All correspondence to: Mel Davies OAM Business School, Economics MBDP M251 University of Western Australia 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley 6009, W. Australia Tel. (W) 08-64882926 (H) 08-92953265 Fax: 08-64881016 . Email: [email protected]

Newsletter No. 3 SEPTEMBER 2019 Patron: Professor Geoffrey Blainey, AC ABN 96 220 329 754 Web page: http://www.mininghistory.asn.au ISSUE 98

REPORT ON 25TH CONFERENCE, visit the well-organized mining museum ATHERTON, there and the intact early engine houses of Thanks to Conference co-organiser Jan the Great Northern mine nearby. We then Wegner for providing the following went on to , where we toured outline of the conference activities. Out of the ruins of Moffat’s mill and smelter modesty, what she did not say was that it sites and his residence, Loudon House, was a very successful week of activities now a museum. We also visited Moffat’s which included a wide variety of papers. premier mine, the Vulcan, which still Some 70 people attended, plus a number boasts one of the few intact headframes of of one-day delegates. the traditional four-post design along with ‘Far north Queensland hosted the concrete machinery bases for the winder, Australasian Mining History compressor and pump. The third field trip Association’s conference this year, in went to the copper and lead mining field Atherton, centre of the farming and of Chillagoe to see the remains of the dairying lands of the Atherton Tablelands Chillagoe Smelters, which serviced a west of Cairns. The theme was ‘In the large area of north Queensland’s base footsteps of John Moffat’, as all the metal mining industry from 1901 to 1943, conference field trips followed the and the remains of the Zillmanton, Girofla interests of that base metal mining and Lady Jane mines, the largest on the entrepreneur, whose far-flung interests field. Owen Ray, whose Honours thesis in were administered from nearby Archaeology examined Zillmanton, was a Irvinebank. Conference attendees first handy source of information. Talks by went to Mt Mulligan, the spectacular local historian Mary Bolam at the sandstone mountain known to the local Chillagoe museum, and geologist John Djungan people as Ngarrabullgan, to visit Nethery at the Information Centre, the remains of the coal mine notorious for provided the context. We couldn’t visit the coal dust explosion which killed all 76 Chillagoe without a close-up view of the workers in 1921. We were guided by spectacular limestone bluffs and the historian Peter Bell, who has written Aboriginal art in the rock shelters, so the extensively on the disaster. There are tour included the Mungana art site – also many remains on site, of the mine, the the site of the racecourse for the coke works including the brick abandoned mining town of Mungana smokestack, facilities for loading the coal nearby. We also were guided through the on the railway, and the brick kiln. A modern Mungana mine-site by the second field trip went to Herberton to manager, Ian Hodkinson, including the 1 huge Red Dome open cut, one of the FORTHCOMING EVENTS deepest in Australia. This provided a AMHA 26th Annual Conference, useful contrast in scale between modern Bathurst, November 2020. and 19th – early 20th century mining It has now been confirmed that the next operations. A short field trip by conference will be held at Bathurst, with Aboriginal member Kal Ellwood also organiser Juanita Wong already at work looked at pre-contact Aboriginal mining with her team that includes Robin and ethnogeology in the area surrounding McLachlan, Paul McGregor and Edward Atherton, which includes several dormant Zbik, to select the venues and conference volcanoes, volcanic lakes, and the deep tours to mining areas of interest. With volcanic pipe called The Crater. over 12 months to go, that should allow Conference papers covered a wide folk sufficient time to save their pennies range of topics, from historical analyses and to prepare papers for presentation. of mining and milling all over Australia to the historical archaeology of town sites International Mining History Congress, and cemeteries; mining songs and poems; Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, 18-22 June the role of miners in the extinction of the 2020 Thylacine; pre-contact Aboriginal mining; As noted in the previous newsletter, the industrial diseases; and transport. Of deadline for abstract submissions for the particular interest was a pictorial and International Mining History Conference, historical presentation by representatives, is 1st November 2019. Submissions Jan Godowski and Monika Dziobeck of should be sent to Prof. Jeremy Mouat, at: the fabulous Wieliczka Salt Mine and [email protected]

Cracow Saltworks Museum in Poland. BITS & PIECES The friendly and obliging staff of The Charters Towers Stock Exchange the Atherton International Club provided Ian Scott recently visited Charters Towers us with a good conference venue and kept where he spoke to archivist Michael us well fed, including the best scones on Brumby. Michael provided him with the Tableland, and AMHA member information on the Charters Towers Stock Stephen Imrie made himself Exchange and kindly agreed for Ian to indispensable, looking after IT matters. forward this piece, which will especially A large cast of volunteers made it bring back memories of the conference all possible, including conference visit to that town in 2014: organisers Jan Wegner, Kal Ellwood, Mel Davies and Ruth Kerr; Ken McQueen for ‘Alexander Malcolm envisaged his Royal putting information on the website and Arcade of small shops and offices to link helping with the Proceedings document; Mosman Street with Rutherford Lane at Nic Haygarth for doing the official its rear. It was to be built in the same style approaches to various organisations and as the same named arcade in Melbourne. people; Carole Hardingham for initial Malcolm dreamed big and believed in organising of the venue; and Wendy Charters Towers: from when he first Carter for putting together the arrived as a miner in 1873, to building a accommodation list. Thanks also to Peter set of six timber shops on this site in Shimmin and the Irvinebank Progress 1875-1876, and then replacing them in Association for organising tours and grand style with accommodation for lunch, and Ivan and Mary Searston and twenty. the great crew at the Herberton Mining Unfortunately, Malcolm went into Museum for their guided tours and debt. His life was troubled, and he moved hospitality. to Copeland, New South Wales some Jan Wegner years earlier, occasionally visiting Charters Towers to look after his

2 interests. Malcolm succumbed to Wellington, William Levi Davies, George alcoholism mania and heart failure in the Dunsford, J.F. Hinsch, and I.W. Charters Towers hospital on August 19th, Johnston.’ 1891, at a time when his arcade had been Sources: Charters Towers Stock Exchange given the means to thrive. Records CTSE/1 – 4. CTT: 18/04/1889. NM: 18/04/1889. TNM: 23/05/1889 – 3. The birth of Malcolm's arcade into becoming known more universally at the Mine Explosions Stock Exchange Arcade was inspired by Following the Atherton conference visit one of the arcade's first tenants, to Mount Mulligan, Harold Gallasch has sharebroker John F. Hinsch who made pointed out the that coal mining is not the arrangements to use the arcade floor for a only industry where dust can prove nightly call: there he would be inviting destructive: the public to “respectfully attend and learn the true value of their scrip." ‘A small note about the explosion at the Operations commenced on the evening of Mt Mulligan mine. I believe many people Saturday 20 April 1889. got the impression that this is one of the It was architect Mark Day's dangers associated with underground coal design of the two-storey masonry arcade mining. While this is true, this type of with glass-roof, large tiled floored space explosion has been far more common in illuminated by gas light at night that made environments such as flour mills and even the difference at least to Hinsch. Here was cotton ginneries. It is the very finely a large public space for the townspeople divided nature of any carbon or to enter the world for making speculative combustible material, mixed with air, that mining investments by purchasing scrip can be highly explosive. A spark is all or subscriptions at evening calls. that is required to initiate an explosion, if This was capitalised upon in May the mixture is right. It would not require 1890 when the sharebrokers dissolved the detonation, as was suggested may have so-called old institution and formed happened at Mt Mulligan. However, if the Charters Towers Stock Exchange. there was no pre-existing appropriate They were dissatisfied with a private mixture of dust in the air, it may have chamber call and arranged for a free call been some detonation, or other explosion, to be held each evening at 8.00 pm from that lifted the coal dust thus creating the the floor of the arcade: ‘to be in better appropriate, dangerous mixture, which touch with the investing public’. would only have needed a spark to then The Charters Towers Stock detonate and be self-generating Exchange had precursors beginning with throughout the mine’. an exchange first being set up in the (From the Ed.) Some members billiards room at the Crown Hotel in 1885 might remember that at one of our followed by another failed attempt by Newcastle conferences, when our late sharebrokers Hunter and Harte in 1886. member John Shoebridge, a NSW Mines The root causes for all to fail were ironed Safety Officer took us to a Safety out when the Charters Towers Stock Establishment and demonstrated how Exchange re-formed under revised rules such an explosion could take place, that with a permanent secretary appointed in many of us present came to appreciate, May 1890. Until then no one was how powerful and disastrous half-a prepared to work as secretary while the bucket of coal dust can be. members could not afford to pay for one. ‘The most expensive Cheese on Earth’ The first members included William Ken McQueen sent in an article that Auld, Sydney Hood Thorp, Thomas B. reported the opening of the Gruyere Bearup, Lancelot R. Beck, James R. Mine in WA, located 220km north-east of Bradshaw, John Bradshaw, Arthur Laverton, in the Great Victorian Desert,

3 which has hit the ground running, click on the following link, or copy to especially with prices recently touching your search engine: $2,044 an ounce. https://www.uncoveredpast.org.au/harrietville- chinese-mining-village-dig-with-us-2019 However, even though the product https://www.uncoveredpast.org.au/harrietville- is yellowish, the mine produces gold, not chinese-mining-village-dig-with-us-2019 cheese. The article from the ABC goes on Also see additional information on to point out that despite the record prices Facebook: for the metal, few sustainable large gold https://www.facebook.com/UncoveredPastInstitute/ mines are coming into production in Australia. Also noted was the long AHA Prizes and Awards 2019-20 gestation period between discovery and For details of awards and prizes offered operation of such mines; the fact that by the Australian Historical Association, older mines are facing diminishing check out their website at: returns, and that limited exploration is http://www.theaha.org.au/awards-and-prizes/ taking place on green fields, which is leading to an expected decline in gold CONGRATULATIONS production. The decline of about 7% per We are pleased to announce that earlier in year will take place after reaching a peak the year, two of our members appeared in of 350 tonnes in 2020, to reach 250 the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2019 list, tonnes in 2024. However, pessimistic as Congratulations to Dr Lenore Layman this sounds, members will know that the (WA) who was awarded the AM history of goldmining in Australia has (Member of the Order of Australia) for been punctuated with slowdowns and “significant service to higher education, growth spurts, and the question today will particularly in the fields of Australian and be whether exploration technology will public histories”; and James Lerk (VIC) reveal more golden opportunities under who was awarded the OAM (Medal of the the sands? Order of Australia) for “service to history, and to the community of Bendigo”. Archaeological Dig - Invite For some hands-on experience, members INFORMATION WANTED are invited to join a dig organised by ‘The Alexandre Frederick Theodore Bernier Uncovered Past Institute’ that’s being de la Grange, planned for the 4 weeks (either for 1,2, 3 A request has been received from John or the whole 4 weeks) from 30 September Jenkin regarding some of his ancestors to 26 October 2019. President of the who were on the West Australian organisation is AMHA member, Paul goldfields. First is mining engineer Macgregor. This will be the 2nd season of Alexandre Frederick Theodore Bernier de the exploration of a Chinese village in la Grange, who at one time fled France to Harrietville, Victoria. This one of the come to Australia. Second, is de la largest known and best=preserved Grange’s daughter Roberta Bernier de la Chinese mining sites in Victoria and Grange who married John’s grandfather, possibly in Australia. the Rev John Grenfell Jenkin who was a At the first excavation a large Methodist minister at Menzies between number of artifacts were discovered, 1897-1899, and at Kalgoorlie in 1900- including Chines bowls, cups, ceramic 1901. If anyone has information, please spoons, ceramic jars, opium and tobacco contact John at: [email protected] pipes, European plates, bottles for wine, mining equipment, a camp oven, sewing AWARD – Barry McGowan OAM materials and buttons, etc., all that help Member Juanita Kwok gave the explain the lives of the Chinese miners at welcome news that a report by Barry Harrietville in the 19th century. For further McGowan and Genevieve Mott, True details and information on how to apply, Australians and Pioneers: A Thematic

4 Study of the Chinese People in the rescue miners during the North Mount Orange, Blayney and Cabonne Shires and Lyell Fire disaster in 1912. Peter gained a the Town of Wellington, has recently Diploma in Electrical Engineering at been announced as winner of the Burnie before joining the staff of Mount Heritage Resources category in the Lyell in 1961. National Trust Heritage Awards. For During a 26-year career at the mine further details, see: he rose to the position of engineering https://www.nationaltrust.org.au/news/nationa superintendent, succeeding in the difficult l-trust-heritage-awards-shortlist-announced-for- task of replacing redundant technology 2019/ The report was nominated by without sacrificing productivity. As a result of this work he was awarded a Alison Russell, Community Museum fellowship with the Institution of and Heritage Manager for Orange Engineers and the Australasian Institute Council who worked with Barry and of Mining and Metallurgy. He served Genevieve on publishing it. Juanita was local government for eighteen years, also included in the plaudits, as after including four years as warden of Barry spoke to Alison about her Queenstown 1980-83. He was Legislative research, she accompanied Barry to Council Member for Gordon as an visit and obtain information from independent in the Tasmanian State families in Wellington. So, Juanita has Parliament 1988-99, retiring when the also been recorded as a winner seat was abolished. alongside Barry and Genevieve. Juanita points out that this is a Celebration of the centenary of the Mount Lyell great posthumous recognition of Iron Blow in 1983 Queenstown. Governor Sir James Plimsoll (left), Peter Schulze (Warden of Barry's work on Chinese rural Queenstown) (centre) and Tasmanian premier communities and Genevieve's Robin Gray (right). collaboration with Barry on this report and Tracking the Dragon publications and exhibitions. Barry would have been extremely proud to gain this recognition, and all who knew Barry will be delighted to see this work recognised.

BARRY McGOWAN’S LIBRARY Robin McLachlan has informed that he still has some books and documents available from the late Barry McGowan’s library. To find out what’s available and Source: Mercury Newspaper, 1983. how to obtain them see the attached document. Because of his family connection to the North Mount Lyell Fire, his OBITUARY familiarity with the underground electrical Vale Peter Schulze system at Mount Lyell, and his respect for Peter Ross Schulze (1935-2019) was born the people of Queenstown, Peter always in the front room of a miner's cottage at took an interest in the 1912 disaster, and Queenstown, Tasmania. His father and in 2011 wrote a paper 'The North Mount grandfather both worked for the Mount Lyell disaster - a miscarriage of justice' in Lyell Mining and Railway Company. which he rebuffed the accepted story that Grandfather Johnno Pearton, a foreman at the fire was deliberately lit, blaming an the Mount Lyell Iron Blow, received electrical fault instead. This paper, awards for bravery for his efforts to published in the Journal of Australasian

5 Mining History, (Vol. 9, September 2011, offering their professional service (on a pp. 94-116) was also the cornerstone of pro bono or paid basis). For further details his 2012 historical work, An engineer on this exciting project, email: venue for ouspeaks of Lyell: a quadrilogy. [email protected] Peter was a generous man with a I’m sure that everyone will look sense of fair play who helped many forward to the completion of the facility, people on Tasmania's West Coast and hopefully in the not too distant future, as made many contributions to the local an attractive venue for our annual community (he loved to recall, for conference. example, how he brought television to Queenstown). The West Coast has had JOURNAL few fiercer advocates. We are pleased to announce that since the Nic Haygarth last newsletter went out, there has been a flood of articles, which means a full HOT OFF THE PRESS complement of papers for this year’s Australian Opal Centre (OAC), Journal. However, as the goal is to have Lightning Ridge, NSW articles in reserve for future volumes of Those who attended the Darwin the journal, any papers you may have, conference in 2015 might remember the will be welcomed by the editor and will excellent presentation by Jenni Brammall be placed in the pending file. on the plans for the construction of a new As a reminder papers of about opal museum at Lightning Ridge. We are 8,000 words (excluding endnotes) are the delighted to say that after a few hiccups, ideal, though shorter applications of merit that venture is now a reality with the will be considered. If interested, please news that $20 million dollars has recently contact the Editor/Secretary by presenting been secured for Stage 1 of the project. your paper in in Word, Times Roman 12. This, of course, has been after much For further instructions please view the lobbying and hard work by the team who style sheet on our webpage or email me have secured donations from sources as for a copy. varied as the Federal Government, the The Ed. Government of NSW, and the Walgett Shire Council. Work is already going on MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS behind the scenes, with actual Following the reminder in the previous construction work expected to commence newsletter, there are still some renewals some months in mid 2020. to be made for 2019. If you wish to retain While Stage 1 will involve the basic your membership, please sign up by construction of the facilities, Stage 2 will accessing a form on our webpage or see the implementation of the full better still, sign on instantly by potential of the facility which will allow registering through Register Now at: the AMHA to view it as a conference https://www.registernow.com.au/secure location. On completion this will involve /Register.aspx?E=33012 an opal research library, changing MJD/September 2019 exhibitions, collection storage, conference and breakout rooms, and full facilities and amenities to cate for visitors. The project team are still keen to obtain donations for the project and are also inviting the public to take out museum memberships. There is also a call for people prepared to volunteer their services and skills or who are interested in

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