie

1/5/03
Niagara Dam in the Eastern Goldfields has been interim listed in the State Government's Register of Heritage Places.
Environment and Heritage Minister Judy Edwards said the heritage listing recognised the unique historical qualities associated with the site.
"Niagara Dam was the result of an ambitious plan in 1897-98 by the Public Works Department to provide a water storage reservoir in the Eastern Goldfields to serve the railway," Dr Edwards said.
"The place demonstrates the determination of the colonial Government to maintain the viability of mineral exploitation in the area."
Construction of the dam followed a tour of the Eastern Goldfields by Premier John Forrest in 1895, but was quickly superseded by the discovery of fresh water nearby at Kookynie.
"Niagara Dam is rare in being the only dam in the Eastern Goldfields of concrete gravity wall construction located on a natural basin," Dr Edwards said.
"The place is a significant landmark set in a remote landscape and provides a picturesque reservoir within an otherwise arid natural environment.
"With its elegant curved elements and iron balustrades, the form and proportion of the dam wall contribute to the place's aesthetic qualities.
"The site has become a place of recreation, frequented by local residents and visitors and a place of interest as a relic of the Goldfield history of the district.
"The place also has historical associations with one of the many Afghan camel drivers who played an important role in the development of the early Eastern Goldfields, in carting the cement cakes to the site during its development."
Minister's Office - 9220 5050