A fragile wall built in 1928 above Western Australia's Wave Rock has been damaged, and the fight over it lays bare a familiar arrangement: a concrete structure, a reservoir, and a public landmark all managed through decisions made far above the people who live with the consequences.
Who Lives With the Damage
Noongar man and Hyden local Michael Ward says the aging wall has already changed the rock itself. Tar seeping from the structure has stained the famous granite formation and altered its natural colours, he said. As a child, Ward said the colour of Wave Rock was "like the stripes of a tiger," but now, he said, "It feels like the wave has been coloured-in compared to what it used to look like."
Ward wants the wall removed, at least temporarily, so rainwater can flow naturally over the rock. He said, "The amplifying sound of the water crashing down [would be] huge," and added, "That's its natural flow. Before the wall was put on top, the water would naturally flow down whenever it rained." He also said, "When they put the emulsion on top and sealed it, it worked initially," but over time the wall aged, water seeped underneath, and "Instead of fast-flowing water washing over the rock, it's become slow-moving, allowing pigment and sediment from the tar to stain the wave face."
That’s the cost of a structure that was never just a structure. It redirected water, altered a landmark, and now sits crumbling in places after being vandalised.
Who Gets to Decide
Kondinin Shire president and local farmer Kent Mouritz wants the wall to stay. He said the reservoir is an important non-potable water source, particularly for firefighting, and noted that the Department of Fire and Emergency Services had established a water-bombing station at Wave Rock only a couple of kilometres away. Mouritz also said, "The other reason I don't want to see it removed is because it helps stop people from falling off the rock."
The Water Corporation backed retention too, saying the long-term impacts of climate change on water sources across the Great Southern, combined with increasing demand, meant the Wave Rock Reservoir remained an important non-potable water supply for the community. It said retaining the reservoir supported local farming interests and helped reduce demand on scheme water.
A ranger has already visited Wave Rock to assess the condition of the wall. The Water Corporation said, "While some small sections of the catchment wall are missing, enough rainfall is being funnelled to fill the dam," and, "To ensure the ongoing viability of the dam, we continue periodic inspections of the catchment wall and schedule repairs when required."
That’s the language of management: inspect, repair, retain, continue. The people below get the consequences, while institutions decide what counts as "viability."
What the Rock Was Before the Wall
Wave Rock was formed 2.7 billion years ago through erosion, weathering and water movement, and it is 330 kilometres east of Perth. Ward’s account points to what’s been lost under the present arrangement: natural water flow, changing colours, and the sound of rain moving freely over the granite face.
The wall, built 98 years ago, now sits at the center of a dispute between preservation and utility, between a landmark’s natural form and a reservoir treated as infrastructure. One side sees a living rock face altered by tar and age. The other sees firefighting supply, farming interests, and reduced demand on scheme water.
No one in the article offers a clean fix. The wall remains damaged. The reservoir remains useful. The rock remains stained. And the institutions that manage the place keep sending rangers, scheduling repairs, and calling that enough.