membership is free join now

  • HOME
  • The Project
    • About The Project
    • Support the Project
    • Site Credits
    • Location
  • Timeline
    • 1790 - 1850
    • 1850 - 1900
    • 1900 - 1950
    • 1950 - 2000
    • 2000 - NOW
  • Minebase
    • Minebase A - C
    • Minebase D - L
    • Minebase M - S
    • Minebase T - Z
    • Feature: Nebo
  • Galleries
    • Submit Your Photos
    • Aerial Pics
    • Machinery / Equipment
    • Maps and Plans
    • Geological Sections
    • Media
    • Miscellaneous
    • People
    • Surface Pics
    • Underground Pics
  • Resources
    • Current Sponsors
  • Discussion
  • Contacts

The Pioneer Kerosene Works

Category: Minebase M - S

The Pioneer Kerosene Works

(American Creek, Mt. Kembla)

(Rev 2.1)

The original site for these Works was a small plateau of some 2 acres, 520’ a.s.l. on the northern side of American Creek on Mt. Kembla.

The site and operations are in Portions 4 and 160, Parish of Kembla, County Camden.

Rev. W. B. Clarke, geologist, in 1853, stated that he had sampled the oil bearing shales in 1849 and upon analysis contained less oil than the Cannel Coals.

1865 – February – Mr R. J. Want and Mr. (later Sir) Saul Samuel showed Mr. J. Graham a small phial of oil distilled from his property on Mt Kembla. Mr Graham obtained a sample of shale from Mr Robert Longmore which was then tested by the Gov. Analyst, Mr C. Watt, returning some 50 gals of oil per ton. (Geol Surv. Memoir No.3 - Carne, J. E. 1903)

A meeting was held in Wollongong on March 21st, 1865, and a committee set up comprising the Mayor of Wollongong, (J. W. Wilshire), and Messrs. C. T. Smith, P. Lahiff, Robert Owen, W. Robson, G. Waring and J. Biggar to test the commercial value of the shale.

This committee was redundant as the Mercury of 28th March, 1865 advised that Mr. John Graham of Graham & Mulholland was to test the quality at his own cost.

John Graham was the son of John and Jane Graham, Irish immigrants farming at Avondale. He was in business with Mulholland as Commission Agents in Sydney and the owner of the property on which the shale was discovered.

  1. J. Hammil, an American oil refiner in Melbourne, approached Graham with plans to exploit the shale deposits and work commenced almost immediately.

Mr. Longmore constructed the retorting plant with the foundry work being supplied by P. N. Russell and Co. Mr Hammil took charge of retorting operations.  The first retorts were horizontal with a capacity of about half a ton, later modified to a wider shallower design. The retorts were charged every 6 hours. (Geol Surv. Memoir No.3 - Carne, J. E. 1903)

1865, July - saw two 8’ adits driven into the American Creek seam to prove the shales quality. The shale was 25’ higher than the works and some 1’9” in thickness.

1866 - Production commenced in December with advertisements were in the Mercury of January 30th, 1866, for “American Creek ‘Pioneer” Kerosene Illuminating Oil” for 45c per gallon or 12c per quart.

1866 - Clarke further remarked that a series of shales associated with the coal were found to produce oil. Probably not esteemed as a source for oil. They readily ignite by a match.

1870, the Mercury of January 12th, indicated that Edward Graham was the manager and R. Parsons the Wollongong Agent. Edward was John’s younger brother, a store keeper at Shellharbour, alderman, mayor and magistrate.

1872 - The Mercury of September 20th, carried a prospectus for “The Sun Kerosene Shale and Oil Company”, (lately known as “Graham’s Pioneer Kerosene Oil Works”). Provisional directors – J. Stewart, MLA, Thomas Hale, Lawrence Kendall, John Graham (Managing).

Apparently nothing eventuated with the proposed company but the prospectus indicates freehold land – 200 acres owned by Graham, 130 acres known as Jeykell’s Kerosene Land, the plant having an output of 1,800 gallons of crude oil per week.

1874 - John Graham sells his interest for $20,000 to the Mt Kembla Coal and Oil Company.

Rival works at Hartley was selling 4 gallons for 19c in Kiama in 1874.

N.S.W. Mines Dept. records show a suspension of operations from 1875 to late 1876.

  1. M. Fell took over as manager from Edward Graham in 1877.

1877 Andrew Armstrong appointed Selling Agent for the Mount Kembla Oil and Coal Co’s “Star” Kerosene and other oils.

In August 1877, a horse was killed in a fire that destroyed the stable, being the second or third such fire started by sparks from the works’ chimney.

Three draught horses and a saddle horse were offered for sale on 28th June, 1878.

The Central Illawarra Appeals Court was advised that the works were to close as the shale was nearly exhausted.

December 1877 saw that the Kerosene Company had sold its store on the north side of Belmore Basin, in Wollongong, moving all its oil stocks to Sydney.

December 1877 saw also the formation of a new company in England to work the property of the late Kerosene Company, not for shale but coal.

Mt Kembla Colliery:-

1880 – 12th Nov, W. Bural notifies DoMAR of opening up #1 and #3 seams and in process of constructing a tramway to 5 Islands Point. (DoMAR 1880)

1882 – 18th Mar, W. Bural notifies DoMAR of commencing mining in #1 seam. (DoMAR 1882)

1883 – 27 men are employed on the surface, 83 u/ground. (DoMAR 1883)

The Mount Kembla mine was to restart under the new management of the Mount Kembla Coal and Oil Co. (Ltd.), E. Vickery being a prominent associate.

By November 1883, the mine was producing 1,000 tons of coal per week from the Bulli seam going on to become the site of Australia’s biggest colliery disaster with 96 men and boys killed by an explosion in 1902.

Mount Kembla Collieries Ltd. replaced the Coal and Oil Co. on July 8, 1913, in turn being replaced by Australian Iron & Steel Ltd. on August 31st, 1948.

Nebo Colliery working the Wongawilli seam was opened at this same site by A. I. S. Pty Ltd.

  • * “In 1943, Madden and Madden, Timber Merchants, Port Kembla, re-opened the seam to test the suitability of the shale for the production of vaporiser fuel for vehicles used in transport and other avenues of industry.
  • A new adit is driven into the hillside in Portion 4, close to an old tunnel, has been advanced 40 feet.”  (12m).

Section (abridged) measured at the face.

Assay No.

Thickness

Description

Roof

 

Coal

 

9”

Clay

 

3”

Coal

43/366

21”

Carbonaceous Shale

43/392

25”

Oil Shale

43/393

12”

Carbonaceous Shale

 

8”

Coaly Material

Floor

 

Grey clay-shale

The sample, assay no. 43/392, yielded some 50 gallons/ton of crude oil.

The oil shale was regarded as only fair quality as far as NSW standards were concerned, however the shale was somewhat peculiar and the name “Wollongongite” was used in early references.

The recommendation was to concentrate on the oil-shale only as the dilution effect of the carbonaceous shales would be too great as a commercial venture.*

  • *Kenny, E. J. 1943, America Creek, Mount Kembla Oil-Shale. Geological Reports 1939-1945, Dept. of Mines, NSW, 1950.

Section Mt Kembla Oil shale Moody 1875

Section of the coal seams at the outcrop – showing the Kerosene shale as mined (American Creek Seam)

113-1337_IMG

 

113-1336_IMG

Ex Retort

 

Dedication plaque

 

Production Data (from various sources)

Year

Employees

Oil Produced (Gals)

Value ($)

Coal (tons)

1865

 

7,000

200

50

1866

 

58,650

3,518

520

1867

 

93,600

5,416

N. R.

1868

10

102,000

8,160

500

1869

 

125,000

7,500

700

1870

 

No Recorded

N. R.

N. R.

1871

 

135,450

8,100

800

1872

 

137,000

8,200

850

1873

 

137,500

8,250

840

1874

 

150,00

9,000

1,000

1875

35

N. R.

N. R.

N. R.

1876

45

N. R.

N. R.

N. R.

1877

15

117,050

N. R.

1,309

1878

30

31,000

868

N. R.

Data sourced from “The Pioneer Kerosene Works at American Creek” (Mt. Kembla), a paper prepared and presented to the Illawarra Historical Society by A. P. Fleming on 3rd August, 1961.

Later published by the Illawarra Historical Society in May, 1967, reprinted 1976.

ISBN 909164 00 2

image004.png

Abandoned mine workings

Incomplete

Last Updated: 09 August 2017
Discuss this article
Log in to comment

Members

Log in

Log in

  • Forgot your password?
  • Forgot your username?
  • Create Account

MINEBASE

  • Minebase A - C
  • Minebase D - L
  • Minebase M - S
  • Minebase T - Z
  • Feature: Nebo

Other Recent Updates

  • Nebo Colliery
  • Shoobert's Mine
  • Black Bob's
  • American Creek Colliery (Mt Kembla Shale, Nebo, Elouera)
  • Tower Colliery
  • Albert Colliery
  • Kemira Colliery
  • Austinmer Colliery (North Bulli Mine)
  • Osborne Wallsend Colliery
  • Bulli Colliery
  • Old Bulli Colliery
  • Bulli No.4 Colliery
  • Bulli (Old) Colliery
  • South Clifton Colliery
  • Corrimal Colliery
  • Bellambi Colliery
  • Box Vale Colliery
  • Bruce's Tunnel
  • Coal Cliff Colliery
  • Huntley Colliery

Popular Searches...

  • Bulli Colliery
  • Central Bulli Colliery
  • Kemira Colliery
  • Albert Colliery
  • Osborne Wallsend Colliery
  • James Shoobert
  • Henry Osborne
  • Albert Coal Mine
  • Corrimal
  • Balgownie

Popular Pages

  • Corrimal Colliery
  • Old Bulli Colliery
  • Appin Colliery
  • Kemira Colliery
  • About the Project

Site Search



Support This Project

Please sign up to contribute and/or support the ongoing development of this community site.
MEMBERSHIP & SPONSOR OPTIONS

Top
Copyright © 2023 All rights reserved. Site design by inTouch web services. Site research by Sheldrill
Minebase M - S