Burlong Pool is a section of the
Avon River in
Western Australia
Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...
between
Spencers Brook and
Northam.
Water trains
Burlong Pool was a former
railway stopping place, which was used as a location for drawing water into the water trains to the
Eastern Goldfield locations prior to the completion of the
Goldfields Water Supply Scheme
The Goldfields Water Supply Scheme is a pipeline and dam project that delivers drinking water, potable water from Mundaring Weir in Perth to communities in Western Australia's Eastern Goldfields, particularly Coolgardie, Western Australia, Coo ...
.
During dry weather in the late 1890s up to five separate water trains per day would be drawing water from the pool and travelling between Northam and the goldfields.
Swimming location
Following the completion of the Goldfields water supply pipeline the water was no longer extracted from the pool, but the location was notable for being used as the Northam swimming carnival location, swimming location and rail excursions, and the site of drownings.
Wagyl location
As a long deep pool that was well watered in summertime, the location was known to the
Noongar
The Noongar (, also spelt Noongah, Nyungar , Nyoongar, Nyoongah, Nyungah, Nyugah, and Yunga ) are Aboriginal Australian people who live in the South West, Western Australia, south-west corner of Western Australia, from Geraldton, Western Aus ...
as a place where the
Wagyl had a summer resting place.
Military history
Burlong Pool was owned by the
Western Australian Government Railways
Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) was the state owned operator of railways in the state of Western Australia between October 1890 and June 2003. Owned by the state government, it was renamed a number of times to reflect extra respon ...
. It was leased by the
Australian Army during World War II. During the 1940s and 1950s it was the location for training for water crossings, bridge building and water obstacles. Many bridge parts and tools are believed to lie on the bottom of the pool.
A rock river crossing allowed access from the rear of the Northam Army Camp to Burlong and Spencers Brook Roads.
See also
*
Railway dams and reservoirs of Western Australia
Notes
{{coord missing, Western Australia
Avon River (Western Australia)
Northam, Western Australia
Eastern Railway (Western Australia)
Swimming venues in Western Australia
Natural pools