Why was the Goldfields Water Supply Scheme built?

The Goldfields Water Supply Scheme was established to provide a reliable source of fresh water to the arid interior of Western Australia, specifically to support the region's booming gold-mining industry.1

Following the discovery of gold in areas such as Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie in the 1890s, the region faced severe water scarcity, as local groundwater sources were often saline or brackish and insufficient for the needs of the growing mining population. To address this, the scheme was developed to transport water from the Mundaring Weir, located near Perth, to the goldfields. The project began serving the region in 1903, ensuring a sustainable supply of water for both mining operations and the communities that developed around them.12