Russell Dumas
Encyclopedia
Sir Russell John Dumas KBE
, CMG
(17 January 1887 – 10 August 1975) was a public servant and engineer
who led several large works projects in Western Australia.
to a family of five children. Dumas attended Prince Alfred College
and completed a Bachelor of Engineering
at the University of Adelaide
.
. Dumas enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force
in 1916, and served on the Western Front
in France
from 1917-1918. He became lieutenant
and was wounded twice; his service ended on 16 November 1919.
Dumas returned to his job at Naracoorte, and was promoted to resident engineer in 1923. In 1925, Dumas and his family moved to Western Australia
where he joined the Metropolitan Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Department. There he directed the construction of the Churchman Brook Dam
, Drakesbrook/Waroona
and Wellington dams
; the raising of Harvey
weir
; and the extension of the irrigation
areas in Collie
and Harvey
.
In 1932, he was chair of the Institution of Engineers
' Perth
division. In 1934, Dumas became chief engineer at the Metropolitan Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Department and led the design and construction of the Canning
, Samson Brook and Stirling dams. At 45 metres tall, Stirling Dam was Australia's highest earthen dam.
Dumas became the head of engineering at the Public Works Department in 1941. He proposed a water supply scheme for the Wheatbelt region that involved raising Mundaring Weir
and Wellington Dam. Dumas negotiated with the Federal government and obtained funding for the project. He was also involved in the Ord River
Scheme from early on.
Dumas was responsible for extensive land development in the district governed by the Albany Zone Development Committee, and negotiated the establishment of an oil refinery
, steel rolling mill and cement
works at Kwinana
. In 1952 he reached normal retirement age, but as the Kwinana development was still being completed, the Government employed Dumas with additional power and status to oversee the completion of the project. Dumas retired in December 1953.
After retirement, Dumas joined the Weld Club
, became director of several companies and was an advisor to Sir Charles Court
. In the 1960s, Dumas took part in the campaign to save The Barracks Arch
, the former home of the Public Works Department, from demolition.
Dumas died on 10 August 1975 in Albany, Western Australia
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, CMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(17 January 1887 – 10 August 1975) was a public servant and engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
who led several large works projects in Western Australia.
Early life
Dumas was born in Mount Barker, South AustraliaMount Barker, South Australia
Mount Barker is an expanding city, home to 10 258 residents that is 33 kilometres up the South Eastern Freeway, east of Adelaide, in South Australia. It is the seat of the District Council of Mount Barker, is the largest town in the Adelaide Hills, and is one of the fastest growing areas in the...
to a family of five children. Dumas attended Prince Alfred College
Prince Alfred College
Prince Alfred College is an independent, day and boarding school for boys, located on Dequetteville Terrace, Kent Town, near the centre of Adelaide, South Australia...
and completed a Bachelor of Engineering
Bachelor of Engineering
The Bachelor of Engineering is an undergraduate academic degree awarded to a student after three to five years of studying engineering at universities in Armenia, Australia, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Denmark, Egypt, Finland , Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Korea,...
at the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
.
Career
Dumas started work as a draughtsman in the Engineer-in-Chief's Department in 1910, then became a drainage-works designer at NaracoorteNaracoorte, South Australia
Naracoorte is a town in the Limestone Coast region of South Australia, approximately 336 kilometres south east of Adelaide and 100 kilometres north of Mount Gambier on the Riddoch Highway .-History:...
. Dumas enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
in 1916, and served on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
from 1917-1918. He became lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
and was wounded twice; his service ended on 16 November 1919.
Dumas returned to his job at Naracoorte, and was promoted to resident engineer in 1923. In 1925, Dumas and his family moved to Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
where he joined the Metropolitan Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Department. There he directed the construction of the Churchman Brook Dam
Churchman Brook Dam
Churchman Brook Dam, is an earthfill embankment dam situated approximately 30km south east ofPerth, Western Australia in the City of Armadale...
, Drakesbrook/Waroona
Waroona, Western Australia
Waroona is a town located in the Peel region of Western Australia along the South Western Highway, between Pinjarra and Harvey. The town is the seat of the Shire of Waroona. At the 2006 census, Waroona had a population of 1,864.-History:...
and Wellington dams
DAMS
Driot-Arnoux Motorsport is a racing team from France, involved in many areas of motorsports. DAMS was founded in 1988 by Jean-Paul Driot and former Formula One driver René Arnoux. It is headquartered near Le Mans, only 2 km from the Bugatti Circuit.- History :The year after its foundation,...
; the raising of Harvey
Harvey, Western Australia
Harvey is a town located in the South West of Western Australia along the South Western Highway, 140 km south of Perth, between Pinjarra and Bunbury...
weir
Weir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
; and the extension of the irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
areas in Collie
Collie, Western Australia
-External links:*...
and Harvey
Harvey, Western Australia
Harvey is a town located in the South West of Western Australia along the South Western Highway, 140 km south of Perth, between Pinjarra and Bunbury...
.
In 1932, he was chair of the Institution of Engineers
Engineers Australia
The Institution of Engineers Australia, often shortened to IEAust and trading as Engineers Australia, is a professional body and not-for-profit organisation dedicated to being the national forum for the advancement of the engineering field within Australia...
' Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
division. In 1934, Dumas became chief engineer at the Metropolitan Water Supply, Sewerage and Drainage Department and led the design and construction of the Canning
Canning River (Western Australia)
The Canning River is a major tributary of the Swan River in south western Western Australia.-Source and route:With headwaters on the Darling Scarp, the Canning meanders through suburbs of Perth on the Swan Coastal Plain, including Cannington, Thornlie, Riverton, Shelley, Rossmoyne and Mount...
, Samson Brook and Stirling dams. At 45 metres tall, Stirling Dam was Australia's highest earthen dam.
Mundaring Weir
Mundaring Weir is the name of a dam which are located from Perth, Western Australia in the Darling Scarp. It is situated in the Mundaring locality...
and Wellington Dam. Dumas negotiated with the Federal government and obtained funding for the project. He was also involved in the Ord River
Ord River
The Ord River is a 320-kilometre-long river in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. It was named in honour of Harry Ord, Governor of Western Australia from 1877 to 1880....
Scheme from early on.
Dumas was responsible for extensive land development in the district governed by the Albany Zone Development Committee, and negotiated the establishment of an oil refinery
Oil refinery
An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into more useful petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas...
, steel rolling mill and cement
Cement
In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...
works at Kwinana
Kwinana
Kwinana may refer to:*Town of Kwinana, a Local Government Area in Western Australia*Kwinana Beach, Western Australia, a suburb in Western Australia*Kwinana Freeway, a major road in Western Australia...
. In 1952 he reached normal retirement age, but as the Kwinana development was still being completed, the Government employed Dumas with additional power and status to oversee the completion of the project. Dumas retired in December 1953.
After retirement, Dumas joined the Weld Club
Weld Club
The Weld Club is a gentlemen's club in Perth, Western Australia, founded in 1871 by members of the establishment of Perth. It was named after the then Governor of Western Australia, Sir Frederick Weld with the club building designed by Talbot Hobbs and constructed in 1892.-External links:*...
, became director of several companies and was an advisor to Sir Charles Court
Charles Court
Sir Charles Walter Michael Court, was a Western Australian politician, 21st Premier of Western Australia and member for the seat of Nedlands for the Liberal Party for nearly 30 years.-Early life:...
. In the 1960s, Dumas took part in the campaign to save The Barracks Arch
The Barracks Arch
The Barracks' Arch is located on the corner of Malcolm and Elder Streets, at the western end of St Georges Terrace in Perth, Western Australia. It effectively blocks a clear view from Parliament House down St George's Terrace.-The Barracks:...
, the former home of the Public Works Department, from demolition.
Dumas died on 10 August 1975 in Albany, Western Australia
Albany, Western Australia
Albany is a port city in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, some 418 km SE of Perth, the state capital. As of 2009, Albany's population was estimated at 33,600, making it the 6th-largest city in the state....
.
Honours
- Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St GeorgeOrder of St Michael and St GeorgeThe Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, 1950. - Knight Bachelor, 1959.
- Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, 1964. - Honorary Member of the Institution of Engineers, Australia, 1966.
Legacy
- The Russell Dumas Medal is awarded to the top engineering student each year at the University of Western AustraliaUniversity of Western AustraliaThe University of Western Australia was established by an Act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia and the only university in the state to be a member of the...
. - Dumas HouseDumas HouseDumas House is a fourteen storey office building constructed in Perth, Western Australia during the 1960s. The building is located close to St Georges Terrace, Kings Park, and Parliament House....
, a State government office building, is named in his honour. - A bronze plaqueCommemorative plaqueA commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other vertical surface, and bearing text in memory of an important figure or event...
with Dumas's name was laid in the footpath of St Georges Terrace, PerthSt Georges Terrace, PerthSt Georges Terrace is the main street in the city of Perth, Western Australia. It runs parallel to the Swan River and forms the major arterial road through the central business district....
as part of the WAY 1979WAY 1979WAY '79, also referred to as WAY 79 and WAY 1979, was the official 1979 sesquicentennial celebration of the colonisation of Western Australia by Europeans.-Planning:...
celebrations to commemorate 150 notable figures in Western Australia's history.