South Maitland coalfields
Encyclopedia
The South Maitland coalfields was the most extensive coalfield in New South Wales
until the great coal mining slump of the 1960s. It was discovered by Lieutenant-Colonel Paterson
's party when they were engaged in an exploratory visit to the Hunter River
Valley during July 1801.
Mention has been made that coal was being mined in the area during the 1840s, and about 1850 an outcrop in the vicinity of Mount Vincent was reported to the authorities. Several years later, Mr.Bourn Russell also known as Captain Russell commenced operations in a small way at Stoney Creek, Homeville, near Farley. The potential wealth of the coalfields was brought forward in 1886 by Professor Tannatt William Edgeworth David who located an outcrop of first grade coal at Deep Creek, near the present township of Abermain
. This gentleman was instrumental in having the whole coal-bearing area, estimated at 20,000 acres (81 km²), reserved for mining purposes.
The coalfields were subsequently served by the South Maitland Railway
which left the New South Wales Government's Great Northern Railway
above Maitland
at the East Greta Junction, 20 miles 65 chains
(33.49 km) north of Newcastle
. This 'railway' was in fact a considerable number of lines which all, at some point, merged, but had different original ownerships. On 22 November 1918 the first meeting took place of the South Maitland Railways Proprietary Limited, a company incorporated with a capital of £500,000 in £1 shares, and this company eventually acquired the entire coalfields railway network. The line remains open serving the last remaining Colliery at Pelton.
The coalfields roughly commenced at the village of East Greta, about 3 miles (5 km) west of Maitland, and stretched all the way to the village of Paxton, 5 miles (8 km) south-west of Cessnock
, covering innumerable villages and towns, and employing tens of thousands of people in over 30 collieries. The two companies which came to dominate the district were Caledonian Collieries Limited, and J & A Brown & Abermain-Seaham Collieries Limited (a merger of three formerly separate companies). These 2 companies merged in 1960 forming Coal & Allied Industries Limited, who bought Hebburn Co in July 1967.
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
until the great coal mining slump of the 1960s. It was discovered by Lieutenant-Colonel Paterson
William Paterson (explorer)
Colonel William Paterson, FRS was a Scottish soldier, explorer, Lieutenant governor and botanist best known for leading early settlement in Tasmania. This botanist is denoted by the author abbreviation Paterson when citing a botanical name.-Early years:A native of Montrose, Scotland, Paterson was...
's party when they were engaged in an exploratory visit to the Hunter River
Hunter River
The Hunter River is a major river in New South Wales, Australia. The Hunter River rises in the Liverpool Range and flows generally south and then east, reaching the Pacific Ocean at Newcastle, the second largest city in New South Wales and a major port....
Valley during July 1801.
Mention has been made that coal was being mined in the area during the 1840s, and about 1850 an outcrop in the vicinity of Mount Vincent was reported to the authorities. Several years later, Mr.Bourn Russell also known as Captain Russell commenced operations in a small way at Stoney Creek, Homeville, near Farley. The potential wealth of the coalfields was brought forward in 1886 by Professor Tannatt William Edgeworth David who located an outcrop of first grade coal at Deep Creek, near the present township of Abermain
Abermain, New South Wales
Abermain is a town located 8 km ENE of Cessnock and 3 km west of Weston, in New South Wales, Australia. Abermain is adjacent to Werakata National Park.-Schools and Education:...
. This gentleman was instrumental in having the whole coal-bearing area, estimated at 20,000 acres (81 km²), reserved for mining purposes.
The coalfields were subsequently served by the South Maitland Railway
South Maitland Railway, New South Wales
The South Maitland Railway was once an extensive network of privately owned colliery and passenger railway lines which served the South Maitland coalfields in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia and were the second last system in Australia to use steam haulage, having used steam...
which left the New South Wales Government's Great Northern Railway
Main North railway line, New South Wales
The Main North Line is a major railway in New South Wales, Australia. It runs through the Central Coast, Hunter and the New England regions. The line was the original main line between Sydney and Brisbane, however this required a change of gauge at Wallangarra...
above Maitland
Maitland, New South Wales
Maitland is a city in the Lower Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia and the seat of Maitland City Council, situated on the Hunter River approximately by road north of Sydney and north-west of Newcastle...
at the East Greta Junction, 20 miles 65 chains
Chain (unit)
A chain is a unit of length; it measures 66 feet or 22 yards or 100 links . There are 10 chains in a furlong, and 80 chains in one statute mile. An acre is the area of 10 square chains...
(33.49 km) north of Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
. This 'railway' was in fact a considerable number of lines which all, at some point, merged, but had different original ownerships. On 22 November 1918 the first meeting took place of the South Maitland Railways Proprietary Limited, a company incorporated with a capital of £500,000 in £1 shares, and this company eventually acquired the entire coalfields railway network. The line remains open serving the last remaining Colliery at Pelton.
The coalfields roughly commenced at the village of East Greta, about 3 miles (5 km) west of Maitland, and stretched all the way to the village of Paxton, 5 miles (8 km) south-west of Cessnock
Cessnock, New South Wales
Cessnock is a city in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, about by road west of Newcastle. It is the administrative centre of the Cessnock City Council LGA and was named after an 1826 grant of land called Cessnock Estate, which was owned by John Campbell...
, covering innumerable villages and towns, and employing tens of thousands of people in over 30 collieries. The two companies which came to dominate the district were Caledonian Collieries Limited, and J & A Brown & Abermain-Seaham Collieries Limited (a merger of three formerly separate companies). These 2 companies merged in 1960 forming Coal & Allied Industries Limited, who bought Hebburn Co in July 1967.
List of collieries and proprietors
- East Greta No.1 (1891, East Great Coal Mining Co; closed 24 Sept 1929 - Depression)
- East Greta No.2 (1896, ditto)
- Glen Greta (1930–1931)
- Glen Ayr (1914, Glen Ayr Colliery Co.,1930, flooded)
- Ayrfield No.1, Heddon Greta, (1918–1933, fire)
- Ayrfield No.2, Heddon Greta, (1924–1930, flooded)
- Heddon Greta (closed after a fire and then flooding, 1912)
- Stanford Merthyr No.1, Kurri Kurri (1901, East Greta Coal Mining Co, later J & A Brown etc. Major mine, closed 1960s)
- Pelaw MainPelaw Main, New South WalesPelaw Main is a hamlet a few kilometres south-west of Kurri Kurri, in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia. It owes its origins entirely to the colliery there of the same name.-Pelaw Main Colliery:...
, Kurri Kurri, (Dec 1901, J & A Brown etc., closed 1960s) - Richmond Main, near Kurri Kurri (1890, John ScholeyJohn ScholeyJohn Scholey was an extensive landed proprietor, prominent businessman, colliery owner, and Mayor...
syndicate, later J & A Brown, highest daily production in NSW, closed late 1960s) - Hebburn No.1, Weston, (1903, A.A.Co., then Hebburn Coal Co., 1958)
- Hebburn No.2, 3 miles (4.8 km) S of Weston, (1918, Hebburn Coal Co., from 1967 J & A Brown)
- Hebburn No.3 or Elrington, near AbernethyAbernethy, New South WalesAbernethy is a small town in the City of Cessnock, in the Hunter Region in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Abernethy is located 8 kilometres south-east of the town of Cessnock, NSW and is adjacent to Werakata National Park and the Aberdare State Forest...
, (1924, Hebburn Coal Co., later BHP Co.Ltd.,1962) - Greta Main, Weston, (1922, E S & B Jefferies, 1935, flooded)
- AbermainAbermain, New South WalesAbermain is a town located 8 km ENE of Cessnock and 3 km west of Weston, in New South Wales, Australia. Abermain is adjacent to Werakata National Park.-Schools and Education:...
No.1 (Abermain Collieries Ltd.,1960) - Abermain No.2, Kearsley, (first mechanised pit in the area)(1912, Abermain Collieries Ltd., 1964)
- Abermain No.3, Neath, (1923, Abermain & Seaham Collieries Ltd., 1960)
- Neath (1906, Wickham & Bullock Island Coal Mining Co., from 1933 Cessnock Collieries Ltd., 1961)
- Aberdare (from 1946, open-cut) (1905, Caledonian Collieries Ltd., 1960)
- Aberdare South (or AbernethyAbernethy, New South WalesAbernethy is a small town in the City of Cessnock, in the Hunter Region in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Abernethy is located 8 kilometres south-east of the town of Cessnock, NSW and is adjacent to Werakata National Park and the Aberdare State Forest...
Main) (1917, Caledonian Collieries Ltd., by 1940) - Aberdare Central, KitchenerKitchener, New South WalesKitchener is a small town in the City of Cessnock, in the Hunter Region in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Kitchener is located 5 kilometres south of the town of Cessnock, NSW and is adjacent to Werakata National Park and the Aberdare State Forest....
, (1917, Caledonian Collieries Ltd., c1960) - Aberdare Extended, Cessnock, (1906, Caledonian Collieries Ltd, 1963)
- Cessnock No.1 (Kalingo Colliery) (1927, Wickham & Bullock Island Coal Mining Co., from 1933 Cessnock Collieries Ltd., 1964)
- Cessnock No.2 (1917, Wickham & Bullock Island Coal Mining Co., from 1933 Cessnock Collieries Ltd., 1955)
- Bellbird, south of Cessnock, (1908, Hetton Coal Mining Co.)
- Pelton (1916, Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Co.)
- Stanford Main No.2, Paxton, 5 miles (8 km) SW of Cessnock, the most southerly of the South Maitland coalfields' mines (1922, East Greta Coal Mining Co; 1934 J & A Brown etc., 1961)
- Maitland Main (from 1929) 4.5 miles (7.2 km) SW of Cessnock (1921 as Greta Main Colliery)
- Millfield Greta, 6.5 miles (10.5 km) SW of Cessnock (1924, Millfield Greta Coal Co., later R.W. Miller & Co.)