Mount Kembla Colliery

1883 - 1970

(Rev 5.7)

                Part extracted from “A Profile History of Mount Kembla” by K. C. Stone. 1984

Coal was first mined at Mt. Kembla in 1865 and used to fire the retorts at the Pioneer Kerosene Mine some 12 tons of coal per week being mined from a seam of “anthracite” 70 feet (21m) above the shale (American Creek seam).

The old mines were located within Portions 4 and 160, Parish Kembla, County Camden, close to the road from Wollongong to Kembla Hts. (DoMAR Geological Reports 1939- 1945, Kenny, E. J. 1943)

1865 – A coal mine is opened to fuel the retorts of the Pioneer Kerosene Mine. 2 men permanently work the mine until 1880 when the oil shale production ceased.

1876 – Advert; “Mt. Kembla Kerosene Works” – Works will be RESUMED ……Workmen wanted, preference given to former employees. E. Graham, Mt Kembla Kerosene Works Dec 7^th 1876 (Ill Merc 15/12/1876 p3)

 

1878 – Dec; Mt Kembla Coal & Oil Co Ltd formed to work property of Pioneer Kerosene Works, Ebenezer Vickery is major share holder.

 

1880 - #1 seam is being opened out and #3 seam has been opened out by Mr. Burall on Mt Kembla Coal & Oil Company’s property (DoMAR 1880)

1880 – 12^th November, Mr Burall informs the DoM that Mt Kembla Coal & Oil Company has commenced work and are opening out the two upper seams at Mt Kembla. (DoMAR 1880)

1881 – Mt Kembla listed as ‘Not at Work” (DoMAR 1881)

In March 1882, preliminary work begun on opening an eight foot seam to the north of the kerosene mine. Sixty men were engaged in work with William Green as first manager.

1882 – 8^th March, Mr. W. Bural (sic) gives notice that he had commenced driving a tunnel to cut the Kembla or 8 ft seam north of the Kerosene works (DoMAR 1882)

When kerosene became uneconomical, the Mount Kembla Coal & Oil Co. was formed to go full scale coal mining under William Burrell, Engineer in Charge, on land purchased from Purcell, a local farmer.

Mine owners had capital raised in England, Sir William Macarthur, Edward Hart, Alexander McArthur M. P., Eugene Collins M. P., Horace Marshall, Harry Foster, Frederick Tate and Henry Cockburn.

The estate was 600 acres, 200 more purchased and 500 leased for 99 years on a royalty of 3d per ton. The company built a railway to Port Kembla and first coal shipped from this port was mined at Mt. Kembla.

1883 – Feb; Permission by Act of Parliament to build a railway from Mt Kembla to Pt Kembla plus a jetty.

1883 – Tuesday, 27^th February - Officially opened by Ebenezer Vickery (Chairman of the Board), Mt. Kembla Coal Co*

*The entrance was by horizontal adit (800’ asl, 12’ wide & 7’ high) commencing several feet below the seam. After 550’ the floor of the seam is encountered and a further 150’ the seam roof is reached.

1883 - Coal output in 1883 was 21,522 tons with 110 men employed. (DoMAR 1883)

1883 – Advert; Tenders called for the Getting & Delivery of Pit Timber; Tenders called for the erection of 6 miner’s cottages - W. B. Green, Colliery Manager. (Ill Merc 23/3/1883 p3)

1883 – Advert; “Estate of Late Hon. Robert Owen MLC, to be sold – 516 acs, 2 roods, 20 perches of Mineral and Cultivation lands adjacent to the Mt Kembla Coal Company’s freehold. The 3 top seams of coal and seam of kerosene are leased to the Mt Kembla Co. who is mining the top seam and paying royalties. 2 other coal seams, fireclay and iron ore underlie the top seam. (SMH 10/11/1883 p14)

1884 – Advert; “Riveter and mate to rivet 50 iron hopper wagons at Mt Kembla Colliery.” – F.W. Curnow, Manager. (SMH 4/1/1884 p9)

1884 – Advert; “Blacksmith required.” F. W. Curnow, Manager. (SMH 21/01/1884 p12)

1884 – A second locomotive is landed at Wollongong for Mt. Kembla Colliery. (SMH 3/3/1884)

1884 - 44 men employed at the surface, 154 u/g. Output 91,013 tons. (DoMAR 1884)

 

1884 – “The Victorian Coal Company, locally known as the new Mount Kembla Coal Company, is getting ready to practically start operating. Mr Thomas Bertram, the efficient Mining Engineer, has arrived and taken up quarters in Keira cottage. The mouth of the colliery will be on Mr Waples farm.”? (Illawarra Mercury, 9/10/1884 p2)

 

1885 - 40 men employed at the surface, 160 u/g. Output 80,324 tons. (DoMAR 1885)

 

1886 – Fatality, 20^th Nov, Felix Murphy, miner, fall of roof stone. (DoMAR 1886)

1886 – 40 men employed at the surface, 150 u/g. Output 51,794 tons. Lengthy strikes have occurred over the reduction of 2d per ton with subsequent heavy roof falls in the longwall and the #6 division of workings. Mr Evans is Colliery Manager.(DoMAR 1886)

 

1887 – Fatality, 28^th May, William Freestone, miner. (DoMAR 1887)

1887 – Fatality, 3^rd Sep, Allan McIntyre, miner, fall of stone. (DoMAR 1887)

1887 - 50 men employed at the surface, 250 u/g. Output 99,790 tons. (DoMAR 1887) 12’ diam. shaft (403 ft. {122.8 m} deep) in process of being sunk. (Saywell 2008)

1887 – Aug 2^nd, Lahiff & Ahern’s Tunnel commenced in excess of work done on the same selection – seeking kerosene shale – formerly situated at Mt Kembla. (DoMAR 1887)

1887 – Original furnace chimney replaced by a furnace chimney some 200m north of portal.

 

1888 – Fatality, 14^th April, A. Parsons, sinker, fall of stone. (DoMAR 1888)

1888 – Fatality, 15^th Jun, Hugh Dobbie, wheeler, fall of stone. (DoMAR 1888)

1888 - 47 men employed at the surface, 213 u/g. Output 152,839 tons. (DoMAR 1888)

1889 – Fatality, 14^th Feb, George Ditchburn, miner, by fall of stone. (DoMAR 1889)

1889 – Fatality, 29^th Apr, William Addy, labourer, impact by loco on tramline. (DoMAR 1889)

1889 – Fatality, 11^th Jun, Wm. Richardson, token boy, jammed by skips. (DoMAR 1889)

1889 - 65 men employed at the surface, 235 u/g. Output 122,558 tons. (DoMAR 1889) Evans is replaced as Mine Manager by James Hunter. (Piggins & Lee)

1890 – Ventilation is by 3 splits, 36,000 cfm. (DoMAR 1890)

1890 – October, one hundred armed police were utilised to escort seventy non-union labourers to the mine. The police were reinforced by 160 members of the Permanent Artillery equipped with rifles, swords and 3 machine guns. (Piggins & Lee)

1891 – Fatality, 11^th Feb, James Sheard, miner, by fall of coal. (DoMAR 1891)

1892 - 51 men employed at the surface, 254 u/g. Output 177,269 tons. Approx 40,000 cfm via 4 splits. Two new return airways established. (DoMAR 1892)

1892 – New shaft now operational as furnace shaft.

 

1893 - 37 men employed at the surface, 235 u/g. Output 156,992 tons. Approx 45,000 cfm via 4 splits. (DoMAR 1893)

1894 - 33 men employed at the surface, 190 u/g. Output 127,155 tons. Approx 40,000 cfm via 5 splits. (DoMAR 1894)

1895 - Approx 60,000 cfm. (DoMAR 1895)

1895 – James H. Ronaldson is Mine Manager. (Piggins & Lee)

 

1896 - Output 173,675 tons. Approx 56,000 cfm via 6 splits. (DoMAR 1896)

1896 – William Rogers appointed Mine Manager, resides in “lovely stone house at Kembla Heights”. (Piggins & Lee)

1897 – October 11^th, the manager, William Rogers, is convicted on a breach of the new CMRA (weighing of coal) and the company fined. (Piggins & Lee)

1898 - 72 men employed at the surface, 222 u/g. Output 171,153 tons. (DoMAR 1898)

1899 - 79 men employed at the surface, 231 u/g. Output 183,000 tons. (DoMAR 1899)

1900 – Fatality, 26^th Apr, James Benjamin, 18, labourer, crushed by tippler. (DoMAR 1900)

1900 - 88 men employed at the surface, 249 u/g. Output 241,765 tons. (DoMAR 1900)

1901 - 87 men employed at the surface, 253 u/g. Output 261,350 tons. (Saywell 2008)

Control:-

                1878 – 1913         The Mount Kembla Coal & Oil Co.

                1913 – 1946         Mount Kembla Collieries Ltd.

                1946 – 1970         Australian Iron & Steel Ltd.

1902 – Multiple Fatalities; At 2pm, on the 31^st July, 1902, Mt. Kembla Mine suffered the worst mining disaster in Australia’s history when a gas explosion killed 96 men and boys.

The resulting Royal Commission concluded that a roof fall in a goafed area pushed inflammable gasses into contact with a wheeler’s naked light, triggering a series of coal dust explosions.

Work recommences on 24^th September, 1902.

1904 – 31^st Oct. Mr. Wm. Rogers re-appointed Mine Manager. (DoMAR 1904)

1905 – Fatality; James Franklyn Brown, miner, “fall of roof”, 15^th Dec. 1905. 81 men employed at the surface, 317 men u/g.  An electric power plant has been installed and used for driving a coal cutter and haulage ropes in No. 2 Left longwall workings. The coal cutter is of the cutter-bar type, “Hurd’s Pick-quick”. (DoMAR 1905)

1906 – Fatality, 1^st Feb - Robert Henry Vine, 24, shiftman, fall of roof stone (DoMAR 1906)

1906 – Fatality, 7^th Nov – Thomas Love Craig, miner, fall of roof – “broken back”. He succumbed to his injuries in Wollongong hospital on 29/5/1907. (DoMAR 1906)

 

1907 - 85 men employed at the surface, 382 men u/g.  A 330 HP power plant is under construction at the colliery. Notification was received on 2/5/1907 of an adit having been commenced to hole into No. 1 Right Section. Mr. W. Rogers is listed as Manager with D. Hotchkiss as U/manager. (DoMAR 1907)

 

1908 - 85 men employed at the surface, 353 men u/g.  (DoMAR 1908)

 

1909 - 89 men employed at the surface, 336 men u/g.  The ventilation shaft is listed as being 12 ft dia. x 404 ft in depth, Mr. W. Rogers as Manager, D. Hotchkiss as U/manager & John F. Dent as Mine Electrician. (DoMAR 1909)

1910 - 85 men employed at the surface, 345 men u/g.  A new sub-station is installed in the #6 Right District, some 1.5 miles inbye the portal. (DoMAR 1910)

1911 – 84 men employed at the surface, 338 men u/g. James Jarvie listed as Mine Manager, John Ryal as U/m. (DoMAR 1911)

1912 – 80 men employed at the surface, 322 men u/g. DoM notified on 20^th Aug. as to the appointment of Mr G. N. McCreeth as mine electrician.

1912 – 16^th Sept. - Fatality – Edward Frost, 48, haulage contractor, by roof fall on haulage road. (DoMAR 1912)

1912 – 4^th Nov. - Fatality – Thomas Hancock, 25, shiftman, by stone fall. (DoMAR 1912)

 

Mt Kembla Portal c. 1913

 

1912 – Goodman chain ????? m/c in use in the hdgs. – electrically operated. Hurds quick-pick m/c used in longwall – DC electrically operated.

 

1913 – 82 men employed at the surface, 316 men u/g. (DoMAR 1913)

 

1914 – 85 men employed at the surface, 314 men u/g. A new tunnel has been opened in the 4-foot seam for the purpose of conveying the workmen to and from work.  (DoMAR 1914)

 

1915 – 79 men employed at the surface, 297 men u/g.  DoM notified on 8^th Jan. as to W. Gilbert being appointed as mine electrician.  (DoMAR 1915)

 

1916 – 69 men employed at the surface, 260 men u/g. (DoMAR 1916)

 

1917 – 6^th Jan. - Fatality – Percy L. Chinnock, 22, miner, struck by roof support. (DoMAR 1917)

1917 – 5^th Feb. - Fatality – Timothy Nelligen, 34, shiftman, by stone fall. (DoMAR 1917)

1917 – 76 men employed at the surface, 240 men u/g. (DoMAR 1917)

1918 – 83 men employed at the surface, 191 men u/g. DoM notified on 4^th Nov. as to J. F. Dent being appointed as mine electrician. (DoMAR 1918)

 

1919 – 63 men employed at the surface, 239 men u/g. (DoMAR 1919)

 

1920 – 55 men employed at the surface, 214 men u/g. An inquiry commencing in July 1917 as to the safety of electrical coal cutting machines at the Mt Kembla Colliery results in the withdrawal of the machines. (DoMAR 1920)

1920 – Details of the ventilation as listed in the annual report; 6 Adits as Intakes- 6’x 5’-6”; 7’x 5’; 7’x 5’; 13’x 7’; 6’x 5’; 8’x 6’-3”. Return by furnace shaft, 12’ diam. 404’deep, 90,000 cfm. (DoMAR 1920)

 

1921 – 12^th Feb. - Fatality – Andrew Baxter Rae, 58, engineer, heart failure. (DoMAR 1921)

1921 – 66 men employed at the surface, 250 men u/g. (DoMAR 1921)

 

1922 – Sinking has commenced on a ventilation shaft on lands leased from the metropolitan water supply within the catchment. (DoMAR 1922)

1922 – 67 men employed at the surface, 259 men u/g. (DoMAR 1922)

1923 – Poor progress being made on the ventilating shaft. It is 14’ in diameter with total depth of 350’ to the Bulli seam. Currently down to ~100’. 69 men employed at the surface, 250 men u/g. (DoMAR 1923)

1924 – The ventilation shaft reached coal on 14/09/1924; the fan is currently being installed. (DoMAR 1924)

1924 – 70 men employed at the surface, 253 men u/g. (DoMAR 1924)

1925 – Fatality – a miner is killed while setting some slabs under bad roof 23 yds outbye the face. (DoMAR 1925)

 

1925 – Case before the Court – 42 miners at the Mt Kembla mine are sentenced to two weeks imprisonment for illegal strikes. 106 other employees are under similar charges. (Daily Advertiser (Wagga Wagga) 10/03/1925, p2)

 

1925 – A Keith fan, 72” diameter x 60” wide is installed at the ventilating shaft during the year and brought into operation at the beginning of 1926, replacing furnace ventilation. Reports as having 224 employees u/g and 72 at the surface. (DoMAR 1925)

1926 – The new ventilation fan has been running satisfactorily for over a week. (Ill Merc 12/2/1926 p2)

 

1926 – Mt Kembla reports as having 230 employees u/g and 78 at the surface. (DoMAR 1926)

1926 – Fatality – a miner received a slight injury to the back of his hand on 16^th Dec, it turned septic requiring the hand to be amputated on the 29^th Dec. The miner died on the 31^st Dec.

 

1927 – Mt Kembla reports as having 249 employees u/g and 66 at the surface. (DoMAR 1927)

1928 – Mt Kembla reports as having 208 employees u/g and 73 at the surface. (DoMAR 1928)

1929 – Mt Kembla reports as having 236 employees u/g and 66 at the surface. (DoMAR 1929)

 

1932 – Mt Kembla Colliery decided to reduce its miners from about 200 to 42. (Ill Merc. 9/9/1932 p3- Trove)

 

1930’s – a new surface screening plant with two skip tumblers, stone picking tables screens and coal storage bins were installed remaining mostly in service until closure in 1972. (“A History of the Prospecting and Development of Coal Mining in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven” – Part 1. The Aus. I. M. M. Mineral Heritage Sub-Committee of the Illawarra Branch. 2010)

 

1943 – “Madden & Madden, Timber Merchants, Port Kembla re-open the kerosene shale seam, testing as to the suitability of the shale to produce “vaporiser motor fuel”. To date, a new adit has been driven 40’ into the seam within Portion 4 adjacent to an “old tunnel.” Samples from the face that measured 6.58’ (2.00 m) in height were analysed, the results revealing the oil-shale to be of “fair” quality only as far as NSW standards. (DoMAR Geological Reports 1939- 1945, Kenny, E. J. 1943)

1943 – Fatality – July 1^st. Poland? (SCT 30/06/1949 ex Trove)

1944 – Fatality – John Ainsborough, 62, fall of roof stone. (Ill Merc. 14/4/1944 p8)

1944 – Fatality – Charles Dungey, 40, driving horse underground. (Ill Merc. 21/7/1944 p5)

 

1945 – AI&S Coy purchases Mt Kembla Colliery. Still to be ratified by shareholders in London. (SCT 16/11/1945 p7)

 

1946 – Australian Iron & Steel (AIS) purchases Mt Kembla Colliery for £150,000, all the residences in Kembla Heights and the rail line to Port Kembla. (“A History of the Prospecting and Development of Coal Mining in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven” – Part 1. The Aus. I. M. M. Mineral Heritage Sub-Committee of the Illawarra Branch. 2010)

1946 – Reported as working 212 days during 1946 (DoMAR 1946)

1950 – Fatality – James Cunningham, electric loco driver. Loco derailed throwing driver off and jamming him between the loco and a rib prop. (25/11/1950) DMR Report

1950’s – the rail delivery from the base of the incline to Port Kembla by steam train was replaced by a conveyor belt discharging into the Nebo coal storage bin in Kemira Valley for combined delivery to Port Kembla by diesel locomotive. (“A History of the Prospecting and Development of Coal Mining in the Illawarra and Shoalhaven” – Part 1. The Aus. I. M. M. Mineral Heritage Sub-Committee of the Illawarra Branch. 2010)

1954 – New Pit Pony stables erected.

1957, 15^th May – Fatality – P. Peace, adult clipper. (DoMAR 1957)

1959 – (AI&S Ltd.), Working #1 Seam by hand mining, approximately 370 t/day by pillar extraction and endless rope haulage. (DoMAR 1959)

By 1960 coal output was down to 400 tons/day, contractors were phased out by 1968 and finally closing on 18^th September, 1970, having mined 14 million tons in nearly 90 years.

*The entrance was by horizontal adit several feet below the seam. After 550’ the floor of the seam is encountered and a further 150’ the seam roof is reached.

1968 – Hand worked method replaced by mechanical system.

1969, 1^st Sep – Tenders are called for a new mine fan for the top of the shaft (400’ (122m) deep x 9’ (2.74m) diameter)

1970, 18^th Sept - Date of Discontinuance as listed on RT by Surveyor V.B. Smith.

1970 – Notice of Discontinuance received from owner of Mt Kembla Colliery. (DoMAR 1970-71)

1970, 6^th Nov – A 1200CP Richardson Fan is supplied to the colliery?

                *Additional data from Piggin, Stuart and Lee, Henry, 1992. The Mt. Kembla Disaster.

Managers as listed:

1883 – 1886         William B. Green (original manager)

1884                       F. W. Curnow (listed as manager in Adverts in SMH, Jan 1884)

1886 – 1889         John Evans

1889- ????             James Hunter (replaces Evans)

1895  -????            James Ronaldson

1896-1911            William Rogers (apptd 1896)

1911 – ????           James Jarvie

1929 - >1943        James M. Robertson (apptd 1929)