CY O'Connor was an engineer born in Ireland in 1843 who died by suicide in Australia in 1902. He had a successful career as a chief engineer in New Zealand where he built major railways. He then moved to Western Australia where he oversaw the construction of the Goldfields Water Supply Pipeline, a massive project to supply water to the goldfields. However, he took his own life before the pipeline was completed, overcome by stress from political attacks and investigations into his work. The pipeline was finally opened in 1903, achieving his greatest accomplishment after his death.

1. Sunday, 6 July 14

2. by Mali Burns and researched Mia Gibson
Sunday, 6 July 14

3. Sunday, 6 July 14

4. Contents Page
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5. Contents Page
• What was his life like?....................................................................3
• Why did he commit suicide?........................................................4
• How did his death occur?.............................................................5
• Suicide Note........................................................................................9
• What difficulty did he overcome?................................................6
• What achievement did he overcome?.......................................7
• What did he look like ?..................................................................8
• Grave...................................................................................................10
• Timeline...........................................................................................11
• Glossary...............................................................................................12
• Index....................................................................................................13
• Bibliography.........................................................................................14
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6. Sunday, 6 July 14

7. CY O’ Connor lived between the years 1843 to 1902. He
was born in Ireland and died in Australia. At the age of
when you can leave home, CY O’Connor left to go to
New Zealand, where he became a chief engineer. He also
built the Great Railway then he moved to East Kalgoolie
and started to build the Goldfields pipeline. On the 24th
of January, 1903 it finally opened. Sadly, he died before he
could see his greatest achievement.
Sunday, 6 July 14

8. What was his Life Like ?
CY O’ Connor lived between the years 1843 to 1902. He
was born in Ireland and died in Australia. At the age of
when you can leave home, CY O’Connor left to go to
New Zealand, where he became a chief engineer. He also
built the Great Railway then he moved to East Kalgoolie
and started to build the Goldfields pipeline. On the 24th
of January, 1903 it finally opened. Sadly, he died before he
could see his greatest achievement.
Sunday, 6 July 14

9. Sunday, 6 July 14

10. Why did he Commit
Suicide?
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11. Why did he Commit
Suicide?
In his note CY O’Connor said his heart was
suffering and that he could not control his
thoughts, so he the thought the quickest way
to get ride of the pain was to kill himself.
Sunday, 6 July 14

12. Why did he Commit
Suicide?
In his note CY O’Connor said his heart was
suffering and that he could not control his
thoughts, so he the thought the quickest way
to get ride of the pain was to kill himself.
This plaque In Perth shows the years
that CY O’Connor lived.
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13. Sunday, 6 July 14

14. How did his Death
Occur?
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15. How did his Death
Occur?
CY O’Connor’s death was a tragic day for everyone.
Sadly, CY O’Connor committed suicide in the year 1902
and died on his horse. He committed suicde by shooting
himself in the side of his head [temple] with a gun. His
greatest supporter John Forrest was leaving for federal
parliament.The reason his affected CY O’Connor is
because once John Forrest left, CY O’Connor’s walls fell
down he was to stressed to think so he killed himself 10
months before his pipeline actually became a success.
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16. Sunday, 6 July 14

17. Suicide Note by CY O’Connor
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18. Suicide Note by CY O’Connor
C.Y. O'Connor's suicide note
10/3/02
The position has become impossible.
Anxious important work to do and three commissions of inquiry to
attend to.
We may not have done as well as possible in the past but we will
necessarily be too hampered to do well in the imminent future.
I fear that my brain is suffering and I am in great fear of what
effect all this worry will have upon me -- I have lost control of my
thoughts.
The Coolgardie scheme is all right and I could finish it if I got a
chance and protection from misrepresentation but there's no hope
for that now and it's better that it should be given to some entirely
new man to do who will be untrammeled by prior responsibility.
PS
Put the wing walls to Helena Weir at once.
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19. Sunday, 6 July 14

20. Did He Overcome Any
Difficulties?
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21. Did He Overcome Any
Difficulties?
CY O’ Connor said in his suicide note that
he was stressed and hated because the
people said he was and idiot and that his
ideas were crazy and were never going to
work.
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22. Did He Overcome Any
Difficulties?
CY O’ Connor said in his suicide note that
he was stressed and hated because the
people said he was and idiot and that his
ideas were crazy and were never going to
work.
Statue of CY O’connor located
in Fremantle harbour.
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23. Sunday, 6 July 14

24. What Achievements did
he Overcome?
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25. What Achievements did
he Overcome?
CY O’Connor had lots of achievements. His
best achievement was engineering Western
Australia ‘s pipeline and the great railways in
New Zealand . He help millions of people with
the pipe line and also helped millions of people
with the transport he made.
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26. What Achievements did
he Overcome?
CY O’Connor had lots of achievements. His
best achievement was engineering Western
Australia ‘s pipeline and the great railways in
New Zealand . He help millions of people with
the pipe line and also helped millions of people
with the transport he made.
Western Australia pipeline built
by CY O’Connor. It was
finished in 1902
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27. Sunday, 6 July 14

28. What Did he Look like?
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29. What Did he Look like?
CY O’Connor was a tall, slim man with a grey
beard and moustache. He was fit, had grey hair
and a beard, he also had dark eyes and loved to
dress smartly. As he got older he started to lose
hair. He mostly wore a hat, which looked like a
cobra.
Sunday, 6 July 14

30. What Did he Look like?
CY O’Connor was a tall, slim man with a grey
beard and moustache. He was fit, had grey hair
and a beard, he also had dark eyes and loved to
dress smartly. As he got older he started to lose
hair. He mostly wore a hat, which looked like a
cobra.
Sunday, 6 July 14

31. What Did he Look like?
CY O’Connor was a tall, slim man with a grey
beard and moustache. He was fit, had grey hair
and a beard, he also had dark eyes and loved to
dress smartly. As he got older he started to lose
hair. He mostly wore a hat, which looked like a
cobra.
CY O’Connor
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32. Sunday, 6 July 14

33. His grave says,
“to the memory of Charles
Yelvelton O’Connor C.M.C
engineered in chief forWestern
Australia who died at Fremantle
10th March 1902,
age 58 years.”
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34. Grave
His grave says,
“to the memory of Charles
Yelvelton O’Connor C.M.C
engineered in chief forWestern
Australia who died at Fremantle
10th March 1902,
age 58 years.”
Sunday, 6 July 14

35. Grave
His grave says,
“to the memory of Charles
Yelvelton O’Connor C.M.C
engineered in chief forWestern
Australia who died at Fremantle
10th March 1902,
age 58 years.”
his grave in fremanlete
cemery
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36. Sunday, 6 July 14

37. Timeline
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38. Timeline
He
took
his own
life
CY O’connor was born in Ireland
1891 He was chosen as chief engineer in New Zealand
1860 He built the great railways in New Zealand
1903 The pipeline opens for everyone to use.
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39. Engineer: some one who works with engines
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40. GLOSSARY
Engineer: some one who works with engines
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41. GLOSSARY
Engineer: some one who works with engines
Cobra : at type of hat
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42. GLOSSARY
Engineer: some one who works with engines
Committed: done some thing
Cobra : at type of hat
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43. GLOSSARY
Engineer: some one who works with engines
Goldfields a place where gold can be found. a
place in
Committed: done some thing
Cobra : at type of hat
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44. GLOSSARY
Engineer: some one who works with engines
Goldfields a place where gold can be found. a
place in
Suffering: when you’re hurt and the pain wont go away
Committed: done some thing
Cobra : at type of hat
Sunday, 6 July 14

45. GLOSSARY
Engineer: some one who works with engines
Goldfields a place where gold can be found. a
place in
Suffering: when you’re hurt and the pain wont go away
Committed: done some thing
Suicide:kill yourself
Cobra : at type of hat
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46. Index
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47. Index
Birthday-3
Death-4
Difficultys-6
Pipeline-8
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48. Bibliography
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49. Bibliography
Pipe Dreams www.youtube .com.au
Sunday, 6 July 14

50. Bibliography
Pipe Dreams www.youtube .com.au
Adb.anu.edu.au
Sunday, 6 July 14

51. Bibliography
www.litezh.com
www.alor.org by p.d. Davis Mayor Ci
www.valuingheritsge.com.au
Pipe Dreams www.youtube .com.au
Adb.anu.edu.au
Sunday, 6 July 14

52. Bibliography
Guile,M 2011 Stories from Australias History,
Macmillion Libary ,Claremont Street, South
Yarra 3141
www.litezh.com
www.alor.org by p.d. Davis Mayor Ci
www.valuingheritsge.com.au
Pipe Dreams www.youtube .com.au
Adb.anu.edu.au
Sunday, 6 July 14