Dubbo was proclaimed a municipality and gazetted on 19 February 1872, James Samuels Jnr being elected Mayor. With the advent of the Council of 1872 and the succeeding Councils of the 1870’s many improvements were effected in the formation of the town, which was proclaimed on 23 March 1885.
Mr James of the Department of Public Works arrived in Dubbo in March 1881 to make Surveys for a water supply scheme, but it wasn’t until June 1891 that the Mayor received a request from the Minister to call tenders for sinking a trial shaft for a proposed water supply.
James Samuels Jnr, first Mayor of Dubbo, had made a special study of underground water in the west and had drawn attention to the fact that this source might be used to supply Dubbo.
In 1893 the first practical step was taken by the Council when a loan of $30,000 was obtained from the Government for the purpose of establishing a water supply. A driftwell 80 feet deep was sunk and a good supply of water was found. An up to date, stream driven pumping plant was installed and a reservoir constructed on Newtown Heights.
The water supply was completed in March 1894, the total cost of the job being $26,768. The scheme was devised by Mr F Pridham, Assistant Engineer for Water Supply. His report stated that the town obtained water from wells and recommended that this source be tapped and he considered 250,000 gallons could be obtained daily.
The Cache was a magnetic nano. It is now an eclipse tin tied in place. Please replace carefully so it and the cable are out of view