Timeline 1 (1791-1862)

~ i l l a w a r r a c o a l ~

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Old Bulli Colliery 1914
Bulli Colliery in 1914

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\| 1790 \| 1800 \| 1810 \| 1820 \| 1830 \| 1840 \| 1850 \| 1860 \|
w w w . i l l a w a r r a c o a l . c o m
Rev.0
	1790
1791 ~	First discovery of coal in Australia at Newcastle by escaped convicts.
1797 ~	Illawarra coal deposits first officially documented by George Bass (near Coalcliff)

	1800
1821 ~	O'Brien, Cornelius - granted 300 acres in the vicinity of Bulli
1828 ~	Australian Agricultural Co. has monopoly on coal - Shoobert is blocked from opening a coal mine.

	1830
1836 ~	Westmacott, Capt. Robert Marsh - purchases 300acres land from Cornelius O'Brien
1837 ~	Plunkett, John Herbert - on his property "Keelogues" ("Gundarun") 1280acres
~	Construction starts on Belmore Basin, Wollongong Harbour
? ~	Wylie, John obtains 2000 acres ("Dunlop Vale", north of Mullet Ck., Dapto) then loses it to Andrew Lang, the father of Rev. Dr. D. J. Lang.
1839 ~	Australian Agricultural Co. complains that Capt. Westmacott has opened mine at Bulli on land purchased from O'Brien (not proceeded with)
~	Rev. W. B. Clark, Geologist, commences examination of South Coast coal measures.

	1840
1841 ~	Owen, Robert purchases coal land
1844 ~	Construction of Belmore Basin completed.
1846 ~	Owen, Robert (later Judge Owen), purchases land at Jamberoo
1848 ~	Albert Mine (aka Shoobert’s Mine) - Tunnel in 5m seam (Wongawilli sm.) under Mt. Keira by James Shoobert.
1849 ~	Albert Mine (aka Shoobert’s Mine) - Tunnel in second seam (1.2m), the 4' seam (Albert sm.), located above first.
~	First coal mined for sale taken to Wollongong harbour by horse dray (27th August) by James Shoobert. Mined from the 4' seam.
~	Wollongong Bay - first coal mined, loaded on SS "William the Fourth"

Coal was first discovered in Australia at Newcastle by escaped convicts - the year was 1791

John Reid at Wiley's mine (later known as South Kembla)

	1850
1855 ~	Shoobert’s Mine (aka Albert Mine) - closes 17' seam (Wongawilli ), 4'2" seam ( Balgownie) still producing still low. (SMH-27thSept).
1856 ~	Albert Mine - plus Mt. Keira home (137 acres) auctioned by Rod Shoobert
1857 ~	Osborne-Wallsend Colliery in third & uppermost seam, 8' (2.1m), located on eastern face of Mt. Keira. In this 8' seam was second coal mine, owned by Henry Osborne.
~	Osborne-Wallsend Colliery - the first coal from this the No. 1 or Bulli seam was shipped on April 16.
~	Bellambi Colliery - (aka Hale's, Woonona & Model Colliery) started by Thomas Hale in 8' seam.
~	First coal shipped from Bellambi Harbour (17/12/57)
~	Henry Osborne purchases 1/2 of Hale's Bellambi property for $14,000
1858 ~	Russell-Vale Colliery opens at Bellambi ??
~	Bellambi No2 Colliery - commences (Taylor, Walker & Longmore) 1 mile north of Bellambi Colliery
~	Bellambi Cove - used for cedar - attempt to build jetty
1859 ~	Bellambi mine - Henry Osborne acquires 1/2 share.
~	Osborne - Wallsend Coal Mine Co. formed to build tramway to Wollongong (Capital of $500,000)
~	Osborne-Wallsend Mine - Henry Osborne dies, taken over by Osborne-Wallsend Co.

	1860
1860 ~	Thomas Hale engages man to sink shaft near Woonona Post Office - 6' of coal, 12' below surface.
1861 ~	Bulli Colliery - opened
~	Tunnel driven at site of Old Bulli Mine??
~	Mt. Pleasant Colliery - opened by Lahiff & Fawcett for Illawarra Coal Co. on Mr. Plunkett's property.
~	Bulli & Bellambi Coal Co. incorporated
~	Russel Vale Colliery - proposed
~	Construction starts on Mt. Keira tramway
1862 ~	Russel Vale Colliery - opened on Osborne's land by Taylor & Walker

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