Public Works Department (Western Australia)
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1 January 1901 |
| Dissolved | 31 December 1984 |
| Superseding agency | |
| Jurisdiction | Government of Western Australia |
The Public Works Department (PWD) was the State Government Agency of Western Australia, which was charged with providing and maintaining public infrastructure such as dams, water supplies, schools, hospitals, harbours and other public buildings. The Department is no longer operational, having its responsibilities reassigned to other State Government Departments and corporate entities since 1985.
The history of the department is difficult to accurately describe given the broad range of tasks performed by the department and also the evolutionary development of the organisation. The Department was instrumental in the success of Western Australia, aiding in transforming it from a colonial settlement to a prosperous state. Given the remoteness of Western Australia, the importance of the P.W.D. with its self-sufficient design and construction skills will probably never be fully appreciated.
Construction of infrastructure in the Swan River colony was originally overseen by Henry Willey Reveley, an English civil engineer. Reveley arrived at the colony in 1829 and was initially employed without pay, however in 1830 the matter was raised and a salary awarded retrospectively. He continued in this position until 1839, completing structures such as the Round House in Fremantle and the Old Perth Courthouse in Perth using convict and military labour, along with contract labour. He was also involved with building roads and bridges, jetties and tunnels.
Reveley's position was downgraded after his departure and his replacement, Henry Trigg, was given the title of Superintendent of Public Works. He held this role from 1839 until 1851, with most of his early work focused on jetties, The Perth Causeway and the Rottnest Island settlement.
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