South Bellambi Colliery

1974 – 1979

(Rev 2.0)

Opened: 1974

Owner: Woonona Mining and Engineering Pty Ltd

Coal Seam: Balgownie

Closure: 1979

1974 – A relatively small block of coal lands between Corrimal and South Bulli Collieries opened by the Woonona Mining and Engineering Pty Ltd to access the 4 foot or Balgownie seam, the Bulli seam already having been mined out. Mining was to be from the outcrop.

Plan from Cx old files re Corrimal Mine located.

Underground operations at the Sth Bellambi Coal Mine, 8 kms north of Wollongong, began in 1974 and ceased in early 1979.

1975 – 6^th May, Notice of Commencement received by the Dept. of Mines (DoMAR 1975)

1975 – Mining has commenced at the outcrop the coal being conveyed directly to South Bulli Colliery’s conveyor system to the existing coal beneficiation plant. The mine has penetrated several pillar lengths and surface installations are being constructed. (DoMAR 1975)

1976-7 – Major roof falls occurred throughout the workings necessitating the driveage of new entries. (DoMAR 1977)

1978 – 7^th Aug – A small fire occurred at the drive head of the face conveyer due to a belt slip unit having been tampered with. (DoMAR 1978)

1978 – Yr 1977-78 raw coal production 61,000 tonnes*

1979 - Yr 1978-79 raw coal production 28,000 tonnes*

* “Black Coal in Australia 1981-1982” Joint Coal Board (Statistical Yearbook)

1979 – 23^rd Feb, Notice of Discontinuance received by Dept. of Mines. (DoM records)

1979 – Woonona Mining and Engineering Pty Ltd, owner of the South Bellambi Colliery Holding, is placed in liquidation with Wogan Australia Pty Ltd appointed to assist in the disposal of the mine property.

1981 - 30^th Jun, – Plan of Abandonment is signed. It would appear only bord & pillar workings (approx. 30x30m) were undertaken with no pillar extraction (all working are well east of the escarpment). The southern extent of the workings (1South) stopped immediately north of the Bellambi seam workings of the Corrimal #2 Mine.

The Rehabilitation of Sth Bellambi Coal Mine:

1994 – Operators of the Bellambi West coal Mine, adjacent to the Sth Bellambi site, discovered five adits and remnant mine infrastructure.

1995 – DMR conducts an inspection of the site.

2001 – The NSW Derelict Mines Committee allocated funds to rehabilitate the site.

2002 – Early - Allied Mining Australia Pty Ltd reopened three adits and with the DMR, deemed it was unsafe to enter the adits to build bulk heads as per the DMR guidelines, so they were simply backfilled with fly ash by an excavator outside each adit. Unsafe structures such as a coal bin and water tank were removed and two sink holes backfilled. All disturbed areas were replanted with native vegetation.

2002 – April – Works completed to an appropriate standard. Approximate cost $75,000, funded by the Derelict Mines Programme.

                Much information extracted from DMR Publication, Minfo No. 75, 2002