Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan 2013

COAL MINES HISTORIC SITE MASTER PLAN 2013

Acknowledgements:

This draft Master plan was developed by Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority who gratefully acknowledges all the individuals, groups and organisations who have contributed. Special thanks go to current and former PAHSMA staff who contributed to this document – particularly Marita Perry, Harriet Wyatt, Eric Tierney and Jo Lyngcoln - and to the members of the PAHSMA Community Advisory Committee and the Tasman community who participated in our community consultation steering committee. Thank you for the contribution of support and assistance from Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service in the preparation of this plan. Thank you also to members of the community who attended information sessions and provided PAHSMA with valuable comments or suggestions. All of these contributions are gratefully acknowledged.

CONTENTS

COAL MINES HISTORIC SITE MASTER PLAN 2013 ...... 1 Acknowledgements: ...... 2 ABBREVIATIONS ...... 6 PART A: BACKGROUND TO THE COAL MINES HISTORIC SITE MASTER PLAN .. 7 1.0 INTRODUCTION ...... 8 1.1 About the Master Plan ...... 10 1.2 Area of Land Subject to the Master Plan ...... 11 1.3 Development of the Master Plan ...... 15 PART B: UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE ...... 17 2.0 CONTEXT ...... 18 2.1 Aboriginal History ...... 18 2.2 Convict Settlement ...... 18 2.3 Post-Convict Use ...... 22 2.4 Site Declaration and Subsequent Management ...... 22 2.5 Tasman Community ...... 23 2.6 Visitors ...... 24 3.0 SITE VALUES ...... 24 3.1 Aboriginal Heritage Values ...... 25 3.2 Natural and Historic Heritage Values ...... 26 4.0 MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK ...... 32 4.1 Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority ...... 32 4.2 Statutory Controls and Policies ...... 32 4.3 Stakeholders ...... 34 4.4 Resources and Funding ...... 34 4.5 Management Framework Issues ...... 35 5.0 SITE DESCRIPTION AND MANAGEMENT ISSUES ...... 35 5.1 Aboriginal Heritage ...... 35 5.2 Historic Heritage ...... 36 5.2.1 Cultural Landscape ...... 36 5.2.2 Historic Features ...... 37 5.2.3 Moveable Heritage ...... 40 5.3 Key Heritage Features ...... 41 5.3.1 Convict Settlement Heritage ...... 41 5.4 Post Convict Settlement Heritage ...... 53 5.5 Natural Environment ...... 54 5.5.1 Climate ...... 54 5.5.2 Geology and Geomorphology ...... 55 5.5.3 Vegetation Communities ...... 57 5.5.4 Native Flora and Fauna ...... 61

5.5.5 Exotic Fauna and Flora ...... 62 5.6 Management Infrastructure and Operations ...... 63 5.7 Access and Visitor Infrastructure ...... 67 5.8 Visitor Services ...... 73 5.8.1 Visitor Experience ...... 73 5.8.2 Interpretation and Education ...... 74 5.8.3 Site Publicity and Marketing ...... 77 PART C: MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES ...... 79 6.0 MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES ...... 80 7.0 POLICIES AND ACTIONS ...... 81 7.1 Research ...... 81 7.2 Heritage Values Management ...... 84 7.3 Infrastructure and Site Management ...... 87 7.4 Vegetation Management ...... 89 7. 5 Visitor Experience ...... 90 7.6 Community and Stakeholder Engagement ...... 92 7. 7 Monitoring and Review ...... 93 7. 8 Plan Implementation and Review...... 94 8.0 REFERENCES ...... 96 PART D: APPENDICES ...... 99 Appendix 1: Summary of Results for the 2010 Coal Mines Visitors Survey ...... 100 Appendix 2: Summary of Results from Tasman Community Consultation ...... 102 Appendix 3: History of the Site ...... 104 Appendix 4: World Heritage Listing ...... 116 Appendix 5: National Heritage Listing ...... 118 Appendix 6: Tasmanian Heritage Register Listing ...... 120 Appendix 7: World Heritage Management Principles ...... 121 Appendix 8: National Heritage List Management Principles ...... 123 Appendix 9: The Natural Environment ...... 124 Appendix 10: Interpretation Signs ...... 134

Figures:

Figure 1 Location of the Coal Mines Historic Site

Figure 2 Site Plan of the Coal Mines Historic Site

Figure 3 Boundaries of heritage Listings

Figure 4 Historic Development of the Coal Mines (based on Bairstowe and Davies 1987)

Figure 5 Key Heritage Features (based on Bairstowe and Davies 1987)

Figure 6 Key Heritage Features detail (based on Bairstowe and Davies 1987)

Figure 7 Geology of the Coal Mines

Figure 8 ‚The Coal Point, Tasman Peninsular from the long jetty‛ Conrad Martens.

Figure 9 ‚Coal Point, Tasman Peninsular looking south west‛ Conrad Martens.

Figure 10 Vegetation Communities of the Coal Mines

Figure 11 Burning Units

Figure 12 Visitor Infrastructure

Figure 13 Historic Interpretation Signs

Tables:

Table 1Hobart Airport Average Annual Climate Statistics between 1981 and 2010 (BoM 2010)

Table 2 Native Flora Species

Table 3 Threatened or Conservation Significant Fauna Species

Table 4 Native Fauna Species

Table 5 Introduced Native Fauna Species

Table 6 Introduced Exotic Flora Species

Table 7 Introduced Exotic Fauna Species

Illustrations:

All illustrations are held in the Curatorial Collection at PAHS apart from the following:

‚The Coal Point, Tasman Peninsular from the long jetty‛ Conrad Martens.

‚Coal Point, Tasman Peninsular looking south west‛ Conrad Martens.

Pictures courtesy of the nla.pic-vn3916041

ABBREVIATIONS ACT Aboriginal Centre Tasmania AHT Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania AMS Asset Management System BOM Bureau of Meteorology CFFHS Cascades Female Factory Historic Site CIP Capital Investments Program CMHS Coal Mines Historic Site DPIPWE Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and the Environment DSEWPaC Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities EPBC Act 1999 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 GBE Act 1995 Government Business Enterprises Act 1995 HT Heritage Tasmania NVA Natural Values Atlas (DPIPWE) PAHS Port Arthur Historic Site PAHSMA Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority PAHS SMP 2008 Port Arthur Historic Site Statutory Management Plan 2008 PCAC PAHSMA Community Advisory Committee PWS Parks and Wildlife Service, Tasmania PWS CMHS MP 1997 Parks and Wildlife Service Coal Mines Historic Site Management Plan 1997 TALSC Tasmanian Aboriginal Land and Sea Council TSP Act 1995 Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation

PART A: BACKGROUND TO THE COAL MINES HISTORIC SITE MASTER PLAN

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The Coal Mines Historic Site (Coal Mines) is a site of outstanding historical, and rare natural heritage values that has a unique sense of history and tranquillity. The area holds special values for Aboriginal people and the local Tasman community. Many members of the local community visit the site to experience the convict ruins within an area of regenerating natural beauty and to contemplate the convict experience at the former penal station in a peaceful and quiet atmosphere. (Report on the Community Consultation Process for the Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan, November 2010).

Throughout consultation as part of the Master Plan process the words “quiet”, “serene”, “peaceful”, “tranquil ambience” and “reflection” are often used to describe the site.

The Coal Mines is one of eleven sites that comprise the Australian Convicts Sites World Heritage property. The eleven sites are representative of the global phenomenon of convictism and its association with global developments in the punishment of crime in the modern era. The heritage significance of the Coal Mines is also recognised by its listing on the Australian National Heritage List and the Tasmanian Heritage Register, as well as containing sites of significant Aboriginal heritage value. In addition to these listings the site provides potential habitat for threatened flora and fauna.

The Coal Mines is currently managed by the Port Arthur Historic Sites Management Authority (PAHSMA) under the Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority Act 1987. PAHSMA manages two other historic sites, the Port Arthur Historic Site (PAHS) and the Cascades Female Factory Historic Site (CFFHS).

The purpose of this Master Plan is to provide PAHSMA with a management planning document that reviews the current management issues found at the Coal Mines and establish objectives for the future management of the site.

This plan relies heavily on its parent document, the Port Arthur Historic Sites Statutory Management Plan 2008 (SMP 2008), and at all times should be considered in conjunction with that plan.

PAHSMA‟s stated vision is:

To conserve, manage and promote the Port Arthur, Coal Mines and Cascades Female Factory Historic sites as cultural tourism places of international significance.

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

PAHSMA has an obligation to manage the heritage values of the sites under its care and control and to ensure the protection, conservation, presentation and transmission of these values to all generations. As with all PAHSMA sites, and as outlined in the SMP 2008, the management of the Coal Mines must consider a number of objectives:

 retention of physical evidence

 maintenance of historical associations

 recognition and conservation of all site elements, including landscape, archaeology, structures, records and associations

 recognition and retention, where possible, of all contributory elements within or outside the boundaries of the site

 involvement of the community, stakeholders and associated people

 interpretation

 provision of appropriate access

 protection and management of threatened species.

Similar obligations apply to the provision of tourism services. Factors that require consideration in PAHSMA‟s approach to managing Tourism Operations at the Coal Mines include:

 the provision of an authentic and meaningful cultural tourism experience

 an obligation to provide all levels of the community the opportunity to access/experience their cultural heritage

 statutory obligations for disabled access, necessitating physical controls or intervention

 statutory duty of care and public liability options to visitors

 the risk of damage to heritage values arising from visitor impact or management interventions to facilitate or control visitor activity

 the potential conflict between the need to generate revenue and the heritage values of the site.

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

In line with the above, the strategic objectives of Tourism Operations at the Coal Mines are to:

 manage tourism in a way that is consistent with the Coal Mines‟ unique heritage values

 develop a cultural heritage tourism experience and products that are based soundly on the unique cultural heritage values of the Coal Mines

 maximise economic returns from tourism at the Coal Mines

 promote the Coal Mines as a destination for cultural heritage tourism.

While the primary obligation of PAHSMA is to achieve the long-term conservation of the heritage values of the Coal Mines Historic Site, we also aim to reinforce the important interconnectivity between Conservation and Tourism Operations.

In achieving the above PAHSMA recognises that each of the three sites under PAHSMA management has a unique set of heritage values and tourism objectives. For the Coal Mines this reinforces the imperative to pursue management outcomes that reflect the specific nature of the site and that it presents quite different opportunities and challenges than either the Port Arthur Historic Site or the Cascades Female Factory Historic Site.

1.1 About the Master Plan

The Coal Mines Historic Site Management Plan 1997 (CMHS MP 1997) Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS) was superseded by the Port Arthur Historic Sites Statutory Management Plan 2008 (PAHS SMP 2008) which is the primary management plan for the Coal Mines. The PAHS SMP 2008 was prepared by PAHSMA to meet its statutory obligations under the Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority Act 1987, the National Parks and Reserves Management Act 2002, and the Nature Conservation Act 2002. The management plan was also prepared to comply with relevant provisions of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act 1999). The PAHS SMP 2008 is a high level strategic document that sets out broad management objectives and policies. Under this primary policy document sit secondary and tertiary plans, and other management documents. This Master Plan is a secondary planning document under the PAHS SMP 2008 and draws upon other relevant plans to develop and guide future management of the Coal Mines.

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

1.2 Area of Land Subject to the Master Plan

The Coal Mines is located in the northwest corner of the Tasman Peninsula between Turners Point and Lime Bay State Reserve. The site comprises 216.5 hectares of land which abut the western shore of Norfolk Bay. It is approximately 112km southeast of Hobart along the Arthur Highway and approximately 30km by road northwest of Port Arthur.

Figure 1: Location of Coal Mines Historic Site

The site is bounded by the Lime Bay State Reserve to the north, private land ownership to the west and south and the Norfolk Bay marine area to the east. A site plan of the Coal Mines is provided at Figure 2.

The Coal Mines Historic Site is one of eleven sites that comprise the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage property, inscribed onto the World Heritage List July 31 2010. The Coal Mines Historic Site was included in the National Heritage List on the 1st August 2007 and is entered in the Tasmanian Heritage Register. The boundaries of land entered into these listings are different for each listing and from the boundary of the land managed by PAHSMA. The various boundaries attached to these listings are shown in Figure 3.

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

The notable differences are:

 The Norfolk Bay marine area that is included in the boundaries of the listings for the World Heritage List, National Heritage List and Tasmanian Heritage Register. The marine area is contained within a 340m off-set into Norfolk Bay from the Coal Mines high water mark between the easterly prolongations of the northern and southern boundaries of the Coal Mines. This land is managed by the Crown Land Services Division, and Marine and Water Resource Division of the Department of Primary Industry, Parks, Water, and the Environment.

 The area around the Mount Stewart convict semaphore site within the Lime Bay State Reserve (LPI 3200460) included in the Coal Mines entries in the National Heritage List and Tasmanian Heritage Register. The Mount Stewart area is managed by PWS.

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

Figure 2: Site plan of the Coal Mines Historic Site.

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

Figure 3: Boundaries of Heritage listings

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

1.3 Development of the Master Plan

On 22 December 2004, the Coal Mines was proclaimed part of the „historic sites‟ to be managed by PAHSMA. Since transfer of this management responsibility from PWS, PAHSMA has continued to undertake day to day management of the Coal Mines. Following the development of the PAHS SMP 2008 it was identified that the Coal Mines required the development of its own management document to address issues and opportunities that are unique to the site.

In preparation for this Master Plan the PAHS SMP 2008, CMHS MP 1997 and other plans, reports and records relevant to the Coal Mines were reviewed to understand the history of the site and factors influencing the future management of the site, including statutory management obligations.

Following this review, an internal consultation process was undertaken with PAHSMA staff to identify the scope of issues that the Master Plan should address. The results of the workshops were compiled in the PAHSMA „Report on the Results of the Internal Consultation Workshops for the Coal Mines Historic Site: November 2009‟. A second stage of consultation involved visitor surveys and community consultation to determine local community values for the site and give the opportunity for others to provide input into the planning process.

Visitor Survey

A visitor survey was undertaken at the Coal Mines between January and February 2010. The survey provided information about visitor needs, expectations, satisfaction and demographics for the site. Eighty four visitors were surveyed and the results compiled in the PAHSMA „Report on the Coal Mines Historic Site Visitor Survey: 13 January – 10 February 2010‟. A summary of this report is provided in Appendix 1.

Tasman Community

In order to develop an appropriate community consultation process, advice was sought from the PAHSMA Community Advisory Committee (PCAC). A Coal Mines Community Consultation Sub-Committee was established to assist PAHSMA in community consultation. The consultation involved a community survey, interviews and an information day at the Coal Mines. The results of the community consultation process are detailed in the PAHSMA „Report on the Community Consultation Process for the Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan: September 2010‟. A summary of findings from this report is provided in Appendix 2.

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

Government and non-government Organisations

PAHSMA initiated a consultation process with relevant government agencies and non-government organisations that co-manage legislative requirements for the Coal Mines. Advice was sought on what level of involvement each agency wanted in the Master Plan planning process and included:

 Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (DSEWPaC)

 Heritage Tasmania (HT)

 Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania (AHT)

 Tasmanian Aboriginal Land and Sea Council (TALSC)

 Aboriginal Centre Tasmania (ACT)

 Parks and Wildlife Service, Tasmania (PWS)

 Biodiversity and Conservation Branch (Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and the Environment (DPIPWE)

 Coastal and Marine Section (DPIPWE)

 Tourism Tasmania (Department of Economic Development, Tourism and the Arts)

 Tasman Council

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

PART B: UNDERSTANDING THE PLACE

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

2.0 CONTEXT Below is a brief overview of the history of the Coal Mines. While a more comprehensive history is included in Appendix 3 this material is not intended to provide a complete historical review of the site. A more detailed history of the site may be obtained through records, books, and reports about the place (see References provided in Section 10).

2.1 Aboriginal History

Prior to European settlement Tasmanian Aboriginal people occupied and lived in a dynamic relationship with the land, sea and waterways. The population of Tasmanian Aboriginals was divided into nine major tribes, each tribe composed of numerous bands. Of the nine major tribes, the Oyster Bay Tribe occupied the land in the southeast of the state from the Derwent River estuary to St Patrick‟s Head. The territory of the Oyster Bay Tribe consisted of about 7800 square kilometres, including 515 kilometres of coastline. The Oyster Bay people numbered between 700 and 800 and were divided into 10 bands, of which the Pydairrerme band occupied the Tasman and Forestier Peninsulas (Ryan 1996).

The Pydairrerme band used the Tasman and Forestier Peninsulas during the winter season before heading up the coast and inland during summer. Archaeological sites located within the Coal Mines, shell middens and isolated finds, record previous land use practices of harvesting shell fish and other marine animals from Norfolk Bay, as well as hunting terrestrial animals in the surrounding area.

2.2 Convict Settlement

The British settled Van Diemen‟s Land in 1803 as a penal colony. The Port Arthur penal station was established in 1830 and became a punishment station for repeat offenders. The Coal Mines (1833–1847) were opened to act as a place for yet further punishment and to extract an essential commodity – coal. Until 1833 most of the coal required for Van Diemen‟s Land was transported at great expense from New South Wales. The discovery of a local replacement for this costly import was highly desirable and any reported findings of coal in the colony were promptly investigated. The following outlines the sequential development of the Coal Mines, and site plans show the historical development of key features at the Coal Mines.

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

1833–36 Coal Discovered

The discovery of coal at Saltwater River in 1833 by two government surveyors, Woodward and Hughes, was immediately investigated by the Commandant of the penal settlement at Port Arthur. As the peninsula had been reserved for the development of a penal station, the coal deposit provided the potential to not only supply the needs of the colony but to also provide the penal colony‟s administration with a means of punishing rebellious convicts. Shortly after discovery, a small gang of miners were sent to examine the coal deposit. Initial exploration of the coal seam involved cutting a drift into the seam from the coast. This was followed shortly by sinking a shaft some 200-300 meters inland from the coast and the construction of an adit1 to the coast (Bairstow and Davies 1987). Four underground punishment cells were excavated within the mine, close to the bottom of one of the shafts (Brand 1987). Within two years a second seam of coal was discovered 7.5 meters below the first (Brand 1993). A second shaft was sunk, and a larger adit constructed to the north of the original.

The „pillar and stall‟ system of mining was used at the Coal Mines. Stalls (or galleries) were driven perpendicular to the shaft with thick sections of coal left as pillars between stalls. These pillars and any supporting timber work were then extracted as miners retreated from the mined seam, allowing the roof to „settle‟. Coal was transported from the galleries in baskets to be emptied into small carts that ran along adits on rails to the beach where the coal was screened (Brand 1987). Coal was then loaded onto wagons and pushed by convicts along tramways to the jetties.

1836–38 Coal Mines Expansion

Similar to the development of other penal stations, prisoners were originally housed in timber barracks until more substantial barracks could be constructed. Plans were drafted in 1837 to replace the existing wooden barracks with sandstone buildings (CON 87/82 – AOT). These buildings were the 1838 Prisoner Barracks, which included dormitories (16 bunks per room), chapel/school, cookhouse, bake-house, wash-house, and a basement holding a gaol, sixteen solitary cells, and commissariat store. During this period, brick military barracks and the Senior Military Officer‟s House were also constructed. A further shaft was sunk during this time, approximately half way between the adits and the top of Coal Mine Hill (Brand 1987).

1838–48 Further Development and Mechanisation

By 1840 some 200 convicts worked the coal mines, which continued to be used as a punishment station for prisoners who offended while under sentence at Port Arthur. However, with the introduction of the probation system in 1841, the mines were worked by prisoners under probation who had mining experience (Bairstow and

1 A gently-sloping or horizontal tunnel cut into a coal seam

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

Davies 1987). By this time cottages had been built for the wharfinger, surgeon and catechist, a lime kiln had been constructed at the beach north of the original adit (Bairstow and Davies 1987), and semaphore stations had been established on Coal Mine Hill and Mt Stewart (McIntyre 1968). In 1845–46 the alternating solitary cell block with 36 cells was completed and work started on 108 separate apartments in an attempt to prevent reported incidents of homosexuality.

Equipped with a steam engine in 1841, this was the first mechanised mine in Tasmania. This new mining operation incorporated a workshop, blacksmith shop, large engine complex with a boiler and a self-acting inclined plane on which coal was transported in wagons down the hill to a jetty at Plunkett Point (Bairstow and Davies 1987).

New shafts continued to be sunk within the coal field and a shaft sunk by the use of explosives commenced production in 1845 (1845 Main Shaft). With the opening of the new shaft, coal production increased to an average of 50 tonnes per day, however, by 1847 production had slumped to less than half of this amount. Due to the limited production of coal, an inquiry into the working of the Coal Mines was recommended (Brand 1993). This inquiry and subsequent reports commented on the prevalence of homosexuality among the convicts. In an effort to curb homosexual practices more separate apartments were built for the nightly incarceration of convicts and the number of lights in the mines was trebled. The concern of what was then considered to be an „unnatural crime‟, coupled with the inefficiency of the mining operation, provided the Comptroller-General with an excuse to close the mines as a government penal station on „moral and financial grounds‟. On 8 April 1848 an advertisement appeared in the Hobart Town Courier and Gazette seeking private tenders for the lease of the site (Brand 1987).

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

Figure 4: Historic Development of the Coal Mines (based on Bairstowe and Davies 1987).

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

2.3 Post-Convict Use

The first private mining lease was created in 1848 for a three year term at the rental of £1200 per annum. Government buildings at the mines, which the lessee was not permitted to use, were noted by Fredrick Mackie, a visiting missionary, on 1st January 1853 as ‟entirely useless‟ due to neglect. From 1848 five subsequent lessees worked the mines. The last lessee passed away in 1877 and work at the mines appears to have been aborted at this time (Brand1987).

The mines closed in 1877 by which time most of the coal field had been worked out (Brand 1987). During the 44 -year working of the mines, in excess of 60,000 tonnes of coal were extracted from the area (Hills 1922). Although three leases for coal were held by prospectors between 1895 and 1901, the mines did not reopen (Bacon 1991).

In 1899 Saltwater River resident Jacob Burden held a temporary license from the Crown to run sheep on 4000 acres in the Lime Bay and Coal Mines area. Burden appears to have held the grazing lease until 1925 when it was taken over by John Price. Price also held a freehold lease on a number of paddocks throughout the Lime Bay Area.

Finally, in 1901 the hope of mining was abandoned and for 37 years the Coal Mines received little attention from the government and buildings were left to decay or be salvaged for building materials. A notable example saw the Commissariat Store demolished in 1920 and the stone used to build St Martin‟s Church in Dunalley. While the tourism potential of the Port Arthur convict site was quickly recognised, the Coal Mines was not identified as a tourist destination due to isolation and was therefore largely forgotten.

2.4 Site Declaration and Subsequent Management

In 1938 a parcel of land that included the ruins of the main settlement was purchased by the Scenery Preservation Board for the creation of a public reserve. The site was extended to 81 hectares in 1949 and in 1966 it was again extended to its current 216.5 hectares. In 1970 the site was placed under the care of the National Parks & Wildlife Service under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1970 (Tasmania).

The Parks & Wildlife Service (PWS) undertook essential conservation work on the ruins in the 1970s and 1990s. As funding was determined on an annual basis and was of necessity spread across many other sites in Tasmania, the resources were not available to undertake more than recurrent maintenance and minor capital works between the 1970s and late 1980s. During the Port Arthur Conservation Project

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

(PACP)2 in the early 1980s an exhaustive archaeological survey was undertaken and recorded in Bairstow and Davies 1987 Occasional Paper No.15 Coal Mines Historic Site Survey. The Bairstow and Davies report became the base plan for research, identification and conservation work into the future.

The PWS prepared the Coal Mines Historic Site Management Plan in 1997 which addresses many of the issues considered in this Plan. Much of the recommended actions from the CMHS MP 1997 were completed between that plan‟s completion and 2002.

Critical structural stabilisation of the main settlement ruins was completed during the 1990s. In 2000 the PWS received a Capital Investment Program (CIP) grant from the Tasmanian Government that funded the development of essential visitor infrastructure including the installation of the current interpretation signs and plaques, provision of safety rails and barriers, construction of the public toilets, removal of redundant visitor facilities, and the closure and rehabilitation of non- essential roads. Completed in 2002, this was the last major project undertaken at the Coal Mines.

The management of the Coal Mines was transferred to PAHSMA in 2004. Since assuming management of the site, PAHSMA has continued regular management operations and undertaken research and developed a number of guided visitor and education tours.

2.5 Tasman Community

Following the closure of the Port Arthur penal settlement in 1877, the Tasman Peninsula was opened for settlement. From this date, the Tasman community has had a long and varied association with the Coal Mines. Initially, the site became a source of building materials. Many houses constructed in the Saltwater River area up until the mid-20th century used materials salvaged from old convict penal stations.

During the first quarter of the last century there was a slow change in the use and appreciation of the Coal Mines by the Tasman community. In 1938 the Coal Mines was declared a scenic reserve by the Scenery Preservation Board. While some illegal salvaging is reported to have continued, people started to recognise the heritage value of the penal settlement. Older residents of the Tasman community remember visiting the site by horse and cart or tractor for a day out with family and friends. In 1964, local resident Jack Little was appointed caretaker of the Coal Mines and he remained caretaker of the site for two decades.

2 A major capital works program at Port Arthur Historic Site between 1979 and 1986

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

Today it is estimated that up to 20% of the visitors to the Coal Mines are Tasman community members with their family and friends. The majority visits the site between two to five times per year and recognise the value of the Coal Mines as part of the convict heritage of Tasmania.

2.6 Visitors

The Coal Mines and Port Arthur Historic Sites are the largest convict penal stations on the Tasman Peninsula on Crown Land (other former stations or sites thereof are contained within private land). Since its closure as a penal settlement, Port Arthur has been subject to significant public interest and, today, is visited by in excess of a quarter of a million people annually. In contrast, the Coal Mines is not heavily marketed within the tourism industry and receives approximately 20,000 visitors annually (Coal Mines Historic Site Visitor Survey Report 2010).

In early 2010 a visitor survey was undertaken at the Coal Mines to determine visitor expectations and experiences, and visitor demography. The point of origin of visitors was found to be 46% Tasmanian, 37% interstate and 17% international tourists. Visitors to the Coal Mines chose to visit the site principally for its convict settlement heritage values, although many visitors also appreciated the natural environment values of the reserve. The majority of visitors appear to have visited the Port Arthur Historic Site prior to visiting the Coal Mines and generally spent 2–3 hours at the site. All visitors explored the main settlement ruins while less than two-thirds visited the remaining heritage features/precincts of the site. A summary of the 2010 Coal Mines Visitors Survey can be found in Appendix 1.

3.0 SITE VALUES The Coal Mines is a complex cultural landscape with significant natural and cultural values. In July 2010, the Australian Convict Sites was inscribed on the World Heritage List (see Appendix 4). The Australian Convict Sites World Heritage property is a series of 11 sites including the Coal Mines, which collectively are representative of the global phenomenon of convictism and its association with worldwide developments in the punishment of crime in the modern era. The Australian Convict Sites World Heritage property constitutes an outstanding and large scale example of the forced migration of convicts sentenced to transportation to distant colonies of the British Empire as punishment for their crimes. This transportation and associated forced labour assisted in the development and maintenance of the British Empire‟s colonial project to expand its global geopolitical influence. The Coal Mines is a unique example of the important role that convicts played in the economic development of the colony.

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

The 11 places that make up the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage property spread across Australia and are:

 Kingston and Arthur‟s Vale Historic Area (Norfolk Island)

 Old Government House and Domain (New South Wales)

 Hyde Park Barracks (New South Wales)

 Brickendon-Woolmers Estate (Tasmania)

 Darlington Probation Station (Tasmania)

 Old Great North Road (New South Wales)

 Cascades Female Factory (Tasmania)

 Port Arthur Historic Site (Tasmania)

 Coal Mines Historic Site (Tasmania)

 Cockatoo Island Convict Site (New South Wales)

 Fremantle Prison (Western Australia)

The Coal Mines is also entered in the National Heritage List (see Appendix 5) and the Tasmanian Heritage Register (see Appendix 6). The following section provides a brief description of the identified heritage values of the Coal Mines. More detailed statements of significance can be found in the PAHS SMP 2008 (Section 3) and The Australian Convict Sites World Heritage Nomination Report. However it should be noted that this Master Plan includes an updated version of the Statement of Significance for the Coal Mines Historic Site.

3.1 Aboriginal Heritage Values

The Tasmanian landscape was modified by Aboriginals in their nomadic cycle of managing the land during seasonal movement, camping and burning. Living with their country, bands had an intimate knowledge of their territory in order to exploit those natural resources which were plentiful during seasonal changes. This relationship with country has imbued the landscape with social, cultural, environmental and spiritual significance.

From a scientific perspective, Aboriginal archaeological sites can contain evidence of more than 40,000 years of Indigenous occupation. For contemporary Tasmanian

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

Aboriginal people, heritage sites contain stories of land use practices and social links between different Aboriginal groups and thus provide a connection with country and ancestors.

The Tasman region generally has significance to Tasmanian Aboriginal people because it contains abundant traditional Aboriginal resources. The landscape was important to Aboriginal people in the past and provides a connection of importance to Aboriginal people today. Aboriginal sites within the Coal Mines also provide a direct connection with past use of the region by the Pydairrerme people.

3.2 Natural and Historic Heritage Values

The following statement of significance is based on the PAHS SMP 2008 and updated to take account of the more recent inclusion of the site as part of the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage property.

Historic Values

The place has heritage value because of its importance in the course, or pattern, of global convictism, colonial development and Australia's or Tasmania’s natural or cultural history.

The Coal Mines Historic Site was established in 1833 to mine coal and to provide secondary punishment for re-offending convicts. It is an outstanding example of the 19th-century European global strategy of using the forced labour of convicts in the establishment of overseas colonies. Convicts transported to Australia are acknowledged as the principal labour force in securing a reasonably successful British outpost. The hard physical labour and the infrastructure for delivering punishment at the Coal Mines represent the extreme hardships that many convicts experienced.

The Coal Mines was developed as the most severe place of secondary punishment in the Colony of Van Diemen’s Land, but it was also hoped that sufficient coal would be produced for all government needs in the colony in an emerging steam age. The extent of the former industrial operations is demonstrated by the extant ruins, surface and subsurface remains—both terrestrial and maritime—which complement the extensive archival records. The site illustrates the importance of convict labour and productivity, classification, punishment and surveillance in the penal system, and the role of convicts in helping to establish new colonial economies.

With other convict places in Tasmania and on Norfolk Island, the Coal Mines Historic Site illustrates the adaptation of the British penal system to colonial conditions and an aspect of the evolution of the secondary punishment system into the Probation System. The hard and dangerous work that official and unofficial sources record as performed at the Coal Mines, and the solitary cells in which the most recalcitrant

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

prisoners were housed, are emblematic of the lowest tier on Lieutenant-Governor Arthur’s progressive scale of convict punishment and reform. They were designed to deter offenders from further crime through the promise of extreme severity.

The historical record and the presence of outstandingly preserved extant examples of solitary cells at the Coal Mines Historic Site express an aspect of 19th-century intolerance of the practice of homosexuality in Britain and Australia.

The rise of the national penitentiary system in Britain and Europe was influenced by the perception of the failure of the transportation system and the cessation of transportation to Australia. Governments in Europe debated whether the transportation system was an economically viable or effective way to punish criminal offenders and deter crime. The Coal Mines is representative of the perceived failure of the transportation system with the alleged moral depravity in the Australian colonies. It was cited as a place with a high incidence of homosexuality, like many other penal stations around the colonies. This was an issue of grave concern for the government and the public in Britain and led to the closure of the Coal Mines and half a decade later the cessation of transportation.

The Coal Mines Historic Site is a very early industrialised mine site in Australia, and the first in Tasmania. The Coal Mines Historic Site represents an important step in the progress of Australia’s mining industry.

Rarity

The place has heritage value because of its possession of uncommon, rare or endangered aspects of Tasmania’s or Australia's natural or cultural history.

The Coal Mines is the first mechanised mines in Tasmania and one of the first in Australia, and played an important role in building the economic confidence of the new colony. The mines contain the engine beds and footings of the winding and pumping machinery installed in 1845, which represent the earliest recorded pit-top workings in Australia.

The dual role of the Coal Mines as a secondary punishment station and an ambitious industrial venture is rare in Australian convict history. The Coal Mines has more surviving above-ground evidence of mining activity than the Coal River site at Newcastle and it is likely that the subsurface evidence is also more intact—including evidence of how the coal was extracted, handled, processed and shipped.

The Coal Mines Historic Site possesses elements of geodiversity and biodiversity that are uncommon at a local level. The coal-bearing lithology of the site, while not unique in Southern Tasmania, is uncommon insofar as the seams were sufficiently robust to permit commercial exploitation.

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

The Coal Mines Historic Site is one of the last refuges of two threatened or endangered species—the rare Forty Spotted Pardalote (Pardalotus quadragintus) and the vulnerable Hairstreak Butterfly (Pseudalmenus chlorinda myrsilus). Both have the potential to be found in the site’s Eucalyptus viminalis (White gum) forest where both Acacia dealbata (Silver Wattle) and Eucalyptus viminalis provide vital habitat for part of the butterfly’s life cycle.

Scientific Values

The place has heritage value because of its potential to yield information that will contribute to an understanding of Tasmania’s or Australia's natural or cultural history.

The terrestrial and maritime archaeological deposits of the penal colliery have national and international research potential. The Coal Mines contains largely unexplored archaeological evidence that because of its integrity may provide a unique insight into convict mining operations, penal settlements and colonial industry in general.

In combination, documentary evidence, collections, structures, engineering relics, cultural deposits, and terrestrial, underground and maritime landscapes of the Coal Mines Historic Site have unparalleled potential for archaeological research. They represent evidence of labour organisation, construction technology, industrial production, use of locally available materials and adaptation of imported traditions to suit local conditions.

Potential research topics include issues relating to the European exploration of the Australian continent and identification and exploitation of resources, settlement planning, technological adaptation and innovation, and environmental impacts.

The Coal Mines Historic Site has potential for scientific research and education concerning the habitat ecology of the Forty-Spotted Pardalote (Pardalotus quadragintus) and Hairstreak Butterfly (Pseudalmenus chlorinda myrsilus).

Representativeness

The place has heritage value because of its importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a broader class of cultural places.

Australia's convict sites share a suite of attributes that stem from their peculiar philosophical, economic, social, strategic and geographic contexts. They exhibit features that reflect the imperatives of convict management, including: secure stores; accommodation for the civil, military and convict populations based on principles of hierarchy, classification and surveillance; places of health care and punishment, administration and industry, and facilities for religion. The Coal Mines Historic Site is

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outstanding in demonstrating the principal characteristics of an Australian Convict Site because:

 the form and location of elements at the site display deliberate design and arrangement, reflecting the order and hierarchy of a penal settlement

 the site represents important aspects of Australia's convict industry, including principles of labour organisation and punishment, introduction and adaptation of technology, and the role of convict labour in building colonial economies.

Aesthetic Values

The place has heritage value because of its importance in exhibiting particular aesthetic characteristics valued by a community or cultural group. These relate to sensory perception, i.e. consideration of form, scale, colour, texture, material, smell or sound.

The Coal Mines Historic Site is a complex cultural landscape of outstanding natural and historical values. It has a sense of serenity, remoteness, mystery and discovery that makes the site special to visitors.

The site’s forested hills and marine landscape formed the bars of the prison and are still dominant features of the site and its setting. Since the early 20th-century the site has been valued for its romantic qualities as ‘picturesque’ ruins surrounded by native bush within a setting of bays and headlands. This enduring sense of remoteness and isolation is still valued by visitors. It has also been valued for the Gothic atmosphere of confinement and suffering, evoked by the cells in particular. The regenerating bushland provides a naturalised context for the cultural relics, imbuing the site with a sense of antiquity and transcendence not present at more intensively managed and manicured sites.

The site has been the subject of art work by several professional and amateur artists, including Conrad Martens, Owen Stanley and Bishop Nixon.

Technical Values

The place has heritage value because its importance in demonstrating a high degree of creative or technical achievement at a particular period.

The convict period remains of the Coal Mines Historic Sites demonstrate different technical aspects in the extraction and transportation of coal in the early 19th-century, from relatively simple manual techniques to which are added the more mechanised systems of the steam age.

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The industrial operations, using a combination of convict labour and mechanical devices, were unique in Van Diemen’s Land, representing a novel blend of human punishment and technical innovation. The surviving industrial landscape elements clearly illustrate the application of British models of mining adapted to suit the available labour source, local environment and colonial economy.

The spatial layout of its elements in the landscape of the Coal Mines Historic Site demonstrates convict-settlement design practices; these were essentially military in character, with the organisation of the buildings allowing vistas for surveillance and the separation of classes and functional operations. The presence of examples of fine architectural detailing on some structures illustrates the role of craftsmen within the industrial enterprise and demonstrates the presence of skilled stonemasons at the settlement.

The alternating underground vaulted brick separate cells of 1845–46 are the only surviving example of this type of prison accommodation that was introduced into Van Diemen’s Land during 1844–46 and never used elsewhere in the colonies. The cells demonstrate innovation in the practice of isolating convicts at night from even the most minimal contact with their fellow prisoners, while still providing adequate ventilation.

Social Values

The place has heritage value because of its strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.

The Coal Mines Historic Site is important to the community's sense of place and of its own history. It has a long history of use by the local community for recreation, as well as by other visitors. It has long been a favourite place for bushwalking, fishing, bird- watching and other forms of environmental recreation, including camping at the nearby reserve. Many locals take visitors there to show them a very different kind of convict site from the more closely managed and developed Port Arthur.

Visitors from other places also find their way there in small numbers and, according to anecdotal evidence, express their enthusiasm for the unmediated and ‘romantic’ experience that it offers.

The Coal Mines Historic Site and the associated convict records evoke powerful associations for the descendants of all those who passed through here, whether convicted or free people.

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

Associative Values

The place has heritage value because of its special association with the life or works of a person, or group of persons, of importance in Tasmania’s and Australia’s natural or cultural history.

The Coal Mines Historic Site has outstanding heritage value to the nation because of the place's special association with administrators and convicts from the British Empire in the period 1830 to 1877.

People of outstanding significance with whom the site is associated include:

George Arthur: Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen’s Land under whose auspices Port Arthur was established as a penal settlement and the person after whom it was named. He was instrumental in framing the disciplinary regimens that gave notoriety to the Van Diemen ’s Land convict system.

The Corps of Royal Engineers were responsible for planning, designing and constructing buildings at the Coal Mines after assuming responsibility for structures located at penal stations throughout the Tasman Peninsula in 1835.

Commandant Charles O'Hara Booth and Commandant William Champ were significant in either the development or the management of the Coal Mines as a penal settlement. William Champ became Tasmania’s first Premier.

Polish-born naturalist John Lhotsky was charged by Lieutenant-Governor George Arthur with planning the development of the Coal Mines. He also made a complete geological map of the Tasman Peninsula.

Jane, Lady Franklin, visited the Coal Mines in 1837 and wrote a review of operations at the penal settlement.

Acclaimed 19th-century artists and writers who visited and left a record of their impressions include Bishop Nixon, Conrad Martens and Owen Stanley.

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

4.0 MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK 4.1 Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority

The Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority Act 1987 (PAHSMA Act 1987) created the Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority as a statutory body responsible for the care, control and management of the areas of land under its management which are collectively called the „historic site‟. Today the „historic site‟ includes Port Arthur, Point Puer, Isle of the Dead, Carnarvon Bay foreshore, Garden Point, the Coal Mines and the Female Factory Historic Site in Hobart. In the performance of its functions and the exercising of its powers under the PAHSMA Act 1987, the Authority shall:  ensure the preservation and maintenance of the historic site as an example of a major British convict settlement and penal institution of the nineteenth century

 coordinate archaeological activities of the historic site;

 promote an understanding of the historical and archaeological importance of the historic site

 in accordance with the management plan, promote the historic site as a tourist destination

 provide adequate facilities for visitor use

 use its best endeavours to secure financial assistance, by way of grants, sponsorship, and other means, for the carrying out of its functions.

The Board of Directors constitutes the Authority and carries out functions in accordance with the PAHSMA Act 1987 and the Government Business Enterprises Act 1995 (GBE Act 1995). The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is responsible for the overall administration and management of the Port Arthur Historic Sites under the direction of the PAHSMA Board. The CEO is supported by a number of operating departments including Conservation and Infrastructure, Tourism Operations, Corporate Services, Human Resources and Marketing.

4.2 Statutory Controls and Policies

In addition to the PAHSMA Act 1987 and Government Business Enterprise Act 1995, the Coal Mines is subject to a number of Commonwealth and State Acts.

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

The key Commonwealth Act that applies to the Coal Mines is the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the EPBC Act). The Coal Mines is one of the eleven sites across Australia that make up the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage listing and it is also listed on the National Heritage List. The EPBC Act establishes the National Heritage List and stipulates management principles for sites entered within the list, and provides for Australia‟s obligations under Article 4 of the UNESCO Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage 1972 (commonly known as the World Heritage Convention). A copy of the World Heritage List Heritage Management Principles is provided in Appendix 7 and a copy of the National Heritage List Management Principles is provided in Appendix 8.

Key State Acts and policies that apply to the Coal Mines and PAHSMA include but are not limited to:

 National Parks and Reserves Management Act 2002

 Nature Conservation Act 2002

 Aboriginal Relics Act 1975 (under review in 2012)

 Historic Cultural Heritage Act 1995 (under review in 2012)

 Local Government Act 1993

 Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993

 Tasman Planning Scheme 1979 (under review in 2012)

 State Service Act 2000

 Tasmanian State Coastal Policy 1996

 Tasman Tourism Development Strategy 2011–2016

 Tourism Tasmania Historic Heritage Tourism Strategy 2012–2015

While the primary management responsibility for the Coal Mines rests with PAHSMA, PAHSMA has a statutory obligation under legislation and policies to consult relevant government agencies that have been vested with the responsibility of managing applicable legislation or are recognised through legislation as concerned parties that should be consulted.

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4.3 Stakeholders

As a site of local, state, national and international significance, a number of non- government professional and community stakeholder groups and individuals have an interest in the future management of the Coal Mines. These stakeholders include:

 Port Arthur Conservation Advisory Committee

 Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority Community Advisory Committee

 Port Arthur and Tasman Tourism Association

 Neighbours of the Coal Mines

 Tasman Peninsula community

 former and present PAHSMA and PWS staff and volunteers

 descendants of convicts, administrators, military personnel and others associated with the convict period

 the Tasmanian Aboriginal community

 tourists

 visitors.

4.4 Resources and Funding

As a Government Business Enterprise, PAHSMA has a legislative responsibility to operate as a successful business through achieving a sustainable commercial rate of return that maximises value for the Tasmanian Government in accordance with the Authority‟s corporate plan and having regard to the economic and social objectives of the Tasmanian Government. PAHSMA accrues revenue from gate entry, a variety of tours, merchandise and food and beverage facilities at the Port Arthur Historic Site, as well as a CIP commitment by the Tasmanian Government for the conservation of all sites under PAHSMA control. Since 2000, the Tasmanian Government has committed to 3 five-year annual conservation funding programs that allow the Authority to plan major long-term conservation projects and continue essential maintenance works at all the sites currently under its management.

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4.5 Management Framework Issues

When the Coal Mines was transferred to PAHSMA in 2004, the Authority did not receive additional ongoing funding for the management of the site. The cost of maintaining and managing the Coal Mines is therefore funded from PAHSMA‟s existing sources of revenue.

PAHSMA‟s ability to fully fund its conservation program is contingent on variable factors including visitor numbers, visitor yield, external funding sources, capital works, maintenance and operating costs. These factors are affected by the external political and economic environment.

The capital and operating costs of the Coal Mines has been absorbed within the existing funding available to PAHSMA. Funding and other resources are balanced between the individual historic sites. This coupled with the remote location of the Coal Mines from PAHSMA‟s administrative centre, places additional financial and logistical pressures.

Therefore, the management approach to maintaining all of the values of the Coal Mines, highlighted in Section 3 will be integrated and inclusive taking account not only issues at the Coal Mines but also the needs of the other sites. It is therefore necessary to establish a mechanism for informed decision making that allows for the management objectives of the site to be considered in a balanced way.

5.0 SITE DESCRIPTION AND MANAGEMENT ISSUES 5.1 Aboriginal Heritage

Background

No systematic Aboriginal heritage survey has been undertaken of the Coal Mines and further significant sites may exist. During preliminary consultations with Aboriginal Heritage Tasmania (AHT) and the Tasmanian Aboriginal Land and Sea Council (TALSC) for this Master Plan it was agreed that the location of known sites would not be publicly disclosed. In addition, there are contemporary Aboriginal values associated with the cultural landscape and vegetation of the site. The vegetation of the Coal Mines was cleared during mining operations to provide timber props, space for vegetable gardens and cleared land for security surveillance. Since closure of operations, the native vegetation has regenerated and it is likely that this vegetation is similar to the pre-contact environmental conditions of the area. The landscape was important to Aboriginal people in the past in their nomadic lifestyle and provides a connection of importance to Aboriginal people today.

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All Aboriginal sites are currently protected under the Aboriginal Relics Act 1975 (under review in 2012) and PAHSMA will manage the sites in accordance with legislation and relevant government protocols.

Management Issues

Records of the sites entered into the Tasmanian Aboriginal Sites Index only provide a basic description of each site with no significance assessment. PAHSMA recognises that a significance assessment will follow an Aboriginal heritage survey of the Coal Mines and a review of relevant Aboriginal research. While a survey of Aboriginal heritage was recommended by AHT and TALSC, both organisations and PAHSMA recognise that the extant vegetation of the Coal Mines significantly limits ground visibility. As such, a consensus was reached that a preliminary Aboriginal survey could focus on recording coastal sites and then subsequent surveys could be undertaken after prescribed burning when there is improved ground visibility.

While known Aboriginal sites are not actively managed, they are monitored by PAHSMA. One site is subject to heavy pedestrian traffic that has resulted in erosion and this should be addressed in the future management of the site. In addition to the Aboriginal sites, there are contemporary Aboriginal values associated with the cultural landscape and vegetation of the site. These values have not been identified and should be researched as part of any future Aboriginal heritage survey.

5.2 Historic Heritage

5.2.1 Cultural Landscape

Site Description

During the convict and post convict operation of the Coal Mines the landscape was cleared to provide timber for mining and land for infrastructure development and mining operations. The spatial layout of elements in the landscape of the Coal Mines demonstrated convict settlement design practices, with the organisation of the buildings providing for surveillance and the separation of classes and functional operations.

Today, the Coal Mines is valued for its harmonious mix of historic ruins, natural beauty and tranquillity created through a complex history of development and various stages of abandonment and re-use, creating a multi-layered, heritage landscape. The evocative ruins are the more obvious examples of the site‟s historic use with other features being less obvious, for example mining roads, tramways and jetties are still visible but obscured by the regenerating vegetation. Collapsed mines

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shafts, adits and coal dumps appear as humps and hollows in the terrain. The combination of the ruins set within the naturally regenerating vegetation and the surrounding seascape creates a landscape of great scenic value and a visitor experience that is markedly different to the one at the Port Arthur Historic Site.

Management Issues

Recent visitor and community surveys confirm that the scenic quality of the Coal Mines is an important feature of the site and that the presence of historic features in naturally regenerating bush land provides visitors with an experience of adventure and discovery. Retaining these qualities, the associated experience and values, while conserving the historic features, will require active management. Conversely a lack of management will result in the continuing loss of heritage features and values.

With the utilitarian landscape no longer evident at the Coal Mines due to the natural regeneration of the vegetation, it is difficult to interpret the historical planning and operation of the penal settlement and colliery. However, although the extant vegetation limits historical interpretation, vegetation provides weather protection to the heritage features of the site and may provide habitat for threatened species.

Taking all of these factors into consideration, the challenge into the future will be to protect the natural and scenic values alongside the historic fabric and landscape, providing an understanding of how the industry and convict settlement worked.

5.2.2 Historic Features

Background

Significant conservation works were undertaken under the management of PWS. The earliest archaeological and stablisation project was undertaken in 1977 on the Solitary Cells (Byrne 1977). This work was followed by the 1985 archaeological survey of the site by Damaris Bairstow and Martin Davies under the Port Arthur Historic Conservation Program (Bairstow and Davies 1987). This bench-mark survey, inventory of features, and subsequent report is still the most complete study of identified heritage features at the Coal Mines.

The 1987 report provided the basis for historical surveys and research including the background information for conservation work that started in earnest in the late 1980s. The works focused on the structural stabilisation of the ruins to minimise deterioration and ensure the site was safe for visitors. A management plan for the Coal Mines was drafted by PWS in 1997. In 2000, the PWS received Capital Investment Program funding from the Tasmanian Government to upgrade visitor amenities and complete the conservation recommendations of the Coal Mines Management Plan 1997. This project was executed between 2000 and 2002.

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

In 2004 the management of the Coal Mines was transferred to PAHSMA. Conservation work has continued through maintaining visitor and operational infrastructure that protect historic features and/or guide visitors away from sensitive areas. PAHSMA has also encouraged further historical research of the Coal Mines through collaboration with universities and post-graduate students.

Historical records for the convict mining and penal infrastructure at the Coal Mines are much less known and studied compared to the record for the Port Arthur Historic Site. The historical record for the private mining phases that followed the convict era are even less well-known. Consequently the purpose and function of some buildings and features are unidentified and the precise whereabouts of some recorded features is unknown. The existing survey record for the historical features of the Coal Mines is largely based on the highly detailed records of Bairstow and Davies (1987) which provide information on several hundred features. Updates to this information recorded in the 1980s have been provided by a small number of structured re-surveys (including work by PAHSMA staff, university students and volunteers) and incidental recordings from a variety of sources. The base record of heritage features is therefore comprised of:

 the original Bairstow and Davies recording sheets and plans

 Maiden‟s honours thesis (2009)

 PWS plans and maps

 a small number of excavation reports, university student survey reports, historical research (notably Brand (1993), Evans (2000), and Tuffin (2008))

 spatial datasets from survey work by PAHSMA staff.

Typical to mining sites with underground activities, a significant proportion of the evidence of previous industry lies beneath the surface. All shaft openings and adit entrances were filled or blocked early last century and there is no access to these underground areas. With the exception of the stone-lined shaft and the 1845 Main Shaft, the original form and structure of shaft openings and adit entrances were destroyed.

The timber for the mines is thought to have been sourced locally during the establishment of the penal station and required the excavation of temporary saw pits. No saw pits have been found, although they may still be present in the surrounding landscape. Similarly, earth benches could exist where timber was stacked for charcoal burning. While there is little documentary evidence of other subsidiary industries, during their survey of the site, Bairstow and Davies (1987) recorded depressions which may have been tanning pits to the west of the 1838 shaft.

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

Management Issues

The Coal Mines has been the subject of deterioration since the penal station closed as a Government enterprise. The buildings were in a state of ruin as early as the 1870s as is evident in early photographs. Seventy years of visitation and periodic wild fires have contributed to the erosion and destruction of heritage features, particularly in areas of high visitation around the main settlement. In addition the removal of building material through salvaging has had further impact on the values of the site. The conservation works at the end of last century and the beginning the 21st century definitely had an impact on the practice of building material quarrying. Roads were taken out of the historic precinct. These actions as well as the installation of interpretation indicated to visitors and the local community that the site is actively managed and valued.

Data Management

PAHSMA staff are becoming more familiar with the Coal Mines and its complex feature set. The records that exist are currently not collated, making reference difficult. They are located in at least two storage locations with the whereabouts of some data currently unknown. This limits ready access to records that are essential to make management decisions. Some records, such as the Bairstow and Davis data sheets, only exist in their original paper format without a secure back-up copy. There are several clear management issues relating to this:

 The best use of PAHSMA data is hampered by access issues and the lack of efficient search capabilities that facilitate both management tasks and research initiatives

 Until better-organised and enhanced datasets are available it will be difficult to properly assess the significance of and potential extent of the historic resource of the Coal Mines

 Some records of the archaeological investigations are vulnerable to loss and/or deterioration.

Threats

Even without a comprehensive understanding of the historic features of the Coal Mines, their integrity can clearly be seen to be at risk. Threats come from a range of factors including foot and vehicle traffic, tree fall, invasive root systems, bushfire and, perhaps most obviously, erosion of various kinds.

Of particular concern is the continuing erosion of coastal deposits associated with the earliest phases of mining and industry at the Coal Mines. This includes impacts in

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

both the littoral and inshore zones. This coastal erosion takes place along a long stretch of the Coal Mines coastline and is due to, but is almost certainly not restricted to, major erosion events associated with storm events and/or tree-falls and coastal current patterns. This coastal erosion both on and above the shoreline is in places exacerbated by foot traffic.

Information about many erosion processes is largely derived from anecdotal sources. Assessments of erosion patterns and events have, to date, been reactive and responsive to obvious major events (storm damage, vegetation loss etc.). No systematic recording or erosion patterns or their causes have yet been undertaken.

Managing threats to the historic values of the Coal Mines requires better understandings of the nature of the threats, their extent and their capacity to cause damage. While some management actions may be taken without risk of unintended consequences, other issues may require in-depth studies prior to the development of acceptable solutions. Where the cause of damage is obvious – e.g. trampling – simple solutions can be found and should be implemented.

5.2.3 Moveable Heritage

Background

Moveable heritage items and collections form a central part of the heritage values of the Coal Mines.

Items and collections with associations to the Coal Mines can be found in the Archives Office of Tasmania, Tasmania‟s State and regional museums, PAHSMA‟s collection holdings, the site‟s archaeological record and the public domain.

Moveable heritage has connections to people, places, regions and communities. These associations are easily ruptured as items are moved into collections. This Master Plan recognises that it is often best to retain moveable heritage items and collections in the context of the site.

In 2002 the pressure vessel that provided steam pressure for the 1840 steam engine was donated back to the site and has been relocated near to the 1845 Main Shaft. The pressure vessel provides tangible evidence of the Coal Mines industrial operations.

The gravestone of Mary Ann Thomas, daughter of the shoe maker at the Coal Mines, is presently stored at the Port Arthur Historic Site. A newspaper article records the provenance of the memorial stone to the Coal Mines Military Cemetery in c.1918 (AOT NS 21/26/2).

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

Management Issues

Dispersal of Artifacts

After the closure of the penal station post 1848, material evidence of the site‟s convict legacy was relocated to other operations within the penal system. Given the generalised nature of this material it is difficult to distinguish items that may have had specific associations to the Coal Mines from those of general convict use.

The Coal Mines have been subjected to open and at times approved removal of material by the general public. It may be that the most reliable Coal Mines provenance is to be found in the remaining historic record on the site.

Port Arthur Collection Databases

The Port Arthur Collection Databases recognise a small amount of collection material with direct provenance to the Coal Mines. However, it should be noted that the collection database does not always specifically recognise site provenance, which may mean items are “lost” by relegating the material to general „Convict – Tasman Peninsula‟. PAHSMA‟s Archaeological Collection does contain at least two boxes of artifacts collected from the Coal Mines during PWS programs in 1975, 1977, 1982 and 1985.

5.3 Key Heritage Features

The following is a brief description of key heritage features within the Coal Mines (see Figures 5 and 6). Bairstow and Davies in their 1987 report „Coal Mines Historic Site Survey, Preliminary Report, Occasional Paper No. 15, DLPW‟ provide a complete description of the heritage features found at the Coal Mines following their survey of the reserve in 1985. The 3 digit numbers in Figure 5 and 6 refer to Bairstow and Davies reference numbers allocated to each feature identified at the CMHS in their report. The following text refers to these numbers in the descriptive detail. A detailed account of historical buildings and features constructed at the Coal Mines is also provided by Evans in her 2000 report „Coal Mines Historic Research Project, A report for the Cultural Heritage Branch PWS‟.

5.3.1 Convict Settlement Heritage

Penal Settlement

The surviving buildings of the penal settlement are in a ruinous state. The removal of building materials from the Coal Mines began following its closure. The removal of

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building fabric has resulted in only foundations marking the location of the majority of former buildings.

1838 Prisoner Barracks Complex (#126-#128): The 1838 Prisoner Barracks are the most imposing ruins of the Coal Mines. A sketch by H. Hull in 1879 (AOT NS1200/5) and photographs from the 1880s-90s show the barracks were already in ruins. The basement rooms of the eastern wing (#126) remain intact, with 16 solitary cells, while the majority of the first floor is missing with the exception of the western and southern facades. Walls of the central chapel (#127) and western wing (#128) also remain standing. The ornate stonework around the door, windows and fireplace of the chapel demonstrate the presence of skilled convict stonemasons. In front of the complex a well-defined rectangular mound marks the site of the Watchbox (#129) which originally guarded a gateway in the Penitentiary wall. Foundations and sandstone rubble mark the location of the 1842 extension to the Prisoner Barracks (#145) on the western side of the western wing.

Bake House (#135) and Assistant Superintendents Quarters (#140): Sandstone and brick rubble mark the location of the bake house north of the 1838 Prisoner Barracks. Two bread ovens of the bake house (#135), both partially collapsed and filled with sand as a stabilisation measure, are still extent. Sandstone and brick retaining walls to the west of the bake house may have provided space for further buildings (#140) such as Assistant Superintendents Quarters.

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Figure 5 Key Heritage Features (based on Bairstowe and Davies)

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Figure 6 Key Heritage Features detail (based on Bairstowe and Davies)

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Overseers’ (#150), Officers and Miners Quarters (#155): To west of the 1838 Prisoner Barracks is a group of brick buildings (#155) identified in the NPW survey as a terrace of cottages. It was almost certainly officers’ quarters, being built in a style common to officers’ quarters on other contemporary stations. There is evidence that the cottages were later used as miners’ quarters. The state in which they survive suggests they continued to be well maintained well after 1848. Six metres east of this complex a well defined rectangular brick and stone rubble mound (#150) is thought to have been the Overseers’ Quarters (Bairstow and Davies 1987).

Separate Apartments (#165): Foundations and brick rubble are all that remain of the c. 1847 Separate Apartments (#165) to the west of the 1838 Prisoner Barracks (#126). Steel corner posts installed as part of the 2000-02 PWS CIP Project mark the extent of the original building.

Solitary Cells (#165): The Solitary Cells are located underneath the Separate Apartments. Ten of the original 36 solitary confinement cells constructed in 1845-46 remain intact following restoration work undertaken by PWS in 1977 and during the 1990s (PWS 1997). Steel walking platforms and associated structural frames have been installed in corridors as a fabric protection and stabilisation measure. The Solitary Cells have a mix of sandstone block or brick walls with brick ceilings. The other 36 cells have collapsed and are no longer accessible.

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Senior Military Officer’s Quarters (#240): located on an easterly spur of Coal Mine Hill to the north of the main settlement this building was constructed of brick and sandstone. The remaining walls stand over two metres high and are in good condition. Some walls are still partially covered in stucco with ceiling cornicing (Evans 2000). Sandstone foundations at the rear of the building mark the location of the outbuilding.

Superintendent’s Quarters (#210): Four brick walls forming a room, extensive foundations, and sandstone and brick rubble mark the location of the Superintendent‟s Quarters which is halfway between the Senior Military Officers‟ Quarters and the main settlement.

Military Barracks and Outbuilding (#225): A c.1836 plan of the Military Barracks (CON 87/77 AOT) indicates this building was constructed of timber. The extant remains of the Military Barracks are, however, largely comprised of brick and all timber has been salvaged or destroyed. The sandstone ruin at the back of the barracks may be the remains of a sick ward proposed in 1846 or a detached kitchen (Evans 2000). Foundations of a sandstone building to the immediate southwest exist, although the purpose of this building is unknown. To the west or rear of the military barracks, remains of the wall previously enclosing the barracks are also found (Bairstow and Davies 1987).

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Military Cemetery (#250): To the north of the Military Barracks and east of the Officers Quarters, lies the Military Cemetery marked by three gravestones and numerous fragments (Bairstow and Davies 1987). These are the graves of Josh Parsons and possibly Alfred Williams, buried in 1845, the inscribed date still visible in the stone. It is uncertain who the third gravestone belongs too.

Commissariat Officer’s Quarters (#255): the second most impressive sandstone ruin at the Coal Mines is the Commissariat Officer‟s Quarters to the northwest of the road to Plunkett Point, halfway between the main settlement and Plunkett Point. Sandstone walls are largely intact and are in good condition.

Other Buildings: The ruins of quarters for other civil officers are primarily located along the coastline. To the east of the 1838 Prisoner Barracks is a group of five buildings (#115 to #119) marked by a series of rectangular brick rubble mounds. They comprise quarters for the Assistant Superintendant and Foreman of Works, the Engineer‟s Stores, Overseers Quarters and an Office and Guardroom (#119). Only mounds and rubble remain of the Surgeon‟s (#100), Coxswain Quarters‟ (#110) southeast of main settlement (pictured), and Catechist Quarters (#260) southwest of Plunkett Point. In addition, the following administration buildings are also marked by mounds and rubble: Hospital (#200) and Commissariat Store (#275 near Plunkett Point).

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

Unidentified Buildings: The ruins of four unidentified buildings are separately located at the headland just north of Plunkett point (#280), between the end of the Incline Plane and Plunkett Point (#270), to the north of the Separate Apartments (#195) and west of the Military Barracks (#972). The first building has walls above ground level while the other ruins are building foundations.

Mining

As with all underground mine sites, a significant proportion of the evidence of previous industry lies beneath the surface. All shaft openings and adit entrances were filled or blocked early last century and there is no access to these underground areas. With the exception of the stone-lined shaft, the original form and structure of shaft openings and adit entrances was destroyed. The following provides a more detailed description of mining features.

Adits (#401 and #403): The depressions within the coastal escarpment behind the beach mark the location of the original 1833 Adit (#403) and larger 1834-35 Adit (#401). Coal dumps associated with this period of mining line the foreshore and are subject to coastal erosion.

1837 Workings: Within the small bay on the inner side of Coal Point, south of the main settlement, small depressions may mark the location of an 1837 attempt to excavate a coal seam found in this area.

1838 Workings: Surface working and coal dumps of the 1838 shafts are located halfway between the main settlement and Coal Mine Hill. They can only be reached by pushing through dense undergrowth and extensive coal slack dumps are covered by bracken. An inclined plane/tramway (#430) connected these workings to Plunkett Point.

1842-43 Workings: A large depression marks the location of the 1842-43 workings to the north east of the 1845 Main Shaft (#495). Foundations of a building are located just downhill at the head of an inclined plane that connected this site with Plunkett Point. Coal Slack dumps can be found uphill to the north and downhill to the east. This area is reported to have been quarried in the early 20th century for brick and coal dust by the government for road base material.

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

1845 Main Shaft (#495): The largest shaft entrance found at the site is that of the 1845 Main Shaft located on a spur to the north of Coal Mine Hill. Next to the shaft lies a „pressure vessel‟, donated back to the Coal Mines in 2002 by Terry Kingston. The „pressure vessel‟ was attached to the 1840s steam engine that was used at the 1845 Main Shaft (#495). Stone cuttings and foundations for the engine house and windlass are located on the northern side of the shaft (#498). To the east a depression marks the top of the Inclined Plane (#903) that served this shaft.

Images: Clockwise from left - Main Shaft (#495), Pressure Vessel, Foundations for engine house and windlass (#498).

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

Stone-lined Shaft (#486): Also known as the air shaft or the convict well, it is possible that at some point between 1842 and 1848 this stone- lined shaft was sunk. It is located within the square boundary extension along the western boundary of the reserve. This shaft is lined with sandstone blocks and it may have served as an air shaft, although there is no documentary evidence describing the shaft or its purpose (Evans 2000).

Transport and Communication

The ability to transport large quantities of coal was essential to the operations of the Coals Mines. During the operation of the Coal Mines by the government, five jetties were constructed as the sea was the main means of transporting coal and receiving stores for the settlement. Roads, tramways and inclined planes connected these jetties with mining shafts and workings.

1833 Coal Jetty Site (#408): A grid of large logs extending some 65 metres along the beach and a ballast heap off shore mark the location of the 1833 Jetty. The jetty was originally a trestle pier extending some 360ft (110m) into Norfolk Bay (Buller 2007). Sandstone blocks which may have been part of a stone abutment can be found on the beach. The reclaimed land that served as a storage area for this jetty is being eroded (see Section 5.6.6). This jetty primarily served the original adits (#401/#403) and was superseded by the 1837 Jetty (#095) as shallow waters made the jetty inadequate for large marine vessels.

1837 Coal Jetty Site (#095): Located at Coal Point south of the main settlement, this jetty originally extended 360 yards (329.2m) into Norfolk Bay and was built on trestles with log foundations placed horizontally on the sea floor (Buller 2007). No visible features of this jetty remain. A tramway between this jetty and the original adits (#401/#403) previously connected these sites.

1841 Plunkett Point Jetty (#450) and three Inclined Planes (#430, #445 & #674): Following the abandonment of the original adits and the transfer of mining to inland shafts a new jetty was constructed off Plunkett Point (#450). It was probably similar in

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

construction to the 1833 and 1837 jetties (see Owen Stanley c.1841 water colour of Plunkett Point). Destroyed in 1867 only a ballast dump off Plunkett Point marks the location of this jetty. This Jetty served as the main jetty for the transport of coal until the penal station closed and may have been rebuilt by private lessee James Hurst in the 1860s. Coal was transported from the 1838, 1842-43, and 1845 mine workings to the Plunkett Point Jetty via inclined planes. Only the form, earth embankments and cuttings, remain of these inclined planes. Of these inclined planes, the 1845 Inclined Plane (#674) is used as a walking track and is the only plane that visitors can access. Divided halfway down its length by the old Lime Bay Road, the lower half is in good condition while the surface of the upper half is in relatively poor condition.

Jetty (#708): Constructed between 1838 and 1842 (Buller 2007), the jetty (#708) was located north of the 1833 Jetty (#408) and near the Lime Kiln (#415). It was about 100 feet (30m) in length (AOT ML31, Evans 2000). No visible features of this jetty remain.

Commissariat Store Jetty (#276): Probably constructed when the Commissariat Store (#275) was built, the jetty was originally similar to the Plunkett Point Jetty (see c. 1846 Bishop Francis Nixon sketch). This jetty was still in use in 1875 and photographed in c. 1890. No visible features of this jetty remain.

Roads: The jetties, mine shafts, and the buildings of the Coal Mines were connected by roads and tracks. The majority of the road and tramway cuttings, embankments and other features within the reserve have been recorded by Bairstow and Davies (1987). The road from the main settlement to Plunkett Point is marked on a c. 1837 plan of the penal settlement (CSO/72 AOT). Also within this plan two roads to Port Arthur and to Slopen Main are shown. A c. 1842 plan of the settlement (ML31) provides more detail on roads within the settlement. These roads connect the main settlement with jetties, the Military Barracks, Senior Military Officers House and vegetable gardens, Commissariat Officers and mine workings. Today the old Lime Bay Road follows (within the reserve) the same alignment as the convict road to Port Arthur, to the mine workings, and to Plunkett Point. Tracks to the point south of the main settlement and the Senior Military Officers House also follow convict roads.

Semaphore Stations: Sandstone and brick rubble on top of Coal Mine Hill mark the location of the c. 1836 Semaphore Station Hut (#290). Similar remains and the remains of a convict road on Mt Stewart indicate the location of the semaphore and guardhouse constructed there as part of the Tasman Peninsula‟s semaphore communication system developed by Port Arthur Commandant, Charles O‟Hara Booth (Thompson 2007).

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

Subsidiary Industries

While about a third of the convicts stationed at the Coal Mines worked underground, the remaining convicts were employed in other industries to support mining operations. These other industries included timber getting, building , quarrying and dressing sandstone, brick making, lime burning, blacksmithing, gardening and other labouring activities. Besides the following, little evidence of these subsidiary industries remains.

Sandstone Quarries: two sandstone quarries are located within the reserve, one located to the southwest of the main settlement (#748) and the other north (#461) of Plunkett Point. The northern quarry is the most extensive quarry some 20 metres across and 15 metres deep. A number of rough hewn blocks still lie to the south of the quarry along the present day walking track.

Brick Kiln and Clay Pits: remains of the brickworks are located along the western boundary of the Coal Mines with the brick kiln (#295) and a clay pit (#296) located on the neighbouring property. Another clay pit (#297) is located within the Coal Mines reserve. The kiln was demolished prior to the 1980s with brick rubble bulldozed into a pile. While the form of the kiln is no longer visible, it seems to have been a scotch kiln (Bairstow and Davies 1987). The clay pit (#296) outside the reserve has been enlarged to form a dam.

Lime Kiln (#415): Just north of the original 1833 Adit (#401) a small lime kiln is hidden behind scrub. The remains of the lime kiln still stand 1.5m high. Its design is typical of the period, in which shell and fuel was loaded at the top with the burnt lime dropping through the kiln eye and raked out through the small opening at the side of the kiln. As shell grit can be found in the

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

mortar of ruins around the Coal Mines, it is likely that numerous Aboriginal shell middens were excavated in the surrounding area to supply the kiln.

Black Smithing: Foundations and rubble mark the location of one of the black smith‟s shop in the main settlement near the Bake House (#135).

Vegetable Gardens: Extensive gardens behind the Military Barracks (#225) are shown in a c. 1842 plan although nothing remains of these gardens aside from a clearing in the regenerating native vegetation.

Other recorded industries at the Coal Mines include timber getting, charcoal burning (Becke 1975), tailoring and shoe making (Clark 2009). The timber for the mines would probably have been sourced locally during the establishment of the penal station and mines probably requiring the excavation of temporary saw pits. No saw pits have been found although they may still be present in the surrounding landscape. Similarly, earth benches could exist where timber was stacked for charcoal burning. While there is no documentary evidence of other subsidiary industries, during their survey of the reserve Bairstow and Davies (1987) recorded depressions which may have been tanning pits to the west of the 1838 shaft.

5.4 Post Convict Settlement Heritage

Following closure of the penal station, the Coal Mines was operated by private lessees for at least 30 years after which the land was subject to pastoral leases. No specific study has been undertaken to document the post convict settlement heritage of the reserve.

Private Mining 1848-1877

There are no buildings known to be constructed during this period. While it appears that the 1838 and 1845 main shafts were reworked, many new shafts were also sunk. Craters around the reserve mark many of these later shafts that were subsequently filled for public safety. There are numerous shafts located to the north of the convict 1845 Main Shaft. Today the most readily visible shafts are the four shafts to the south of the main settlement area. From these shafts, the remains of a tramway pass to the east and north of the 1838 Prisoners Barracks. The stone edging of the tramline found in this area is also evident on the eastern side of the road to Plunkett Point past the Catechist‟s House.

An 1858 report in the Mercury noted that the cottage formerly occupied by lessee James Hurst was concealed by evergreens with the „enclosed grave in which two of his children lie‟. While this grave has not been located, a gravestone marking the burial of

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

another child, Thomas Richardson, was located by Bairstow and Davies (1987) to the north of the Catechist House (Evans 2000).

Pastoral

Prior and following closure of the coal mines, land within Saltwater River was offered for pastoral lease. In 1918 a road (presumably the old Lime Bay Road that went through the main settlement) was opened up for settlement purposes. Roads within the reserve are likely to follow existing roads established during the operation of the Coal Mines.

5.5 Natural Environment

Background

During mining operations the environment of the Coal Mines was extensively altered. Vegetation was cleared for timber, to assist with security surveillance, to provide land for gardening, and allow the ground to be mined for coal, sandstone, and clay. Over the past century, the vegetation of the Coal Mines has regenerated concealing the ruins and earthworks of past occupation and industry. This section provides a brief description of the natural environment found within the site. A more complete description is provided in Appendix 9.

5.5.1 Climate

The Coal Mines area has a temperate, maritime climate that is strongly influenced by the westerly airstreams that move across Tasmania. The local terrain, which is of low relief, creates few discernible microclimates within the site, though the waters of Frederick Henry Bay and Norfolk Bay have a general moderating influence.

Climatic records do not exist for the northern side of the Tasman Peninsula. The nearest weather station operated by the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) is at Hobart Airport, some 20 kms northwest of the site. The measurements recorded at this station are likely to reflect the general climatic conditions of the site as both are located in the same climatic zone (see Table 1). Wind speed and direction data can be downloaded from the BOM website.

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

Jul

Oct

Jan Apr

Feb Mar Jun

Sep Dec

Nov

May Aug

Annual

Temperature

Mean maximum 22.6 22.5 20.7 18.1 15.6 13.0 12.7 13.8 15.5 17.3 19.2 20.8 17.7 temperature (°C)

Mean minimum 12.2 12.2 10.9 8.8 6.9 4.7 4.2 5.0 6.3 7.8 9.5 10.9 8.3 temperature (°C)

Rainfall

Mean rainfall (mm) 41.1 32.5 36.2 37.4 27.3 35.1 36.5 46.2 44.0 43.1 37.6 51.6 468.0 Decile 5 (median) 31.9 24.8 29.6 30.7 24.3 27.9 30.8 43.7 38.1 39.4 38.2 43.0 470.6 rainfall (mm) Mean number of 5.5 4.5 6.1 6.5 6.0 6.4 7.5 8.3 8.6 8.4 7.0 7.1 81.9 days of rain ≥ 1 mm Table 1: Hobart Airport average annual climate statistics between 1981 and 2010 (BOM 2010).

5.5.2 Geology and Geomorphology

Geomorphology of the Coal Mines is primarily controlled by the geology of the site that is largely comprised of Triassic sediments of the Parmeener Supergroup that have been intruded by a harder Jurassic dolerite emplacement (Figure 7). This emplacement appears to be a dyke running from a point south of the main settlement to Coal Mine Hill. Between two faults associated with the dyke, a wedge of Triassic sediments is found that contained the coal seam(s) with lithic sandstone, carbonaceous sandstone, and mudstone. This complex geology is today covered by windblown sand from relict sand dunes and blankets probably formed during the last glacial period. The sandy topsoil, which is acidic and strongly leached with a humic topsoil, is susceptible to rill and gully erosion if vegetation is disturbed.

Norfolk Bay is protected from the southern ocean by the Tasman Peninsula and has a relatively low-energy maritime environment when compared to the exposed eastern and southern coast of the Peninsula. Coastal geomorphic processes and the maritime environment are primarily driven by tides although the occasional storm and/or strong winds can have a significant impact through the creation of storm surge and waves across the bay, resulting in the erosion of soft-sediment banks. The low-energy coastline of Norfolk Bay has created both erosional and depositional features of sandstone headlands with interceding shingle and sand beaches. Coal mining and the development of associated infrastructure has significantly altered the landscape in localised areas.

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

Figure 7. Geology of the Coal Mines

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

Management Issues

Potential impacts of climate change and severe weather events on the site‟s environment, its heritage values and tourism activities are well recognised as a major management issue. Research requirements, mitigation and adaptation responses should be assessed and factored into planning both in the short and longer term. Climate change may present challenges related to potential impacts on:

 the maritime heritage environment, through alterations in tides and currents, rising sea level, increasing acidity and temperature, increased storms and changed weather patterns

 the natural and cultural environment, including coastal erosion, fire frequency and impacts on water levels, weeds, pests, vegetation and fauna

 health issues e.g. spread of mosquito-borne diseases.

The weather and environmental impacts are likely to damage features that attract visitors to the Coal Mines and exacerbate existing management issues including coastal erosion and cliff collapses, fire control and the success of vegetation management programs. There may be impacts on the ecology, landscapes and threatened species. While the weather is relatively stable, storm events, tidal activity and high seas have the potential to create immediate and rapid loss of natural and historic features. Incremental loss is caused by the impacts of air laden salts, wetting and drying and rising and falling damp on masonry and changes in soil salinity and water levels. All will affect the way structures and artifacts decay. Stone and brickwork has, and continues to suffer significant weathering. Large eucalypt trees near ruins have been dislodged during severe wind events and drought conditions have impacted vegetation leading to limb shedding.

The coastal zone is currently being eroded at an accelerated rate impacting features through wind born wave action and high tides.

As a fire exclusion zone under the current fire management strategy, the fuel build up within the heritage precinct poses a significant fire risk during periods of high fire danger.

5.5.3 Vegetation Communities

The vegetation of the site is dominated by open eucalypt forest and woodland. Although it appears to be largely undisturbed, much of the vegetation of the area has undergone significant changes since coal mining commenced. Clearing of the bush accompanied the development of the mines. Timber was required for the mining operation and for building purposes at the settlement, and land was cleared and

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

planted for vegetable gardens, orchards, pastures and grain crops. A plan of the Coal Mines from 1875 (Pembroke 76 CPO) describes the area as „open healthy land with little or no timber‟ and as „having some very good feed‟. The sketches by Conrad Martens (Figures 8 and 9) illustrate the level of clearing that had occurred in the 1840s, looking from the jetty up to Signal Hill and across to the barracks from Plunkett Point.

Figure 8: “The Coal Point, Tasman Peninsular from the long jetty” Conrad Martens. (Picture courtesy of the nla.pic-vn3916041)

Figure 9: “Coal Point, Tasman Peninsular looking south west” Conrad Martens. (Picture courtesy of the nla.pic-vn3916041)

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

With the cessation of mining, native vegetation has reclaimed most disturbed sites. However, human modification of the vegetation continued and wildfires frequently burnt large parts of the site until the late 1990s. Frequent firing has led to simplified species composition of some vegetation communities; this is particularly the case with forests around the main settlement and towards Plunkett Point. The majority of the vegetation in the site is classed as „Eucalyptus amygdalina forest and woodland on various substrates (TASVEG 2010). The vegetation around the main settlement and mining area is classed as E. viminalis grassy forest and woodland. These dominant vegetation communities have been mapped by the Tasmanian Vegetation Mapping Program at a scale of 1:25,000 (Figure 10).

Other vegetation communities that have been recorded at the Coal Mines include:

 Closed Herbfield: surrounding the main settlement, this community is primarily a product of past human activities and is currently sustained by native and exotic fauna.

 Regenerating Cleared Land: this cleared land is located where the penal station vegetable gardens were established between the Military Barracks and the top of Coal Mine Hill. The area is slowly being recolonised by native species including Pteridium esculentium, Acacia dealbata and E. viminalis.

 E. tenuiramius forest and woodland on sediments: within the E. amygdalina forests in the south-west of the site, patches of this vegetation can be found.

 E. globulus dry forest: small patches exist on Plunkett Point and Coal Mine Hill with further individual E. globulus trees found along the coast.

 E. obliqua dry forest: located along the western boundary near the stone- lined shaft in patches with E. amygdalina still predominant throughout.

 Allocasuarina verticillate woodland: located in numerous areas around the site, this woodland is prominent along the northern coastline of the site extending to an area just north of the Inclined Plane car park along the old Lime Bay Road. A. verticilla is also found along the western boundary of the site.

 E. ovata forest and woodland: E. ovata has been previously recorded along the northern boundary.

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

The above vegetation communities have been identified through field work undertaken in the 1980s (PWS 1997) and staff observations. A more recent vegetation survey of the site has not been undertaken. Of these vegetation communities, the following communities are listed as Threatened Vegetation Communities under Schedule 3A of the Nature Conservation Act 2002: E. globulus dry forest and woodland (Vulnerable), E. tenuiramis forest and woodland on sediments (Vulnerable), and E. ovata forest and woodland (Endangered).

Figure 10: Vegetation Communities of the Coal Mines

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

5.5.4 Native Flora and Fauna

While a botanical survey of the site has not been recently undertaken, threatened flora may exist in the site. The DPIPWE Natural Values Atlas (NVA) records some 24 flora species of conservation significance found in the site. These species are listed in Appendix 9.

No systematic surveys of the fauna of the site have been undertaken. Instead, faunal records for the area are generally based on casual observations by PWS staff (Egloff 1987), and public sightings also entered onto DPIPWE NVA. A list of native fauna species is provided in Appendix 9.

Threatened fauna species recorded in the site include the Forty-spotted Pardalote (Pardalotus quadragintus), Tasmanian Hairstreak Butterfly (Pseudalemnus chlormide myrsilus), Grey Goshawk (Accipter novaehollandiae), White-bellied Sea Eagle (Haliaeetus leucogaster), Swift Parrot (Lathamus discolour), Eastern Barred Bandicoot (Perameles gunii) and Common Wombat (Vombatus ursinus ursinus). The last two species are common in Tasmania but vulnerable on the mainland. As no specific survey has been undertaken on the endangered Grey Goshawk, White-bellied Sea Eagle and Swift Parrot within the site, it is unknown if they use the site for breeding habitat.

The Eucalyptus viminalis forest and woodlands of the site provide potential habitat for the endangered Forty-spotted Pardalote and the rare Tasmanian Hairstreak Butterfly.

Forty-spotted Pardalote

The Forty-spotted Pardalote is listed as endangered under the Commonwealth Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and under Schedule 3.2 of the Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 (TSP Act 1995). The bird inhabits lowland dry sclerophyll forest and woodlands that have a significant component of white gum, E. viminalis (TSS 2006). It is insectivorous, feeding on lerps and other foliage insects associated with white gum forests. They form loose breeding colonies at permanently occupied sites, usually nesting in the hollows of over-mature trees or stumps (Rounsevell and Woinarski 1983). The Forty-spotted Pardalote was first recorded in the site at Coal Mine Hill in 1955. A survey in 1981 found one group of pardalotes at Coal Mine Hill and a second small group near Plunkett Point. The total population of the two groups was twelve birds (Brown 1986). Five years later (1986) only ten individuals were located in the site. Surveys during 1993 (PWS 1997) and 2008 (P. Bell pers comm.) did not locate any birds within the Coal Mines or Lime Bay State Reserve. The bird is presumed locally extinct.

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

Tasmanian Hairstreak Butterfly

The Tasmanian Hairstreak Butterfly is listed as rare under Schedule 3.2 of the TSP Act 1995. It is a subspecies which occurs only on the Tasman and Forestier Peninsulas. The butterfly relies on a symbiotic relationship with a species of ant, Iridomyrmex foetans, which appears to protect the butterflies during their larval and pupal stages. During this time the ants obtain a „honeydew‟ secretion from the caterpillars. The butterflies rely on silver wattle, Acacia dealbata, for larval food and pupation occurs under the bark of mature eucalypt trees, most commonly the white gum E. viminalis (Prince 1988). The specialised habitat requirements of the butterfly make the subspecies especially vulnerable to a reduction in range due to habitat destruction (P. Bell pers comm., Couchman and Couchman 1977). While the butterfly has not been observed in the Coal Mines for many years, a survey of the Lime Bay State Reserve in 2008 identified the continued presence of the species just north of the Coal Mines.

5.5.5 Exotic Fauna and Flora

The following exotic fauna species have been recorded in the site: rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), mouse (Mus musculus), blackbird (Turdus merula), starling (Sturnus vulgaris) and goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis).

Numerous species of exotic plants are found growing in the site. The garden plantings that persist at several sites are a tangible legacy of the coal mining period. Rose- scented pelargonium (Pelargonium capitatum), broom (Cytisus scoparius) and aloe (Aloe sp.) occur near the Senior Military Officer's House. Aloe is also present near the 1838 Prisoner Barracks and has spread from the Senior Military Officer‟s Quarters down the hill towards the Commissariat Officer‟s House. These plants form an integral component of the cultural landscape and have interpretive value providing insights into the culinary, medical and social aspects of life at the mining settlement (Egloff 1987). The closed herbfield around the main settlement is comprised of introduced species including meadow grass (Poa annua), clover (Trifolium sp.), scarlet pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis), and various native species. Other exotic species growing in the site include Californian thistle (Cirsium arvense), Horehound (Marrubium vulgare), and a few large examples of Pinus radiata are located along the western boundary in the neighbouring property to the south of the brick kilns.

Management Issues

Three threatened vegetation communities have been recorded at the Coal Mines and the effect of fire on these areas should be assessed, and if necessary, fire exclusion zones may need to be created. The extent and condition of these sub-dominate vegetation communities have not been subject to a comprehensive ecological survey. Such a survey is required to inform vegetation management decisions.

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

Under the Nature Conservation Act 2002, any proposed clearance of these vegetation communities for the purpose of developing new infrastructure requires a Forest Practices Plan to be approved by the Forestry Practices Authority.

Management concerns for PAHSMA for both of the threatened fauna species relate to the maintenance of key identified habitat through the retention of white gum and silver wattle trees and the development of an appropriate fire management regime. It is probable that previous frequent firing of natural vegetation has led to a decrease in biodiversity on the site.

Exotic vegetation species that are classed as cultural plantings should be maintained, but contained so as not to spread beyond an appropriate level of representation. In the case of the aloe, this plant has already spread and needs to be brought under control. Rabbit activity needs to be controlled and the potential for impact on visitor safety or cultural deposits assessed.

5.6 Management Infrastructure and Operations

Site Security and Storage

The only administration facilities at the Coal Mines are the Caretaker‟s Hut and storage room within the visitor toilets. Neither structure provides adequate security to store operational equipment. Equipment for work undertaken at the Coal Mines is shared with and stored at the Port Arthur Historic Site. As such, it must be transported to the Coal Mines on a daily basis as there is currently no secure storage facility at the site.

Services

No telecommunication land line is provided to the site; however the Coal Mines has limited „Next G‟ mobile phone coverage. Mains power is only provided to the Caretaker‟s Hut at the boundary of the site and tank water can be sourced at the Caretaker‟s Hut (2500 litre tank) and visitor toilets (two 300 litre tanks). A dam for fire fighting purposes is located on the northern boundary of the Coal Mines, just to the east of Lime Bay Road.

Fire Management

Fire breaks are slashed on a seasonal basis to control regenerating vegetation, as are road verges. The primary vegetation management tool employed by PAHSMA at the Coal Mines is fire management. Other fire management activities are undertaken in accordance with the Lime Bay State Reserve and Coal Mines Historic Site Fire Management

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

Strategy 2002. This plan is currently being reviewed by the PWS for incorporation into a Southern District Regional Fire Management Strategy.

The Fire Management Strategy was developed to both reduce fire hazards to public safety and site infrastructure through fuel reduction burns, and to maintain and enhance the ecological values of the site through fire disturbance for vegetation recruitment. Besides these standard fire management objectives, two key concerns relating to fire management at the Coal Mines are the protection of cultural heritage fabric and threatened species habitat. Currently, all fire management activities are undertaken by PWS in partnership with PAHSMA.

Under the Fire Management Strategy, the Coal Mines has been divided into three fuel reduction units and one ecological burn unit (Figure 11). Presently, the area around the main settlement and mining precincts have been excluded from fire management activities due to the sensitive nature of the heritage features in these areas (i.e. ruins, sensitive sub-surface features, and the presence of coal slack dumps and mine shafts).

Management Issues

Fire Management

In areas where vegetation is left in close proximity to buildings, the vegetation creates a fuel load that increases the threat of fire damage. Of particular concern is visitor and staff safety and the potential threat of igniting coal slack dumps. Extensive coal slack dumps exist along the coast near the original adit, around the 1838 and 1842–43 mine workings, and just to the south of the main settlement associated with post-convict mining. Historical records and accounts by local community members indicate that slack dumps to the south of the Solitary Cells burnt for numerous years underneath the ground. In addition, melted sand near the 1842–43 mine workings provides evidence of previous high temperature fires.

A strategy for addressing the increasing fuel loads within the heritage precinct is to develop a mosaic pattern of small burn units that can be subjected to cool burns. This approach will reduce the fuel load over time. However, it will create access to areas of the site that are currently impenetrable, and the risk to public should they enter these areas needs to be determined. Similarly, heritage features that are currently screened by vegetation to protect them from public access may need to be fenced off if their vegetative cover is removed.

There is only limited fresh water available at the Coal Mines and Lime Bay State Reserve for emergency use for fire fighting. While saltwater can be used in fire fighting, there are significant concerns relating to salinity damage to heritage ruins and native vegetation. During consultation with PWS, it was identified that if a source

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

Figure 11: Burning Units

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

could be provided near the southern boundary of the Coal Mines it would be of great assistance during a wildfire emergency.

PWS will be involved in all burn activities on the site. It is important that the local fire brigade is also notified. The water tank and fire pump owned by PAHSMA should also be on stand-by.

Shared Boundaries and Responsibilities

The adjacent property to the west of the site is privately owned. If the property owner of this land decides to use the land for livestock grazing, a secure fence between this property and the Coal Mines will need to be provided to prevent livestock from entering the site. During recent discussions, PAHSMA has offered to work in collaboration with the property owner with regards to the maintenance of a fire break and fence line between the two properties.

Vegetation Control

Where vegetation surrounds extant ruins and features, this vegetation contributes to the provision of a stable environment, protecting these features from the elements. The natural deterioration of masonry and permeable stone structures is accelerated when they are exposed to a constant cycle of fluctuating precipitation and temperature levels. These conditions, especially for uncovered ruins and other cultural fabric, can be created by a lack of vegetative shade or protection from wind and rain. The vegetation also limits soil erosion, a particular concern due to the friable sandy soil of the Coal Mines. However, while vegetation can protect heritage fabric from the elements, this needs to be balanced with concern for the potential of physical damage due to tree fall and fire damage to heritage fabric due to the close proximity of mature vegetation.

Trees growing in areas immediately adjacent to ruins need to be assessed as to the potential damage through physical abrasion during windy conditions, limb drop, and tree fall. Many historical features of the site are enveloped by regenerating vegetation, with trees growing through archaeological features and some features totally covered with vegetation (e.g. 1838 mine workings). For public safety and to protect heritage fabric, the vegetation around heritage features that are visited by the public is routinely monitored and managed.

Tracks through the site are regularly brush cut to maintain a sufficient clearance for safe visitor access. Bracken growing around building ruins and other heritage features is managed through spraying and/or mechanical removal. Exotic vegetation species are also chemically treated (especially Californian Thistle). Trees are felled if they are seen to be posing a threat to public safety or heritage features. Native vegetation,

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predominately bracken, re-colonizing cleared areas such as around the main settlement and the site of the former vegetable gardens should be prevented.

The heritage features of the convict penal settlement and colliery cover an area of over 50 hectares. It would be impossible, and in many cases undesirable, to manicure the vegetation around all heritage features. Many heritage features of the site are sensitive to visitor impacts and are currently protected from visitor attention through allowing their concealment by regenerating vegetation. Current and future levels of vegetation management around heritage features must be directed by cultural heritage conservation and interpretation, conservation of natural heritage and public safety requirements while also recognising resource limitations.

Exotic Species

Vegetation management must be undertaken to control exotic species. While chemical spraying of the Californian Thistle has generally kept this species under control, of particular concern is the spread of Aloe sp. from the Senior Military Officers Quarters. The Aloe plants contribute to the heritage values of the convict landscape, however, they are currently spreading out from their historical planting range. The species appears to be tolerant to some chemicals and may require manual removal from areas that it has invaded. However, as this tends to be mainly on steep sloped areas, the potential for erosion will also need to be considered.

Plant Diseases

Phytophora is another possible management concern, as it has been reported to be present in the neighbouring Lime Bay Reserve, and can be transported from footwear and vehicle tyres of people moving between various sites.

5.7 Access and Visitor Infrastructure

Access and Infrastructure

Currently visitor access to the Coal Mines is free of charge and the site is unfenced so is accessible 24 hours a day. Visitor facilities at the Coal Mines are basic, reflecting the fact that the Coal Mines hosts limited commercial activities and is characterised by relatively low visitation numbers. No visitor information office exists and there is no permanent staff presence.

Visitor infrastructure was upgraded during the PWS CIP project undertaken between 2000 and 2002. Following recommendations of the PWS CMHS MP 1997, Plunkett

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Point was closed to camping in the late 1990s and in 2002 the Lime Bay Road was rerouted around the main settlement and to the west of Coal Mine Hill.

There is a conceptual opportunity for organised day trips out of Hobart directly to the CMHS by boat. In theory the passengers would alight at a jetty at the Coal Mines, participate in a guided tour and then be bused to PAHS for further activities. Currently the only means of access to the Coal Mines and PAHS from Hobart is by road. At this time there is no jetty at the Coal Mines and the introduction of this infrastructure would be subject to a rigorous heritage impact assessment.

Vehicle Entry and Car Parking

Today, at the entrance of the site, an adobe wall on the west side of the road with the text „Coal Mines Historic Site‟ clearly informs the visitor that they are entering the Coal Mines. This is followed by a vehicle lay-by about 20 metres down the road with information about both the Coal Mines and Lime Bay State Reserve. A further 50 metres along the road, a small „Car Park‟ sign directs visitors to the main settlement car park. Similar car park signs exist for the Main Shaft, stone-lined shaft, and Inclined Plane car parking areas with visitors also advised that there is a 6-metre vehicle-length limit. Past the Inclined Plane turn off, drivers are advised that they are entering the Lime Bay State Reserve.

All public roads within the site are unsealed gravel. The four car parking areas of the Coal Mines have the following capacity:

 18 car parking spaces and two disabled spaces at the main settlement car park

 5 spaces at the 1845 Main Shaft car park

 4 spaces at the stone-lined shaft car park

 4 spaces at the Inclined Plane car park.

There is no specific area provided for tourist buses or to park large campervan/motor homes.

Walking Trails

At each car parking area, a map of the Coal Mines is located with a „Coal Mines Walks‟ list providing brief details to visitors including time to undertake the walk, level of difficulty, appropriate footwear, and any potential safety concerns (high walls, open shafts, and cliffs etc.) and advice to supervise children. An additional map with track information is found at the main settlement near the track that leads to the Senior Military Officer‟s House. Further directional signs are placed on low-lying

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posts of rail-sleeper timber directing visitors to the beach, Senior Military Officer‟s House, Military Barracks, Semaphore Station, Inclined Plane, stone-lined shaft, and Plunkett Point. These latter signs are discrete landscape elements designed to minimise intrusion on a visitor‟s sense of discovery.

The walking tracks of the site link key accessible heritage features. The majority of these tracks follow long-established routes or previous roads. Many tracks were formalised by the PWS CIP Project to guide visitors to key heritage features while rehabilitating tracks that led to sensitive sites such as the 1838 and 1842–43 surface workings/shafts. While the mining sites are sensitive to visitor impact, they also present significant visitor safety issues with exposed shaft head pits and uneven landscape features. The existing tracks of the Coal Mines are either dirt tracks or have some gravel covering. A Visitor Guide with a map of the Coal Mines walking tracks is currently only available from the Visitor Centre at Port Arthur Historic Site. Given the Visitor Guide is not available at the Coal Mines, there is the potential for visitors who have not been to PAHS to miss out on the valuable information provided in the guide, including site maps.

Safety Barriers

Barriers and supports were installed on the site in 2002 to protect the public from areas of danger and also protect areas of heritage fabric from visitor impacts. The barriers and supports were re-painted in 2011.

During the PWS CIP Project the current composting toilets were installed. The building was designed and constructed by PWS staff and is sited near the main settlement car park with wheel chair access. It contains four cubicles, a store and two 300-litre rain-water tanks. The toilet building is constructed over a large concrete chamber that contains six composting cages (four in use and two spare).

Universal Access

There are two car bays reserved for disabled parking as well as access pathways to the toilets in the main settlement car park and to the ruins of the main settlement. The access to the main settlement from the car park through the interpretation feature is compliant with full wheel chair access to the front of the east barracks. The circuit back to the car park from the front of the Barracks is an assisted track.

Management Issues

Entrance Fees

The review of the provision of access and admission fees to the Coal Mines is a specified management action in Sections 5.4.6 and 5.4.7 of the PAHS SMP 2008.

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As PAHSMA has a legislative responsibility to manage conservation programs and to operate as a successful business through achieving a sustainable commercial rate of return from the heritage site(s) it manages, any increase in future operational management or any proposed future infrastructure development will need to be funded at least in part by revenue earned from both the Coal Mines and the Port Arthur Historic Site.

Figure 12: Visitor Infrastructure

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Unauthorised Access and Use

Vandalism at the Coal Mines is limited but is more intense during periods of high visitation. It takes a number of forms through graffiti, dislodgement of building material and signs, and damage to infrastructure such as car parks, toilets and barriers. While more benign in intent, damage is also caused by people climbing on walls, accessing areas beyond barriers, and removal of artefact material. Vandalism and damage may be due to a lack of identification or connection with heritage values by some visitors and the absence of staff and visitor presence.

To limit vehicular traffic in the site, boom gates have been placed across the fire breaks and trails near the Caretaker‟s Hut, to each side of the Lime Bay road on the northern boundary fire trail, at the stone-lined shaft car park and the Incline Plane car park. There have been attempts to break the lock at the Inclined Plane car park boom gate and bypass the gate by driving through the forest. This has also occurred at the stone-lined shaft car park and northern boundary fire break boom gates. These attempts have been partly stopped by digging trenches, creating earth bunds, or placing large dolerite boulders along these unauthorised access tracks. The primary motivators in gaining unauthorised access at the Coal Mines seem to be either:  Firewood collection: this has resulted in localised degradation of vegetation along fire trails. While incidents of firewood collecting have reduced, vehicular access barriers are breached from time to time and trees are removed. The removal of standing trees destroys nesting hollows for fauna and the removal of fallen trees removes invertebrate habitat and stops the cycle of essential nutrients back into the soil  Off-roading opportunities: Unauthorised access for the purpose of gaining off-roading opportunities has occurred on numerous occasions with perpetrators using the boundary fire break and Inclined Plane as trails  Over-night camping: The main settlement car park is occasionally used as an overnight camping site for travelling tourists. Camping within the car park can limit the capacity of the car park, is a public safety concern when people sleep in tents, and a fire risk when camp fires are lit. Due to the site‟s isolation, it is difficult to monitor and prevent these acts of vandalism and unauthorised access. During the 2010 Coal Mines Community Consultation process, many community members identified an issue for future managers of the Coal Mines, to stop vandalism and „hooligans‟ from damaging the site. It was identified by some community members that the need for a more permanent staff presence should be assessed to undertake day to day management of the site, provide a sense of security for visitors and answer any questions that visitors may have.

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Visitor and Workplace Health and Safety (WH&S)

The importance of addressing visitor and staff safety is recognised in the PAHS SMP 2008. While it is noted that signage is already installed at the Coal Mines advising visitors of safety risks, specific issues as to the safety of shaft entrances (particularly near the main settlement), access to the site for emergency vehicles, the safety standard and condition of walking paths, the steps at the main barracks, and the threat of mosquitoes at the site potentially carrying Ross River Virus, need to be addressed. While the requirement to meet WH&S standards is recognised, attempts to address these issues should be carefully assessed to ensure measures meet Australian Standards while having a minimal impact on heritage values.

Infrastructure

PAHSMA has identified that visitor facilities are not adequate for a future increase in visitor numbers. Primarily there is a concern about the functionality of the current composting toilet system, the location and size of the main settlement car park, the need for infrastructure to cater for visitors staying longer at the site, and the lack of infrastructure to protect visitors from the weather. As the Coal Mines is relatively large, visitors need between 2-3 hours to visit the various heritage precincts/features. Facilities at the Coal Mines do not encourage visitors to stay at the site for longer periods and hence some visitors may not fully experience the site.

Directional Information

Once visitors arrive at the various car parks of the site, minimally signposted walking tracks and limited maps can confuse visitors. Maps and walking information signs located at each car park provide relatively clear guidance on the tracks and sites of the Coal Mines. However, when a visitor leaves the car park, there are only limited directional signs within the site making it difficult for visitors to orientate themselves. The 2010 Coal Mines Visitor Survey revealed that some visitors were getting lost during their visit and nearly a third had some trouble due to a lack of directional signage and maps being unclear.

Universal Access

The existing pathways, toilets and parking provisions do not meet current universal access requirements and there are limited opportunities around the site to sit and rest. Visitors to the site have commented on the lack of seating, shelter and recreational facilities. While the present loop track around the main settlement area is wheel chair accessible with assistance, it is nearly a kilometre in length. Providing vehicular access for the elderly and mobility impaired through pre-organised group appointments was discussed with concerned residents as a possible alternative.

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5.8 Visitor Services

5.8.1 Visitor Experience

Background

A key message from the 2010 Visitor Survey and community consultation was that the Coal Mines was different to the Port Arthur Historic Site and should remain so. Its basic facilities, un-manicured landscape, openness and quiet atmosphere were part of the values of the site.

The Coal Mines Historic Site Visitor Survey 2010 revealed that 92% of visitors would recommend a visit to the site to friends and family indicating that most visitors were satisfied with their visit. The main area of dissatisfaction or area for improvement was the directional and interpretive signage with 37% of visitors commenting on how this could be improved.

Management Issues

Visitor Numbers and Expectations

PAHSMA recognises that in order to review visitor management and infrastructure at the site information about visitor numbers and expectations are needed, as well as the impact of visitors on the values of the site. It is estimated that the current visitation is approximately 10, 000 – 15, 000 people per annum. Visitor numbers are being monitored to gain a more precise figure. It is anticipated that visitor numbers will increase with the World Heritage listing, marketing initiatives and the implementation of the Tasman Tourism Development Strategy and the Tasmania Historic Heritage Tourism Strategy. The challenge will be to balance increased numbers with other visitor expectations.

Staff Presence

Currently there is no permanent staff presence at the site to assist visitors or monitor visitor impacts. PAHSMA presence is primarily provided by the Grounds and Garden Crew undertaking a cyclic maintenance program, masonry works and maintenance activities, and occasional visits by Conservation & Infrastructure staff assessing damage/vandalism reports. The requirement for a permanent staff presence at high pressure periods needs to be assessed in future planning for the site. Guiding staff could be stationed at the site to provide tours and a staff presence to assist visitors and discourage inappropriate activities. Staff safety and security issues due to the remoteness of the site will need to be addressed as well as a suitable workspace/office to base their activities.

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5.8.2 Interpretation and Education

Interpretation Background

Interpretation of the Coal Mines is fundamental not only to the visitor‟s understanding and experience of the place, but also as a central component of the site‟s conservation actions. Over the years interpretation of the site has been carried out in varying formats and by various managing agencies and individuals. Existing on-site interpretation consists of an introductory information node near the main car park comprised of text panels, a reconstructed adit and historical images. Smaller interpretation panels are situated in key locations, mounted in clusters on recycled timber and stone. A visitor guide book is available from the Port Arthur Historic Site (and other local businesses) and web based information is provided via the PAHSMA website.

The current on-site interpretation installation was part of the 2000 - 02 PWS CIP Project and is composed of over 100 stainless steel signs and plaques providing historic and directional information. Interpretation signs were strategically placed so that visitors might discover them during their exploration of the ruins and other heritage precincts of the site. Interpretation has been approached thematically with a specific focus on the convict mining operations and associated timeframe (1833-48). The main themes that guided decisions on the provision of information were „Above and Below‟, „Isolation and Communication‟, „Living and Dying‟, „Exploring, Mapping and Reading the Terrain‟, and „Scarring‟. These themes sought to communicate to visitors that the Coal Mines penal station operated both above and below the surface, was isolated but well connected to other penal stations through the semaphore system, had a population of over 600 people at various points in time, some of whom died at the Coal Mines, and is an important site that documents colonial endeavours and the convict system (a description of these themes can be found in Appendix 5).

A new visitor guide was developed in 2011 to reflect current PAHSMA style and branding and it is recognised that the guide book needs to be made more widely and easily available to visitors to the Coal Mines.

In 2002, an application was received by PWS to operate tours at the Coal Mines. While the PWS license for the commercial operator to run tours has expired, PAHSMA is aware that tours have continued on an ad hoc basis, through a number of different operators. As a consequence, in 2011 a new guided tour experience was also developed and successfully trialled, operating out of the Port Arthur Historic Site and effectively using the travel time to and from the site as a valuable interpretation opportunity.

Currently there is no staff permanently posted at the Historic Site.

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Web based information regarding the Coal Mines is available via the Port Arthur Historic Site website. At present this is the only digital media presented by PAHSMA for the site.

Education Background

Traditionally, educators have visited the site without making contact with the Authority. PAHSMA is aware that in the past a number of schools have taken part in natural values research at the site, however, has not until recently offered its own education product. A PAHSMA education tour was developed in late 2011 for the Coal Mines and is run on an irregular basis.

Until recently, making history relevant through historic site interpretation has varied throughout Australia, however in light of the roll out of a new national curriculum in 2013; an opportunity exists for the Coal Mines Historic Site to be incorporated into a broader PAHSMA education program.

The Australian Curriculum: History aims to ensure that students develop:

 interest in, and enjoyment of, historical study for lifelong learning and work, including their capacity and willingness to be informed and active citizens

 knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the past and the forces that shape societies, including Australian society

 understanding and use of historical concepts, such as evidence, continuity and change, cause and effect, perspectives, empathy, significance and contestability

 capacity to undertake historical inquiry, including skills in the analysis and use of sources, and in explanation and communication.

Management Issues

Existing On site Signage

In line with the PAHS SMP 2008, the interpretation of the Coal Mines should seek to communicate the site‟s significance and heritage values to the wider community through a range of interpretive measures.

The current installations have significant information gaps, specifically relating to national, global and local context, information explaining the processes of coal mining, natural values and features and pre-and post-convict settlement of the site, including site management and ongoing conservation practices. With ready access to the built fabric of the penal settlement but restricted access, physical and interpretive,

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to the industrial history of the Coal Mines, the full story of the Coal Mines is not being told.

The format of the existing signage is often difficult for visitors to appreciate as a result of either design, content or environmental influences. It is also prone to removal through „souveniring‟.

Current on-site installations are affected by the existing landscape – specifically vegetation, sight lines, and access to areas of the site. A lack of infrastructure dictates that there is no formal/traditional exhibition space available and the lack of basic utilities on site, including electricity, has and will limit available interpretation techniques (potential for sound-scapes etc.). In addition, the current limited staff presence increases the potential for interpretive installations to be subject to vandalism and theft.

Availability of Visitor Information and Guided Tours

During the Coal Mines Visitors Survey 2010 only 14% of visitors surveyed had a visitor guide and some visitors complained about the lack of on-site access to a visitor guide. The visitor guide provides visitors with a map to facilitate site navigation and additional historical information. Without the guide, direction and interpretation signs around the site do not provide enough information for visitors to easily navigate and fully understand the extent of the Coal Mines as both a penal settlement and operating mine, thus the profile of the new available Coal Mines Tour needs to be enhanced.

The opportunity for visitors to be engaged in the history of the site now exists through guided tours. There is further potential to establish additional visitor services of differing length and focus taking account of the range of values of the site and visitor interest. The existing cultural and physical landscape dictates the scope and ability to conduct tours around the site with steep inclines, multiple uneven surfaces, narrow tracks and numerous safety and conservation concerns. There is now opportunity for educational groups and school based tours to be developed further in line with the Australian Curriculum and using the existing scripts and content from the current History tour and draft Education tour.

In early 2010, a new PAHSMA website was launched to provide a vibrant and flexible centre to PAHSMA‟s online presence. The website currently provides information on heritage values of the Port Arthur Historic Sites, including the Coal Mines, and basic tourist information on the Coal Mines. Work is currently underway to improve the information on the Coal Mines within the PAHSMA website.

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5.8.3 Site Publicity and Marketing

Background

The PAHSMA Act 1987 places the responsibility on PAHSMA to promote the historic sites under its management as tourist destinations. This legislative responsibility is in accordance with the establishment of PAHSMA as a Government Business Enterprise which has as one of its primary objectives the achievement of a sustainable commercial rate of return.

Although sharing some common heritage values with the Port Arthur Historic Site the Coal Mines currently offers a very different and complementary visitor experience. This presents marketing challenges for PAHSMA but it also provides a good opportunity to engage with a wider range of visitors and provide those who currently visit the Port Arthur Historic Site with a different experience at the Coal Mines. A significant challenge in delivering this is the tendency of visitors to visit the region with sufficient time to only visit the best-known attraction – the Port Arthur Historic Site.

The PAHSMA Strategic Marketing Plan was developed to guide the marketing of the Port Arthur Historic Sites, including the Coal Mines. The Strategic Marketing Plan has achieved various goals, including the redevelopment of the PAHSMA website and the „Amazing Stories, Epic Histories‟ advertising strategy. While the Coal Mines is incorporated in the „Amazing Stories, Epic Histories‟ advertising strategy, advertising expenditure through external media is primarily focused on promoting the Port Arthur Historic Site so as to ensure financial return through visitation to that historic site. The Coal Mines is currently advertised through internal media including:

 one of several „Amazing Stories, Epic Histories‟ banners displayed in the foyer of the Port Arthur Historic Site Visitor Centre

 Coal Mines visitor guides are on display and available free of charge at the Port Arthur Historic Site Visitor Centre

 a digital slideshow displayed on a screen in the Visitor Centre foyer

 A diorama of the Coal Mines penal station can be found within the Visitors Centre Convict Gallery (although this is dated)

 Mention in the Port Arthur Historic Site Visitor Guide

 the PAHSMA website.

Information on the Coal Mines is not only provided by PAHSMA and through the Port Arthur Historic Site. Other tourism publications which provide information

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about the Coal Mines include: Discover Tasmania: 60 Great Walks Guide (Tourism Tasmania), Tasman: The Essence of Tasmania Guide (Port Arthur and Tasman Tourism Association), Convict Trail Touring Map and Guide, Hobart and Surrounds Holiday Planner, Hobart and Surrounds Official Visitors’ Guide (Tourism Tasmania), Travel Guide Books (including Lonely Planet and Rough Guide). Information is also available to visitors on the internet at the Discover Tasmania, Plan Book Travel, See Tasmania, Trip Advisor, Wikipedia and many other websites. In addition, the online presence of both PAHSMA and the Coal Mines has been expanded to include listings on Google Maps, Google Places and Trip Advisor.

Management Issues

Increased promotion of the Coal Mines through external state, national and international media and World Heritage listing has a potential to significantly increase visitation to the Coal Mines.

There are constraints to managing an immediate increase in visitor numbers. These are primarily the lack of suitable infrastructure and a sustainable visitor capacity assessment.

The Coal Mines offers a distinctly different visitor experience to that at the Port Arthur Historic Site. This should be reflected in the promotion and marketing of the site, rather than taking a generic approach to all sites managed by PAHSMA.

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PART C: MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES

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6.0 MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES The previous management plan for the site (CMHS MP 1997) had clear objectives, many of which are still relevant and are included in this Master Plan. The objectives are based on the significance of all the heritage values of the site, both cultural and natural, and also the requirements of relevant legislation. The primary focus of management is the conservation of the heritage values of the site and promotion and presentation of the site for public enjoyment and appreciation. The policies and actions that follow in the next section are designed to achieve the objectives through an integrated management approach that includes physical conservation works and visitor management strategies.

Protect Site values and provide a quality visitor experience by:

 Encouraging research to provide a better understanding of the values and significance of the site and methods for conserving those values

 Protecting life and property on the site from hazards and the destructive effects of wild fires

 Enhancing visitor appreciation and enjoyment by identifying, developing and promoting a range of experiences and facilities based on the values of the site

 Ensuring that all visitor facilities are located, designed and constructed in a manner that reflects or enhances the values of the site.

Protect and conserve the heritage values of the site by:

 Undertaking works to impede the physical degradation of the fabric

 Managing the detrimental impact of visitor activities and facilities

 Enriching the experience of visitors through education and interpretation

 Influencing visitor behaviour.

Protect and conserve the natural values of the site by:

 Maintaining a long-term fire regime that allows existing native plant communities to regenerate

 Managing fire to optimise the available habitat for the forty-spotted pardalote and hairstreak butterfly

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 Managing erosion factors where feasible

 Eliminating or controlling exotic plant and animal species.

7.0 POLICIES AND ACTIONS This section of the report reviews management objectives and issues identified in previous sections and provides policies and actions for the conservation of heritage values and for visitor and tourism management. The policies and actions have been grouped into the following management themes.

7.1 Research

7.2 Heritage Values Management

7.3 Interpretation and Education

7.4 Vegetation Management

7.5 Infrastructure and Site Management

7.6 Visitor Experience

7.7 Community Engagement

7.8 Monitoring and Review

The policies contained in the PAHS SMP 2008 have direct application to the Coal Mines and for the purposes of this report and ease of reference, some of these policies have been included in this document.

7.1 Research

Background

The Master Plan process has revealed a number of areas for further research. While the Coal Mines is recognised internationally, nationally and locally for its heritage values, it has been subject to minimal research when compared to other prominent Australian convict sites. What research has been undertaken has focused on the convict history and fabric of the site. The principal research books, journal articles and reports include: Bryne (1977), England et al. (1996), Bairstow and Davies (1987),

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Brand (1987, 1993), Evans (2000), Buller (2007), Tuffin (2008), Clark (2009), and Maiden (2009). While these documents provide a significant primary and secondary resource, there are many questions that are still unanswered about the history and heritage values of the Coal Mines.

There is a clear need for a concerted research effort at the Coal Mines site. This research needs to address both the deficiencies of the historical record with comparative studies of a number of important themes. Research areas include study of the mining operation and industry of the Coal Mines to supplement Maiden (2009) (including research into the „stone lined shaft‟ and post-convict mining), post-convict local and regional history, subsidiary industries (including brick making, lime burning, timber getting, building), identity of incarcerated convicts, military and civil administrators, and convict burial. Comparative studies, similar to Tuffin (2009), would be extremely useful in examining themes of European exploration, convictism in Tasmania, identification and exploitation of natural resources, the convict system and the industrial enterprise, technical adaption and innovation etc.

Research to inform management practices is also needed. In particular, research on threatened vegetation communities and species, the susceptibility of the coal mines and associated deposits to ignition, the natural processes that are impacting the integrity of cultural fabric (i.e. coastal erosion and climatic exposure), and the potential impact of climate change.

Research will be informed by the Aboriginal community on heritage surveys and management of Aboriginal landscapes.

Policies

7.1.1 PAHSMA will continue to take a leading role in coordinating research that leads to improved understanding, physical conservation and interpretation of the Coal Mines, including the development, assessment and dissemination of new approaches and techniques.

7.1.2 Studies that improve the understanding of the life histories and habitat requirements of threatened or endangered species will be supported.

7.1.3 Given the complex and dynamic environment of the site, PAHSMA will develop methods to identify, understand, assess, and mitigate the range of threats posed to the integrity and survival of the Coal Mines‟ historical record.

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Actions

7.1.A Develop a Research Strategy to identify, undertake and co-ordinate ongoing research at the Coal Mines to provide a source of information that makes a contribution to physical conservation activity, interpretation and visitor experience, using available resources to maximum effect. Compile a comprehensive history of the site based on existing documentary sources and results of ongoing research.

7.1.B Undertake an Aboriginal heritage survey in consultation with the Aboriginal Community.

7.1.C Undertake research into the effects of climate change and severe weather events on site values and visitor use, and implement measures to mitigate the effects of those threats. Research and monitor the CMHS Emergency Management Plan and Risk Register to ensure upgrades of threats.

7.1.D Undertake a Limits of Acceptable Change Study for the Coal Mines and include processes to identify appropriate locations for the introduction of new visitor facilities and infrastructure.

7.1.E Prepare a program for regular research, monitoring and evaluation of visitor numbers and the level of visitor satisfaction experienced at the Coal Mines.

7.1.F Conduct a comprehensive survey of flora and fauna. This survey should have a primary focus of determining the composition and boundaries of all vegetation communities (with particular attention being paid to reported threatened vegetation communities), and seek to confirm the presence/absence of threatened fauna and any threatened flora.

7.1.G Investigate whether assisted regeneration is required for vulnerable and threatened vegetation communities

7.1.H Conduct research into the impact of fire and erosion on rare and threatened vegetation communities and establish if necessary and feasible fire exclusion zones.

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7.2 Heritage Values Management

Background

Management of the heritage values at the Coal Mines takes its direction from the PAHS SMP (2008), which itself relies on a number of seminal documents, including the Australia ICOMOS Burra Charter, and overarching principles. Several of these are of importance in the context of this master plan (Section 5.1.2):

 Conservation will be the primary management objective  Conservation will extend to all elements and heritage values  Decisions will be based on a proper understanding of heritage values  Conservation will be undertaken in accordance with best practice guidelines.

The identified heritage values of the Coal Mines site, as outlined in Section 3 will provide the basis for management. However, it is recognised that the level of research and understanding of the site‟s values is less comprehensive than it could be and that new values are likely to be revealed that will influence future management decisions. The successful listing of the Australian Convict Sites as a World Heritage property in 2010 has placed a number of obligations on PAHSMA in terms of reporting, ongoing conservation priorities and liaison with other authorities and sites. For the Coal Mines it also means that signage, interpretation and education programs need to incorporate appropriate messages about the World Heritage listing and the relationship with the 10 other convict sites in that listing.

Policies

7.2.1 The Aboriginal cultural heritage values of the Coal Mines should be identified, conserved and managed in consultation with the Aboriginal community and other responsible authorities.

7.2.2 All heritage features that contribute to the significance of the Coal Mines should be retained and appropriately managed and conserved and missing elements of original fabric will not be reconstructed unless there are well-researched and sound conservation reasons to do so.

7.2.3 Management of the cultural landscape of the Coal Mines should use a holistic conservation management planning approach that integrates consideration of significant landscape elements and spatial relationships, aesthetic and visual qualities, topography, natural and cultural values, cultural perceptions, attachments and meanings. Buildings and ruins should not be conserved and interpreted in isolation

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from the cultural landscape. All layers within the cultural landscape should be recognised and acknowledged, albeit with different approaches and techniques as appropriate.

7.2.4 Visitor numbers and activities should be managed to minimise the impact on the values of the site.

7.2.5 Interpretive techniques, including the selection of themes and messages to be conveyed, should have primary regard to recognising all levels of significance and the range of values at the Coal Mines.

7.2.6 Any works undertaken on-site (involving both natural and cultural fabric and infrastructure) where possible should be consistent with and incorporate the broad aim of interpreting significance.

7.2.7 The World Heritage status of the Coal Mines, as one of the eleven sites in the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage property, should be acknowledged and communicated.

7.2.8 PAHSMA will liaise with the Australian Convict Sites Steering Committee, the Tasmanian World Heritage Convict Sites Managers Group, and relevant government agencies for matters relating to the management of the World Heritage values at the Coal Mines.

7.2.9 Moveable heritage should be retained within its relationship to places and people unless there is no prudent or feasible alternative to its removal. Collection material that cannot be successfully retained in that context or is not actively involved in education or research, and fits with clearly defined acquisition guidelines, should be stored at PAHSMA‟s Collection Store at the Port Arthur Historic Site. It shall be the preferred aim of collection management to return moveable heritage items and collections to their previous context or community when circumstances change.

7.2.10 PAHSMA should undertake a program to identify and monitor the natural heritage values of the Coal Mines.

7.2.11 The natural heritage values of the Coal Mines should be conserved and managed in consultation with the Director of the Parks and Wildlife Service Tasmania.

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Actions

Aboriginal Heritage

7.2.A Facilitate a management and interpretation plan for Aboriginal heritage values of the site with the Aboriginal community.

7.2.B In consultation with the Aboriginal community, develop appropriate procedures and protocols for the management of Aboriginal cultural material discovered during surveys and works on the site.

7.2.C Manage visitor access to avoid further erosion to identified Aboriginal heritage sites.

Historic Heritage

7.2 D Undertake a survey of extant heritage features to identify and assess the condition of all heritage fabric. Such a survey should be guided by and update the inventory of heritage features compiled by Bairstow and Davies (1987). The results of this survey should be entered into the PAHSMA Asset Management System to form the baseline record for the management of those features.

7.2 E Develop a condition report of heritage features for the Coal Mines to identify a program of conservation works. Specific recommendations of the condition report should be entered into the PAHSMA Asset Management System (AMS).

Moveable Heritage

7.2 F Update the Port Arthur Collections Plan to recognise material that has Coal Mines provenance as a distinct collecting group and to provide for its management and, where feasible, in line with acquisition protocols acquire items with provenance to the Coal Mines and display and interpret these items on site if appropriate.

Landscape Management

7.2 G Determine if access to areas currently concealed by vegetation is a necessary part of a complete visitor experience of the site, and if so determine appropriate amounts of vegetation removal and the public safety measures that may be required.

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

Interpretation and Education

7.2 H Review existing on-site interpretation to establish its effectiveness and currency and prepare an Interpretation Plan to incorporate the greater social, historical and geographical context including natural values and those associated with both pre and post-convict settlement of the site.

7.2.I Further develop the PAHSMA Education program to integrate the Coal Mines, incorporating both on and off-site activities, to align with the relevant curriculum standards.

7.2 J Develop information available via the PAHSMA website in relation to the Coal Mines, including conservation projects, management reports and details of potential tourism activities as they become available, to ensure that it becomes the authoritative web destination for the Coal Mines.

7.2 K Investigate new portable interpretation devices such as iPhone/Android applications and their potential use at the Coal Mines.

7.2 L Develop on-site interpretation that acknowledges the 11 constituent sites of the Australian Convict Sites World Heritage listing.

7.3 Infrastructure and Site Management

Background

In 1938 the Scenic Preservation Board was charged with protecting and maintaining the site. A caretakers hut was built c. 1957, other minor works and stabilisation was carried out during this time. In 1970 the Coal Mines Reserve came under the control of the Parks and Wildlife Service. Services provided for tourists were minimal and following preparation of the Management Plan 1997, camping was removed from the site. The current infrastructure consists of interpretive signs and plaques, safety rails and barriers, public composting toilets, walking paths, car parks and roads. No new infrastructure has been built since 2002. PAHSMA took over management of the CMHS in 2004.

The 2013 Emergency Management Plan (EMP) for the CMHS was informed through the results of a Risk Register specifically for the CMHS. The Risk Register is set up as a living document to be reviewed and updated annually.

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Policies

7.3.1 A New Project impact assessment should be undertaken before new infrastructure or facilities are built on the site and new facilities should only be constructed where they do not have an adverse impact on the overall significance, and they are essential for management operations or site interpretation, and are reversible.

7.3.2 New facilities should aim for a low impact and sympathetic design in the presentation of the landscape.

7.3.4 A review of fire fighting capability should be included in the Risk Register and should inform the CMHS EMP.

7.3.5 Fire management should be undertaken in consultation with PWS. 7.3.6 Steps should be taken to prevent unauthorised use of the site, theft and vandalism.

7.3.7 PHASMA should regularly assess feasibility of a permanent on-site staff presence.

Actions

Access & Security

7.3.A Seek assistance from the Police and local community in identifying solutions for unauthorised access and vandalism.

7.3.B Establish security and compliance protocols and train staff accordingly.

7.3.C Move towards establishing a permanent on-site staff presence when visitation numbers reflect the need.

7.3.D Ensure relevant staff are trained in emergency protocols.

Infrastructure

7.3.E Evaluate current visitor infrastructure for compliance, condition and efficacy.

7.3.F Review current access arrangements to and round the site and identify options for improving universal access, directional information and grades of walk trails.

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7.3.G Regard amenity as part of landscape and visitor management when considering appropriate locations at the Coal Mines for the introduction of new visitor facilities such as picnic tables and benches.

7.3.H Undertake a study of the roads, car parks and paths, as well as site furniture, at the Coal Mines and develop policies for their appropriate management, to be incorporated in the future Landscape Management Plan for the site.

7.3.I Assess upgrade of road access, car parking areas and toilets to improve capacity and quality.

7.3.J Review sources of fresh water for fire fighting purposes to ensure adequate amounts and availability for fire suppression.

7.3.K Investigate opportunities for constructing an on-site secure works area.

7.4 Vegetation Management

Background

The commencement of mining at the Coal Mines meant significant changes to the vegetation at the site. The bush was extensively cleared, timber was used for building purposes and the cleared land was planted with gardens, orchards, pastures and crops. Native vegetation has reclaimed most of the site since mining ceased. A basic assessment of vegetation communities was carried out in the early 1980s as part of a state-wide assessment of dry sclerophyll vegetation (PWS CMHS MP 1997). An assessment of exotic vegetation species remaining on the site has not been carried out. Previous management of fauna on the site has focused on the Forty-spotted Pardalote and the Hairstreak butterfly, though no systematic surveys have been carried out.

Policies

7.4.1 Vegetation management at the Coal Mines should be undertaken to protect identified threatened vegetation communities and species, enhance the interpretation of the cultural landscape and protect the historic fabric of the site.

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

Actions

7.4 A Establish Asset Protection Zones around cultural heritage fabric and minimise threats to cultural heritage fabric posed by existing or regenerating vegetation within these areas.

7.4 B Develop and document a pattern of mosaic burn units in association with PWS with appropriate fire breaks within the heritage precinct, and devise a schedule for cool burns to be carried out on a rotational basis.

7.4 C Maintain all fire breaks, walking trails and road verges by slashing regenerating vegetation.

7.4 D Continue to eradicate non-culturally significant exotic vegetation through appropriate methods and control the spread of Aloe so that it is confined to an appropriate historical planting range.

7.4.E Allow the Closed Herb field vegetation community around the main settlement precinct to continue to be maintained by native fauna.

7.4.F Manage the cleared land in the location of the penal station vegetable gardens to control the re-colonisation by native species.

7.4.G Incorporate maintenance activities into the PAHSMA AMS.

7.4.H Establish hygiene protocols for use of plant, machinery and equipment at the Coal Mines to reduce the risk of spread of plant pests, weeds and diseases.

7. 5 Visitor Experience

Background

In 1938 four hectares of the Coal Mines was proclaimed historic reserve under the Scenery Preservation Act 1915, and a caretaker appointed. Over the years the area under protection was expanded to the current 214 hectares. In 1970 the site was placed under the care of the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service. Between 2000 and 2002 PWS carried out the CIP project, this involved: rerouting and closing roads around the site; providing basic facilities for visitors such as composting toilets, safety barriers and limited interpretation, and undertaking preservation and stabilisation on some of

Coal Mines Historic Site Master Plan

the cultural features. In 2004 the management of the Coal Mines was transferred to PAHSMA.

Visitors have been touring the Coal Mines since the early 20th Century. Today more than 10,000 people visit the Coal Mines each year. In 2010 PAHSMA carried out a visitor survey at CMHS. The results of the survey revealed that visitors to the site enjoyed the natural and cultural heritage values and on the whole would recommend the Coal Mines to friends and family. Shortfalls in marketing, access and interpretation became apparent and are directly related to the isolation and limited funding for the site to that date.

Policies

7.5.1 PAHSMA will ensure policies and procedures are in place in relation to visitor and staff safety and emergency response.

7.5.2 Visitor support services will meet best practice standards for major tourist sites in Australia and internationally, and will aim to deliver equitable access wherever practicable.

7.5.3 PAHSMA will promote the Coal Mines in a manner that enhances public appreciation of the site‟s unique values compared to the Port Arthur Historic Site, while enhancing the quality of the visitor experience, maximising the economic returns from visitors and positioning the site in the forefront of other tourism sites.

Actions

7.5.A Refer to the CMHS EMP and Risk Register when considering potential hazards to staff and visitors and determining ways of minimising risks.

7.5.B Explore a range of tourism products and pricing structures for the Coal Mines to enhance visitor options and financial returns for PAHSMA.

7.5.C Continue to develop guided tours that reflect the natural and cultural heritage values of the Coal Mines in accordance with an Interpretation Plan for the site.

7.5.D Investigate the need and possible location for a visitor centre/information hub at the Coal Mines which would also provide staff amenities for those permanently located at the site.

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7.5.E Include marketing of the Coal Mines in future iterations of the PAHSMA marketing plan taking account of the site‟s differences in comparison to the Port Arthur Historic Site experience.

7.6 Community and Stakeholder Engagement

Background

From 1877, following the closure of the Port Arthur penal settlement, the Tasman community has had varied connections and associations with the Coal Mines. Today it is estimated that up to 20% of the visitors to the Coal Mines are Tasman Community members with their family and friends.

The importance of active community engagement is recognised in the PAHS SMP (2008). Planning for the management of the CMHS has been informed by a consultation process with the community that involved a community survey, interviews and an information day at the Coal Mines. The importance of community involvement in the management of the Coal Mines Historic Site should be reflected in the policies.

Policies

7.6.1 The community, stakeholders and associated people will be engaged as appropriate in the planning and management of the Coal Mines in a meaningful and productive manner.

7.6.2 Commercial operators wanting to access the Coal Mines must have written approval of PAHSMA

7.6.3 Special events and functions will only be permitted where they are consistent with the PAHSMA events policy.

Actions

7.6.A Work with the PAHSMA Community Advisory Committee and continue community engagement in the planning and management of the Coal Mines.

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7.6.B Develop achievable promotional strategies for the Coal Mines including liaison with Tourism Tasmania, the Tasman Council and other organisations, Tasmanian tourism sites and those in the World Heritage Convict Listing.

7.6.C Investigate opportunities to establish work programs with volunteer groups.

7. 7 Monitoring and Review

Background

The PWS Coal Mines Historic Site Management Plan 1977 set out guidelines to monitor changes to the cultural, natural and social values of the site. The intent was to ensure that changes brought about by policies and procedures prescribed in the plan would ensure protection of the site‟s values through parameters that defined acceptable limits of change. Management issues identified in the PWS Plan were, identifying monitoring methods that were sensitive to change, easy to reliably measure and have the ability to predict the potential for further deterioration. The frequency and extent of monitoring should be formed on baseline data that captures existing conditions of those elements that are likely to change through the implementation of policies contained in this plan.

Policies

7.7.1 Monitoring and documentation systems (including surveys) will be established to record and evaluate the success of management programs and to monitor changes in the condition of the site.

7.7.2 PAHSMA will monitor and evaluate the impacts of unauthorised access and vandalism on the site and develop strategies for reducing and managing these impacts.

7.7.3 Works and maintenance programs and budgets will be prepared and prioritised on a medium-term basis, recognising the need for total management of the assets of the Port Arthur Historic Sites.

7.7.4 Monitoring and evaluation of visitors to the Coal Mines will continue to be undertaken on a regular basis in order to better understand visitor profiles and the significance attached to the site by Tasmanians and Australians more widely.

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7.7.5 Evaluation of visitors to the Coal Mines will continue on a regular basis. The information will be used to assist in the development of interpretation, education and information measures and visitor infrastructure that appropriately presents the heritage values of the site to the community, as well as improving the quality of the visitor experience.

Actions

7.7.A Monitor the impacts of unauthorised access and vandalism on the heritage values of the site and visitor experience, and with the help of community and associated interests, implement strategies to mitigate the impacts of unauthorised access and vandalism.

7.7.B Monitor customer satisfaction and undertake regular visitor surveys and research to gain feedback relating to visitor trends and needs.

7.7.C Develop a monitoring program for heritage features that are subject to damage from climatic conditions and extreme weather events.

7.7.D Monitor and maintain the natural habitats of the two endangered species of fauna including consideration when planning fuel reduction burns, or removing vegetation in order to achieve other outcomes.

7.7.E Monitor activity from rabbits and native fauna in regard to public safety, and impact on cultural and natural heritage values.

7.7.F Monitor and assess the level of vegetation cover required to protect building fabric from the elements.

7. 8 Plan Implementation and Review

Background

It is essential that PAHSMA ensures that staffing, financial arrangements, resources and processes allow for and contribute to the effective implementation of this plan.

It is intended that the plan have a 5-year life span with limited review at 2 years. The proposed review process should allow sufficient flexibility for new approaches to be adopted if required.

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Policies

7.8.1 PAHSMA will ensure that the management actions of this plan are implemented.

7.8.2 The Master Plan will be regularly reviewed and updated.

Actions

7.8.A Prepare and implement a program that gives effect to the management actions detailed in this plan.

7.8.B Document, analyse and prioritise the costs of infrastructure development, conservation works and management for the Coal Mines to assist in forward planning and budget allocation.

7.8.C Develop a 5 year capital and operational budget plan for the Coal Mines.

7.8.D Review the actions within the Master Plan every 2 years and revise the whole document after 10 years of implementation.

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8.0 REFERENCES Bairstow, D., and Davies, M., 1987, Coal Mines Historic Site Survey, Preliminary Report, Occasional Paper No. 15, Department of Lands, Parks and Wildlife. Becke, L., 1975, William Derrincourt – Old Convict Days, Penguin Colonial Facsimilies. Besford, D., 1957, Coal in Tasmania, in Technical Reports No.2, Department of Mines, Tasmania. Brand, I., 1993, The Port Arthur Coal Mines 1833-1877, Regal Publications. Launceston. Brand, I., 1987, Brand Papers, Unpublished Papers, Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority. Buller, R., 2007, Convict Probation and the Evolution of Jetties in Tasmania, Flinders University Maritime Archaeology Monograph Series Number 7, Department of Archaeology, Shannon Research Press SA. Byrne, M., 1977, The Coal Mine Station Tasman’s Peninsula: Excavations 1977. Clark, J., 2009, The career of William Thompson, Convict. Occasional Papers no. 2, 2009 Department of Environment, Water, Heritage, and the Arts (cited as DEWHA), 2008, The Australian Convict Sites World Heritage Nomination Report, Australian Government. England Newton Spratt and Murphy, 1996, Coal Mines Historic Site Structural and Fabric Report, Structural Priorities, Specifications and Cost Estimate, Unpublished Report, Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority. Egloff, J., 1987, Coal Mines Landscape Planning Study, Graduate Diploma Thesis for the University of Tasmania Evans, K., 2000, Coal Mines Historic Research Project, A report for the Cultural Heritage Branch, Parks and Wildlife Service. Heard, D., 1981, The Journal of Charles O’Hara Booth, Commandant of the Port Arthur Penal Settlement, Tasmanian Historical Research Association, Hobart, Star Printery. Jack, I.R., 1881, Tasman Peninsula, in The Heritage of Australia, The Illustrated Register of the National Estate, The Macmillan Company of Australia in association with the Australian Heritage Commission. Lempriere, T.J., 1852, The Penal Settlements of Van Diemen’s Land, a sesquicentenary production of the Royal Society of Tasmania (Northern Branch), 1954. Maiden, G., 2009, A chance missed? An archaeological interpretation of the mining operations of the government coal mine at Plunkett Point, Tasman Peninsula, Tasmania, Honours Thesis, University of New England. McIntyre, G.H., 1968, The Alienation and Settlement of Crown Land on the Tasman Peninsula, Unpublished BA (Hons) thesis, University of Tasmania, Hobart National Parks and Wildlife Service, 1982, Coal Mines Historic Site Management Plan, Department of environment and Land Management. Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS), 1997, Coal Mines Historic Site Management Plan, Department of Environment and Land Management.

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Port Arthur Historic Sites, Port Arthur Historic Sites Statutory Management Plan 2008, Port Arthur, Tasmania. Port Arthur Historic Sites Management Authority. 2008 Parks and Wildlife Service, 2002, Lime bay State Reserve and Coal Mine Historic Site – Fire Management Strategy, South East District, Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment. Port Arthur Historic Sites, Port Arthur Historic Sites Statutory Management Plan 2008, Port Arthur, Tasmania. Port Arthur Historic Sites Management Authority. 2008 Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service. www.epa.qld.gov.au/parks_and_forests/activities_in_parks_and_forests/tourism_in _protected_areas_initiative/ Rounsevell, D.E. and Woinarski, J.C.Z., 1983, Status and Conservation of the Forty Spotted Pardalote, Pardalotus quadragintus (Aves: Pardalotidae) in Australian Journal of Wildlife Research No 10, 343-349. Sound Connections Multimedia (SCM), 2001, Master Plan Coal Mines Historic Site, CIP 2000/02 Project. Stagg, T., 2001, Some Miner Details: characters and stories from the Coal Mine Historic Site, transcriptions and notes from relevant archival documents, A report prepared for the Coal Mines Historic Site, Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service. Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM), 2009 Thompson, J., 2007, Probation to Paradise, The story of convict probationers on Tasman’s and Forestier’s peninsulas, Van Diemen;s Land, 1841-1857, BPA Print Group Melnourne. Threatened Species Section (TSS), 2006, Fauna Recovery Plan: Forty-Spotted Pardalote 2006-2010, Department of Primary Industries and Water, Hobart. Tuffin, R., 2008, Where the Vicissitudes of Day and Night Are Not Known': Convict Coal Mining in Van Diemen's Land, 1822-1848, in Tasmanian Historical Studies, Vol.13.

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PART D: APPENDICES

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Appendix 1: Summary of Results for the 2010 Coal Mines Visitors Survey

The Coal Mines visitor survey was undertaken over 9 non-consecutive days between 13 January and 7 February 2010. 84 visitors were surveyed, representing 260 visitors in groups of 1-10 people. The following is a summary of the results:  Based on a average group size of 2-3 people and the number of vehicles counted entering the main settlement car park in 2009 (7431 vehicles), it is estimated that between 14,000 – 22,000 people visit the Coal Mines annually.  46% of visitors were from Tasmania (6 visitors were local), 37% from interstate, and 17% were international tourists.  Over half of the visitors surveyed were 41-60 years old and 25% were 25-40 years old. Three quarters of visitors had a tertiary or postgraduate qualification. Prior to 27 January 34% of visitors surveyed had children accompanying them, with an average of 2 children.  Nearly a quarter of all visitors had visited the Coal Mines previously.  First time visitors had heard about the Coal Mines at Port Arthur (21%), had the site recommended to them by friends and family (13%), a local (6%), tourist information service (6%), or their hotel (4%). 11% of visitors had found the site using a road map or map of the peninsula.  Only 12 of the 84 visitors surveyed had a brochure of the site.  The majority of visitors found their way to the site without difficulty and spent less than 2hrs at the site. All visitors surveyed explored the main settlement ruins while only 67% visited the introductory interpretation area. Only a third or less of visitors visited the other heritage precincts/features of the site.  Most visitors (76%) stated that they had found their way around the site easily while nine (11%) visitors had difficulty finding their way around due to what they described as a lack of directional signage. When given the opportunity to provide further comment, a third of all visitors noted some trouble in visiting the site due to the lack of directional signage and/or maps.  Visitors were asked what aspect of the Coal Mines they enjoyed. 68% of visitors nominated cultural heritage features of the site and 54% also recognised natural heritage/landscape values as an enjoyed aspect (note more than one visitor response counted). The interpretation of the site was nominated by 50% of visitors as an enjoyable aspect. 16% of visitors enjoyed the fact that the site was free and there were no crowds in comparison to heritage sites that are more heavily marketed.  When visitors were asked what aspects they did not enjoy at the site, nearly half provided no comment or stated that they had enjoyed the site. While 50% of visitors enjoyed the interpretation of the site, 30% of visitors noted some aspect of the site‟s interpretation detracted from their visit of the Coal Mines. Mosquitoes were listed by 14% of visitors as a negative aspect of their visit.

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 In order to determine if visitors were satisfied with car parking, roads, toilets, paths, or information signs they were asked if any changes needed to be made. 41% of visitors did not feel that any changes needed to be made. The same percentage, however, stated that information signs needed to be improved. Less than 10% of visitors commented on the other facilities and services.  92% of visitors confirmed that they would recommend the site to friends and family. This indicates that most visitors were satisfied with their visit to the coal Mines. Visitors that stated they would not recommend the site listed concern about the lack of directional signage.  While 81% of visitors had visited Port Arthur, only 54% of visitors realised that PAHSMA managed the Coal Mines and only 21% of visitors had the site recommended to them by staff at Port Arthur.  At the end of the survey, visitors were asked if they had any additional comments they would like to make about their visit. Of the 78% of visitors who provided additional comments, 25% of visitors provided positive comments on their visitor experience. 37% of visitors provided comments on site interpretation of which the majority were recommendations on how interpretation can be improved.  During the survey a number of observations were made on visitor behaviour at the site.  Many cars arriving at the Coal Mines either brake late for the main settlement car park entrance or enter the car park from the Lime Bay end. This would indicate that visitors are missing the main settlement car park entrance.  Some visitors were observed entering the site via the exit path and not the entrance path that leads to the Introductory Adit interpretation area. Another trend noted was that a number of first time visitors sometimes exited the site via the entrance path as they had missed the exit path near the solitary cells.  Lastly, surveyors observed that some children were still removing cultural material (generally coal but on one occasion a steel bracket) from the site even though signs request visitors not to remove any cultural and natural material. The results of this survey would seem to indicate that while the majority of visitors to the Coal Mines are happy with their visit some improvements could be made to better inform people about the size of the site, its layout, time required to visit the whole site, and how the site operated as a mine.

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Appendix 2: Summary of Results from Tasman Community Consultation

In preparation for the development of a Master Plan for the Coal Mines, PAHSMA undertook a community consultation process to identify community use, value and management concerns for the site. 111 community members completed a community survey and 19 community members were interviewed. Based on community survey responses and community interviews the following was found: Community Visitation It is likely that up to 20% of the visitors to the Coal Mines are Tasman Community members with their family and friends. The majority of community members visit the site between two to five times per year. Community Use The majority of local community survey respondents stated that they walk around the Coal Mines to look at the convict ruins within the regenerating natural beauty of the site and to contemplate the convict experience at the former penal station within the peaceful and quiet atmosphere. Respondents also brought their family and friends to the site for a day out to have a picnic or undertake various other activities such as bike riding or watching for birds and animals. Community Values Many Tasman Community residents recognised the value of the Coal Mines as part of the convict heritage of Tasmania. In addition to recognising this primary heritage value of the site, respondents to the community survey and interviews noted that they valued the Coal Mines an un-commercialised site with a tranquil atmosphere set in a natural bush setting which is used as a site for a „day out‟ with family and friends, or place to visit by yourself for quiet contemplation. It is also valued as public parkland to engage in other nature based activities not specifically associated with the appreciation of cultural heritage values. Community Identified Management Issues The list of potential issues identified by community members that should be addressed by future management planning of the Coal Mines include (not in any specific order):  the need to conserve and maintain ruins  striking a balance between maintaining the current ambience and visitor experience of the site while accommodating for a potential future increase in site visitation (i.e. ensuring that if further development of visitor infrastructure is required, that it be kept away from heritage precincts)  monitoring vandalism and development solutions to stop further damage  maintenance of the current landscape setting of the site  provision of additional historical interpretation for visitors  maintenance of free entry (for locals at least)

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 addressing the desire to publicise the Coal Mines so people become aware of its existence while not over commercialising the site  assessing the need for a permanent PAHSMA presence  maintaining an open community dialogue  providing easier access for the elderly and mobility impaired  providing strategically placed seating and a picnic area  reviewing fire management actions to ensure a low fuel load is maintained  providing for further research into the post convict history of the Tasman Peninsula.

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Appendix 3: History of the Site

Aboriginal History

For at least 35,000 years Tasmanian Aboriginal people have occupied and lived in a dynamic relationship with the land, sea and waterways. Prior to European occupation it was estimated that the population of Tasmanian Aboriginals was divided into nine major tribes, each tribe composed of numerous bands with greater than fifty bands in total. Of the nine major tribes, the Oyster Bay Tribe occupied the land in the southeast of the state from the Derwent River estuary to St Patricks Head. The territory of the Oyster Bay Tribe consisted of about 7800 square kilometres, including 515 kilometres of coastline. The tribe consisted of about 700-800 people and was divided into 10 bands, of which the Pydairrerme band occupied the Tasman and Forestier Peninsulas. (Ryan 1996) Ryan (1996) identifies that the Oyster Bay Tribe was divided into two primary groups, northern and southern, based on seasonal patterns of movement. The southern group, including the Pydairrerme band, would spend the winter on coastal areas gathering shellfish and marine vegetables until July when migratory birds arrived in lagoons and riverine areas to lay eggs. At the end of August bands would move inland, the Pydairrerme band moved up the Little Swanport and Prosser Rivers to the Eastern Marshes. During this time their diet would consist of kangaroo, wallabies, birds, and native fruits and vegetables. Towards the end of summer, the southern group moved further west into Big River Tribe country hunting and firing the bush for game. Then in June, bands circled back to their respective coastal areas with the Pydairrerme band moving back onto the Forestier and Tasman Peninsula. Dating of archaeological sites on the Tasman Peninsula provide evidence of at least 5400 years of Aboriginal occupation (Gaughin 1989). It is probable that the occupation of the Peninsulas occurred at a much earlier date, although the evidence of this is likely to have been drowned by higher sea levels since the last glacial period. Current knowledge on the Aboriginal archaeology of the Tasman Peninsula is informed by three studies undertaken by Burke (1992), Gaughwin (1984, 1989), and Sutherland (1972). The majority of sites on the Peninsula are located along the coastline and comprise of a range of types, including shell middens, artefact scatters, occupied rock shelters, quarries, rock art and burials. Shell middens comprise the majority of the sites reflecting the winter occupation of the peninsula and utlisiation of shellfish as the primary food source during this season. The most common types of harvested shellfish were oyster, warrener, and mussel (Gaughwin 1989). Inland sites are generally located near fresh water and utilize sandstone rock shelters. The existence of a rock painting site on the Tasman Peninsula would seem to indicate that the

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peninsula had areas of special significance (McDonald and Stanton 1998). Swamps and Lagoons located around the Saltwater River area provide habitat for water fowl. Firing the bush for new growth provided idea habitat for hunting kangaroos. In 1793 French naturalist, Jacques Labillardiere, noted Aboriginal occupation at Cape Pillar “behind which we saw several fires” (Brown 1991). Following British colonisation, in 1830 Lieutenant Governor Arthur sought to clear Tasmanian Aboriginal people from the „settled districts‟ of southeast Tasmania. A cordon was created, known as the „Black Line‟, to drive Aboriginals onto the Tasman Peninsula (Plomley 2008). The cordon did not capture the estimated 200 to 300 people of the Oyster Bay or Big River Tribes, with only two individuals captured and another two shot. The strategy, however, appears to have worked driving the remaining Aboriginal bands from their lands to the north and east of the state (Ryan 1996). No records of Tasmanian Aboriginal people remaining on the Tasman Peninsula are known to exist after the 1830s.

European Occupation and Initial Coal Mining (1830 – 1840)

Prior to the establishment of Port Arthur as a timber getting camp in 1830, the only record of European occupation includes Bay Whaling at Slopen Island and Fortesque Bay, and one small farm at Slopen Main to the east of the Coal Mines. This farm had been granted to Joseph Gellibrand, lawyer and one time Attorney General of Van Diemen‟s Land (Thompson 2007). In 1833, Lieutenant Governor Arthur decided to establish Port Arthur and the Tasman Peninsula as the primary penal station for the colony following the closure of Maria Island in 1830 and the planned closure of Macquarie Harbour (Brand 1989, p12). The only settler, Joseph Gellibrand, exchanged his land for land elsewhere and the Peninsulas were declared an exclusion zone (Heard 1981). In August 1833, a survey of the Tasman Peninsula by government surveyors James Hughes and George Woodward discovered the coal seam on the beach just south of what is known today as Plunkett Point. This discovery of coal provided the means to supply the coal needs of the colony, which was up to then imported from New South Wales at significant expense. Previous attempts to mine coal at Macquarie Harbour had been unsuccessful and the government was keen to find a local readily accessible source of coal to mine (Tuffin 2008). As the peninsula had been reserved for the development of a penal station, Governor Arthur identified that convicts could be used in the mining of coal stating “I think it is not possible that better employ will be found for some of the most refractory convicts than employing them in working coal mines” (Brand 1987). Shortly after discovery, a small gang of miners including Joseph Lacey, a convict with mining experience, and Mathew Forester, Chief Police Magistrate, were sent to examine the coal deposit. Forester reported the probability of an abundance of coal

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and recommended that Lacey be placed in charge of opening the mine. Initial exploration of the coal seam involved cutting a drift into the seam from the coast. This followed shortly by sinking a shaft some two to three hundred meters from the coast and the construction of an adit to the coast (Bairstow and Davies 1987). By the 14 February 1834 this shaft was sunk to the depth of 60ft (Besford 1957). Within two years a second seam of coal was discovered 7.5 m below the first (Brand 1993). A second shaft was sunk, and a larger adit was constructed to the north of the original. On the 5th June 1834 the first shipment of coal left the mines to Hobart aboard the Kangaroo. Presumably by this time the original jetty next to the adits was constructed (Evans 2000). Commandant Charles O‟Hara Booth visited the mines on 9 July and, with Lacey, they selected a site for four underground cells for punishment purposes (Heard 1981). Similar to the development of other penal stations, prisoners were originally housed in timber barracks until the more substantial barracks could be constructed. The original barracks included a cookhouse and bake house, store and powder house, superintendents and constables quarters, and blacksmiths shop (CON87/79 – AOT). In 1835 2,400 tonnes of coal were exported from the Coal Mines exceeding government requirements and surplus coal was sold to the public. A source of discontent for the public was the poor quality of the coal. Port Arthur Commissariat Officer, Thomas Lempriere, noted “The most disagreeable feature attending Port Arthur coals is that when at first lighted they crack and throw out small pieces in great quantities, to the detriment of carpets, furniture, ladies gowns etc” (Brand 1987). Military barracks and the brick military officers‟ quarters were constructed during this time overlooking the mines. Commandant Booth also recommended the construction of a cookhouse and oven for the settlement. It is unlikely that the brickfields were open at this time as bricks were brought in for these projects. The possibility of burning shell lime for mortar at the station, however, was noted by Booth. It is therefore possible that the lime kiln on the main beach was constructed during this period. (Evans 2000) A new jetty 306 yards 2 feet in length was constructed at coastal point just to the south of the main settlement in 1837 and a tunnel was driven into a coal seam between this jetty and the main settlement (Evans 2000). In September, Commandant Booth visited „Lacey‟s Shaft‟ (presumably the 1838 shaft) which was sunk to a depth of 45ft (Heard 1981). Coal production now averaged 35 tonnes a day and there were 122 convicts and 13 military personnel stationed at the mines. During this year, a survey of the mines was undertaken by Polish born naturalist Dr John Lhotsky who was commissioned by the government to provide advice on improving operations at the mines (Evans 2000). Dr Lhotsky drafted a plan of the mines and a geological map of the Tasman Peninsula. The „pillar and stall‟ system of mining was used at the Coal Mines. Stalls (or galleries) were driven from the shaft with thick sections of coal left as pillars between stalls. These pillars and any supporting timber work were then extracted as miners retreated from the mined seam

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allowing the roof to „settle‟. Coal was transported from the galleries in baskets to be emptied into small carts that ran along adits on rails to the beach where the coal was screened (Brand 1987 p.17). After coal was loaded on wagons it was pushed by convicts along tramways to the jetties. The new jetty was constructed so the boats contracted to freight the coal to Hobart could be piloted underneath and coal discharged straight into the hold through a trap door at the bottom of the coal wagons (Clark 2009). A small semaphore was constructed on Lupus hill (Coal Mine Hill) behind the settlement before 1838 (Brand 1987). It was composed of a small hut and platform with the semaphore attached to a tree (CON 87/78 – AOT). This semaphore was part of the Peninsula internal semaphore system which Thomas Lempriere records ‘… communicates with Mount Stewart, a distance of one mile and a half. This point forms the post of communication between the Coal Mines and Port Arthur through Mount Communication or with Eaglehawk Neck through Halfway Bluff and Woody Island’ (Lempriere 1852). The Mount Stewart semaphore may have been part of the Hobart – Port Arthur main line system (Thompson 2007). Little documentary evidence exists on the Mount Stewart site except for convict William Jones (alias Derrincourt) describing a soldiers hut (for at least two soldiers) located near the semaphore (Becke 1975), and an 1841 sketch of Norfolk Bay (MM62 – AOT) indicating the existence of a signal station. Plans were drafted in 1837 to replace the existing wooden barracks with sandstone buildings (CON 87/82 – AOT). These buildings are the 1838 Prisoner Barracks, also known as the main settlement ruins. In 1838, Lempriere recorded that the building included dormitories (16 bunks per room), chapel/school, cookhouse, bake-house, washhouse, and a basement holding a goal, sixteen solitary cells, and commissariat store. The building was constructed to hold 170 prisoners and was enclosed by a wall with a water pump in the yard. Within the yard, flogging triangles were erected when a sentence of corporal punishment was passed (Clark 2009). Lempriere also noted that 150 prisoners were employed at the mines supervised by 29 military personnel, and other buildings included „a police office and guard house, a brick cottage for the wharf finger and surgeon, another for a catechist‟. It appears that prior to the Commissariat‟s House being constructed, the Commissariat resided at Gellibrand‟s farmhouse (Lempriere 1852). As these buildings are primarily constructed of sandstone, the two sandstone quarries, one north of Plunkett Point and the other southwest of the main settlement, must have been in operation by this time. Lacey‟s shaft was sunk to a depth of 107ft by 1838 (Heard 1981), however the mining of coal was hampered by ground water inundation. Water was drawn off by two men using buckets raising about 100 gallons (454 litres) per hour (Lempriere 1857). Coal production increased from 8600 tonnes in 1839 to 10600 tonnes in 1840 (Bacon 1991). To increase production at the mines from 1200 tons a month to 1500 tons a month 10hp high pressure steam engine was purchased by the colonial government from Alexander Clark (Brand 1993). The steam engine arrived July 1840 and was installed

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in 1841 but does not seem to have been in operation until 1843. By 1840 some 235 convicts, including only 25 miners, worked at the coal mines which continued to be used as a punishment station for prisoners who had offended while under sentence at Port Arthur. (Brand 1993) The transportation of convicts from England to the Australian Colonies was reviewed by the Molesworth Committee in 1837. It was recommended by the Committee that the management of convicts be reviewed and transportation stopped to New South Wales. This lead to the establishment of the Probation System and a significant increase in the number of convicts being sent to Tasmania. Under this new system, when convicts arrived in the colony they would work for the government for a fixed period after which they became eligible for a probation pass.

Probation System (1841-1847)

In 1841 the number of convict stations on the Tasman and Forestier Peninsulas tripled with the establishment of probation stations to accommodate the increased number of convicts being sent to Tasmania. Each station had its own superintendent while the Commandant of Port Arthur remained responsible for most management aspects of the peninsulas including security. In September the Coal Mines was reclassified as a probation station (Heard 1981) and Governor Franklin approved the appointment of a catchiest and the first doctor at the Coal Mines. Production of coal slumped during this year from 1000 tons to 500 tons monthly. This fall in production was attributed to the 1838 shaft being inundated with water to such an extent that it could not be pumped out (Brand 1993). Work started on a new shaft (1842-43 workings) that was sunk to the north of the 1838 workings with an inclined plane (self-acting tramway) constructed to Plunkett Point where a new jetty was also being built (Evans 2000). Owen Stanley sketched this shaft during his visit to the mines while also completing a number of other water colour paintings of the station. The sketch shows a winch and windlasses manually operated by convicts presumably to drive an air pump and a water pump. A c.1842 plan of the Coal Mines (ML31) shows the construction of the stone cottage for the commissariat, quarters for the coxswain and clerk, boats crew hut and sub- constables quarters, an office and guardroom, tool store, and a small jetty in front of the Commissariat‟s residence. David Burn, pioneer and dramatist, visited the mines as part of his tour of Port Arthur in January 1842. He observed that extensions to the landward side of the prisoner barracks were to start soon and that the main shaft (1842-43 workings) was 46.8m deep with the seam excavated up to 99m. A gang operated a horizontal pump to remove water to the chief well in the shaft, while another gang of men operated a pump on the surface to draw water up the shaft (Besford 1951).

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In early 1842 the senior military officer post of the Peninsulas was transferred from Port Arthur to the Coal Mines and a visiting magistrate was appointed to the mines (Brand 1993). By this time the mines were being worked by convicts under probation rather than men sent from Port Arthur under punishment. Following a series of robberies from the commissariat store in the 1838 Prisoner Barracks, plans were approved to build the Commissariat Store at Plunkett Point. It is likely that the fifth jetty in front of the Commissariat Store was constructed at this time (Buller 2007). A new shaft was opened and operating by April/May 1843 to meet supply demands until a new (1845) main shaft could be brought into operation (Evans 2000). Work then started on the new main shaft with another incline plane and foundations were laid for the steam engine house (Brand 1993). Two convicts, William Jones (alias Derrincourt) and William Thompson, stationed at the Coal Mines provide accounts as to the workings of the mines in the early 1840s. Jones describes during excavation of the shaft a frame was constructed prevent the sides from collapsing and that blasting powder was used to excavate the shaft (Becke 1975). Thompson recounts, once the 1845 main shaft was in operation, that: One miner got the coal from each face, and there might have been half a dozen faces in the mine . . .The miner had a ‘runner out’ who filled the box and ran it out until met by another, who would carry it on to the foot of the Double Road, where the donkeys would have it up to the shaft, the first man taking back the other’s empty box, refilling it, and repeating the same operation. There were two shifts during the day and one at night . . . [Each day shift was required] to send up 40 boxes of coal, about 20 tons . . .The night shift did not get coal, but ‘set’ the timber of the drives. The drives were lit up by oil lamps, the miners themselves using candles. The Double Road was the hardest road in the shaft to work . . . The coal boxes were laid on a frame of wood with iron wheels fitting the rails. . . [and] each box had four men, three pulling in front and one then pushing behind; these were known as ‘donkeys’ and ‘the putter’… The wagons from all the drives being run out to the bottom of the shaft, they were taken charge of by one man, whose duty it was to hook them on the chains from the windlass above, releasing the empty wagon which came down as the full one ascended. . . . A platform was built to the mouth of the shaft, and the boxes of coal were landed and placed on a tram, which ran out to a screen above the rails of the incline plane. . . . The coal went into wagons underneath, each wagon holding a ton. These wagons were run down the hill to the jetty. (Clark, 2009). A plan of approved works dated June 1843 (MM71/5) show the extension to the prisoner barracks noted by Burns. They are part of an overall plan to construct further buildings, including the separate ward/ punishment cell block, around two yards similar to the existing barracks. A large muster ground to the north of these buildings was also planned to be encircled by a range of buildings and a perimeter wall. During the 1840s it appears that the brickworks were established as the bricks for new buildings were to be sourced on-site (Evans 2000).

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By January 1845 the new main shaft had been driven down to the second coal seam. The population of the penal station in December 1845 included 535 convicts, 4 probation pass-holders, visiting magistrate, Anglican religious instructor, Roman Catholic catechist, medical officer, superintendent, store keeper, 10 overseers, wharfinger, writer, two constables, coxswain and 2 boatmen (Brand 1987). Solitary confinement cells planned in 1843 were constructed c.1845 and by 1846 108 separate apartments were under construction as a measure to reduce homosexuality amongst the miners. Work on a new hospital started in 1846 to serve all probationary convicts on the peninsulas but in the following year the hospital was partially demolished as it was badly built (Evans 2000). By this time timber for roof crossbars and uprights was transported daily by launch from the Impression Bay Invalid Station (Buller 2007). By this time the Coal Mines was again solely used as a punishment station for men guilty of misconduct in the colony (Brand 1993). The number of men at the mines, however, had been reduced to 345 with 110 men working down the mine in two equal shifts. Eight acres of land are recorded to have been under cultivation growing vegetables for the station. Due to the limited production of coal, an inquiry into the working of the Coal Mines was recommended by Deputy Commissary General Maclean (Brand 1993). Significant concern about the occurrence of unnatural crime (homosexuality) was raised as an issue in the management of the Coal Mines and other penal stations around the peninsula. Two constables and three overseers were posted down the mines as a prevention measure to supervise miners with the aid of a 100 lamps to be kept burning in galleries. Holes were also drilled in prisoner accommodation doors and window shutters to allow inspection at irregular hours. Bishop Nixon, who visited the Coal Mines in March 1846, noted that it would be impossible for two guards to effectively watch over the 70 to 90 men in the mines to prevent homosexual crimes. In May 1846, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, William Gladstone, dismissed the Luitentant Governor Sir John Eardley-Wilmot and appointed Joseph Charles Latrobe. Gladstone gave instructions to Latrobe to report on the probation system with the particular concern of the occurrence of homosexuality to be investigated. Following a personal report from the soon to be appointed Comptroller-general, Dr John Hampton, Gladstone concurred that the mines should be closed if further examination of the problem of homosexuality supported this action. In this report on probation stations, Latrobe noted at the Coal Mines the 1845 Main Shaft was 101 yards deep and there were 435 men at the station. With regard to homosexuality, Latrobe considered that “unnatural crime was more than ordinarily prevalent” and was likely to continue regardless of any prevention measure devised to stop such acts. (Brand 1993)

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Closure of the Penal Station and Leasing of the Mines (1848 – 1901)

In late 1847, the workings of the Coal Mines were recorded by Reverend Henry Phibbs Fry in his book “A System of Prison Discipline”. Fry noted that the underground working were five miles (7.9km) in length from the main shaft and, with 83 miners and a greater number of men transporting coal to the shaft for hoisting. Fry concurred with Latrobes findings and considered it impossible for the prisoner overseer and constable to adequately supervise the men at all times to prevent homosexual acts. At this time 339 convicts under sentence and 129 convicts under probation worked the mines. Fry campaigned against the probation system and homosexuality. Subsequently the mines were closed by Hampton, the Comptroller General, on „moral and financial grounds‟ and were offered for private lease. Alexander Cark and C. McShane were announced as the successful tenders on the 8th April 1848. Clark was previously employed by the government to build the flourmill/granary at Port Arthur and to install the steam engine at the Coal Mines. McShane was a former contractor who shipped coal from the Coal Mines. The 326 convicts stationed at the mine were dispersed to various other stations except for 20 men under sentence who were retained by Clark for essential repairs to the wharf. To work the mines, Clark planned to hire convicts under probation passes and convicts may have continued to work at the mine until 1854 (Brand 1987). Clark appears to have sold his lease to James Hurst, previous convict overseer at the Coal Mines, and his son by 1849 when 112 men, women and children were reported to be employed by “Messrs Hurst the lessees” (Brand, 1987). The lease was then passed to James Fulton in October 1851, possibly the same James Fulton who was Assistant Superintendent at the mines between 1843 and 1848. Government buildings at the mines, which the lessee was not permitted to use, were noted by Fredrick Mackie, a visiting missionary, on 1st January 1853 as “entirely useless” due to neglect. Fulton‟s lease expired in September 1856 and the lease of the mines was transferred to William Nicholas and John Thomas (Evans 2000). It appears that Mr Nicholas was drowned off Slopen Main during the same year on a return trip from Hobart with cash to pay workers (Evendon in Brand 1987). In March 1858 James Hurst returned taking over the lease with grand plans to reopen the mines. Hurst invited a large gathering, including a reporter from the Mercury, to celebrate his intended re-opening of the Coal Mines. The Mercury printed a report on the mines noting that the site was previously managed by a Mr. Thomas Richardson, was run down and appeared to have been abandoned for some time. Hurst abandoned the shaft excavated by Richardson finding no more coal and started a drift near the Plunkett Point Jetty striking the lower coal seam. Hurst worked the mines for nearly two decades in conjunction with Rhueben and Turner (Evans 2000). Hurst constructed a jetty (probably reconstructing the Plunkett Point or Commissariat Store Jetty) in 1860 in accordance with his lease and by 1865

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had sunk numerous shafts. On 23 August 1867, Hurst reported that the Plunkett Point Jetty had been washed away in a storm with 18 of 32 wagons of coal on the jetty also lost. After this it is likely that the Commissariat Store Jetty became the main jetty as an 1875 plan of the Coal Mines (Pembroke 76 CPO) shows the main tramline leading to this jetty with no trace of the other four jetties (Buller 2007). A row of miners cottages appear in the same plan and are likely to be the brick cottages between the 1838 Prisoner Barracks and 1847 Separate Apartments. They may have been constructed in the late convict period as officer‟s quarters. The shafts near the solitary cells and associated tramway to Plunkett Point through the main settlement must be a legacy from the post convict period as it would have been dangerous to mine under buildings that were still in use (Evans 2000). On the 28th of June 1877 James Hurst died at his home. As no production figures for the Coal Mines exist after this date, it is likely that the mines were not successfully worked after Hurst‟s death (Bacon 1991). In 1878 a Mr. Goldsmith applied for the lease but his application was refused. Thomas Perkins offered 60 pounds for a 14 year lease but it is not known if his application was successful. Sketch by H. Hull from c. 1879 shows the main settlement in partial ruins with roofs removed. During this period it is likely that the Coal Mines started to be used as a source of building material. For example, in 1886 the successful tender for the construction of a stone abutment to the Saltwater River Jetty was granted license to use sandstone from the Coal Mines (Buller 2007). Two leases were granted to Cheverton and Gordon in 1894, one located south of the main settlement and one including the 1842-43 shaft (Maiden 2009). Mining leases for the Coal Mines expired in 1901 and no Mines Department lease records exist for the area following this year (Evans 2000).

Pastoral Leases and Recycling of Building Materials (1899 – 1838)

In 1899 Saltwater River resident Jacob Burden held a temporary license from the Crown to run sheep on the 4000 acres in the Lime Bay and Coal Mines area. The Burden‟s family are said to have occupied the old Military Officers quarters during the 1880s while they constructed a shearing shed at Slopen Main near the site of Gellibrand‟s farmhouse (Evans 2000). This shed is built on sandstone foundations probably from the Coal Mines and may include timber, doors, and windows also salvaged from the site. Burden appears to have held the grazing lease until 1925 when it was taken over by John Price. Price also held freehold lease on a number of paddocks throughout the Lime Bay Area. For 37 years after the mining was abandoned in 1901, the Coal Mines received little attention from the government and extant buildings were left to decay or be salvaged for building materials. Older members of the Tasman Community state that they do not think there is a building in the local area from the early last century that does not

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have stone foundations or other material salvaged from the Coal Mines (David Wiggins, Eddie Ridler, John Price pers comm.). In 1914, the Public Works Department filled in or fenced off a number of old shafts as a safety measure. While the tourism potential of Port Arthur was quickly recognised, the Coal Mines were undervalued as a tourist destination due to its isolation and was largely forgotten. The Scenery Preservation Board visited the site in 1918 and considered the site “too remote to usefully spend money on”. A report in the Mercury of the same year noted that buildings were in a state of ruin. In 1920, the Commissariat Store was demolished and the stone used to build the St Martin‟s Church in Dunalley. Coal slack dumps were reported to be burning 1918 and a government geologist reported in 1922 that they had been on fire for many years (Evans 2000). The geologist also noted that the main shaft was 156ft deep. The steam engine was sold in 1930s to Kennedy Brothers in Hobart for scrap metal (J. Little 1985, Jack 1981). The „pressure vessel‟ was transported on by bullock team of 10 to Mrs Turner‟s house (J. Little 1985 recording). It is possible that the flywheel at this time was also savaged (E. Ridler pers comm.).

Reserve Declaration (1938 – 1969)

In 1938, four hectares of the Coal Mines was proclaimed a historic reserve under the Scenery Preservation Act 1915. The Scenery Preservation Board erected notice boards to halt the illegal removal of building materials and in 1951 caretaker Phillips was appointed. The site was extended to 81 hectares in 1949 and the stone chimney from the prisoners barracks was removed to Port Arthur in 1955 by the Scenery Preservation Board. At some point prior to 1988, the gravestone of Mary Ann Thomas was removed from the Military Cemetery and brought to Port Arthur (PAMosaicDB, AOT NS 21/26/2). A two roomed hut was constructed for the caretaker in 1957 (Evans 2000) and a rough sketch of the mines notes burning slag to the south of the Solitary Cells. During the 1960s Plunkett Point was used by the Tasmanian Field Naturalists as a camping ground and Jack Little was appointed caretaker in 1964. The site was again extended in 1966 to the current 214 hectares. Some repair work was undertaken to stabilise the 1845 solitary cells in 1967, even though the then Minister considered that the expenditure of funds was not warranted at the Coal Mines due to financial constraints and the state of decay of the buildings (Evans 2000). In the first half of last century the Price‟s ran 400-1000 head of sheep and 30-70 cattle in the Slopen Main/Lime Bay Area, spot firing the bush to provide new growth for feed (J. Price pers comm.). John William Cardwell Wyett purchased two titles on the western boundary of the current site in the early 1960s and leased about 500 acres of land towards Lime Bay (M. Wyett pers comm.). It was during this time that the Price‟s

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sold their freehold land in the current Lime Bay State Reserve to a consortium of people and surrendered their lease of Crown Land in the same area.

Parks and Wildlife Service, Tasmania (1970 – 2004)

In 1970 the site was placed under the care of the Parks and Wildlife Service (PWS), Tasmania. Between 1970 and 1972, PWS introduced the Bennett‟s wallaby to the Coal Mines (NPWS 1982) and on 30 June 1976 Lime Bay was declared a state reserve. Archaeological excavations were undertaken in the solitary cells in 1977 with some shoring of archways and reconstruction undertaken (Byrne 1977). PWS provided facilities for tourists such as picnic facilities, safety fencing, pit toilets, water supply, limited interpretation and maintained the camping area at Plunkett Point. Jack Little continued to be the caretaker for both the Coal Mines and Lime Bay State Reserve until c.1984. In 1985, as part of the Port Arthur Conservation and Development Project, Bairstow and Davies undertook an archaeological survey of the site. The results of this survey were published in 1987 (Baristow and Davies 1987) and a landscape planning study was also undertaken (Egloff 1987). Severe wave erosion was noted in 1990 threatening to undermine the extant foundations of the Commissariat Store and a sea wall was constructed around the site. Essential preservation and stabilisation work was undertaken during the 1990s and a draft management plan was prepared in 1994. This was followed by a condition and essential works assessment was undertaken by England et al. (1996). The subsequent report guided essential conservation work during the late 1990s. The first management plan for the site was approved in 1997 under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1970. Many of the recommendations put forward by the management plan were carried out when the Coal Mines was allocated funding under the Tasmanian Government Capital Investment Program (CIP) in 2000-2002. The CIP Project was carried out from 2000 to 2002 and resulted in the Lime Bay Road being rerouted away from the main settlement area and behind Coal Mine Hill, road access to Plunkett Point and other roads closed with some roads rehabilitated. New car parks and composting toilets were constructed, safety barriers were erected and steel structural supports in the ruins installed, steel corner frames erected around site of Separate Apartment to indicate the size of the previous building, visitor interpretation installed with an introductory interpretation area, and a site brochure produced. To guide the development of the site, reports were commissioned by PWS on the history of the site (Evans 2000), on personal narratives and transcripts of people who worked at the mines (Stagg 2001), and an interpretation master plan developed (SCM 2001). To guide fire hazard and ecological burning activities the Lime Bay State Reserve and Coal Mines Historic Site Fire Management Strategy 2002 was also drafted.

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It was during this time that the original pressure vessel for the Coal Mines steam engine was donated by Terry Kingston back to the site and placed near the 1845 main shaft.

Port Arthur Historic Site Management Authority (2004 – 2010)

On the 13 December 2004 the Coal Mines was proclaimed part of the „historic site‟ to be managed by PAHSMA. This followed recommendations of the Tasmanian Government Heritage Review 2000. Since the transfer in management, PAHSMA staff have carried out day to day management activities including track maintenance, firebreak slashing, tree surgery, and visitor facility maintenance. In 2005 the Flinders University surveyed the jetties of the Coal Mines and a geomagnetic survey of the site was undertaken in 2008 by the University of Tasmania. The caretaker‟s cottage was upgraded in 2006 with a septic toilet and the area around the hut was re-landscaped. In January 2009 the chapel and eastern wing of the 1838 prisoner barracks were 3D electronically scanned by Sinclair Knight Mertz to monitor the stability of the ruins (SKM 2009). In late 2009 a storm surge resulted in significant damage to the slack dumps on the beach when numerous undercut trees toppled. Fallen trees were removed, standing trees were pruned back from the eroded edge, and attempts are being made to stabilise the bank with vegetation.

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Appendix 4: World Heritage Listing

Statement of Outstanding Universal Value

The property consists of eleven complementary sites. It constitutes an outstanding and large-scale example of the forced migration of convicts, who were condemned to transportation to distant colonies of the British Empire; the same method was also used by other colonial states. The sites illustrate the different types of convict settlement organized to serve the colonial development project by means of buildings, ports, infrastructure, the extraction of resources, etc. They illustrate the living conditions of the convicts, who were condemned to transportation far from their homes, deprived of freedom, and subjected to forced labour. This transportation and associated forced labour was implemented on a large scale, both for criminals and for people convicted for relatively minor offences, as well as for expressing certain opinions or being political opponents. The penalty of transportation to Australia also applied to women and children from the age of nine. The convict stations are testimony to a legal form of punishment that dominated in the 18th and 19th centuries in the large European colonial states, at the same time as and after the abolition of slavery. The property shows the various forms that the convict settlements took, closely reflecting the discussions and beliefs about the punishment of crime in 18th and 19th century Europe, both in terms of its exemplarity and the harshness of the punishment used as a deterrent, and of the aim of social rehabilitation through labour and discipline. They influenced the emergence of a penal model in Europe and America. Within the colonial system established in Australia, the convict settlements simultaneously led to the Aboriginal population being forced back into the less fertile hinterland, and to the creation of a significant source of population of European origin. Criterion (iv): The Australian convict sites constitute an outstanding example of the way in which conventional forced labour and national prison systems were transformed, in major European nations in the 18th and 19th centuries, into a system of deportation and forced labour forming part of the British Empire's vast colonial project. They illustrate the variety of the creation of penal colonies to serve the many material needs created by the development of a new territory. They bear witness to a penitentiary system which had many objectives, ranging from severe punishment used as a deterrent to forced labour for men, women and children, and the rehabilitation of the convicts through labour and discipline. Criterion (vi): The transportation of criminals, delinquents, and political prisoners to colonial lands by the great nation states between the 18th and 20th centuries is an

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important aspect of human history, especially with regard to its penal, political and colonial dimensions. The Australian convict settlements provide a particularly complete example of this history and the associated symbolic values derived from discussions in modern and contemporary European society. They illustrate an active phase in the occupation of colonial lands to the detriment of the Aboriginal peoples, and the process of creating a colonial population of European origin through the dialectic of punishment and transportation followed by forced labour and social rehabilitation to the eventual social integration of convicts as settlers.

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Appendix 5: National Heritage Listing

The Coal Mines Historic Site was entered in the NHL in 2007. The official summary statement of National Heritage values is as follows: The Coalmines Historic Site contains the workings of a penal colliery that operated from 1833-1848. It is associated with British convict transportation to Australia and at its peak accommodated up to five hundred convicts and over a hundred others including guards and their families. It is a relict industrial landscape demonstrating the structure, spatial layout and operation of a penal probation station and its support industries (a lime kiln, a stone quarry and tanning pits), as well as a colliery where the most refractory convicts were put to hard labour. Probation stations operated on the principle that punishment and reform could be achieved by hard labour, religious instructions and education, with convicts classified according to the severity of their offences. The place is an outstanding representation of the economic value of convict labour as evidenced in the remains of the colliery, wharves and jetties, and the ruins of the commissariat store. It is an outstanding representation of evolving convict management, clearly demonstrating the key features and design of a probation station for refractory convicts. The operation of the probation station and the hierarchy of the management is demonstrated by the remains of the commandant‟s house located on the rise midway between the main convict barracks and the coal mines, the relationship of officers‟ quarters with overseers‟ quarters and prisoner accommodation, the roadways between the mine, dormitories, wharves and jetties, and the semaphore sites at Coal Mines Hill and Mt Stewart. Ruins of officer‟s quarters, guard houses, and the bakehouse are evident near the convict barracks. The Coal Mines Historic Site contains the ruins of three types of prisoner accommodation, the convict barracks with solitary punishment cells, 18 cells of the 1845-6 alternating separate cell complex used for solitary confinement punishment, and the site of 108 separate convict apartments built in 1847, all of which demonstrate the classification system. The latter accommodation was used for isolating the prisoners at night. The importance of the church for the reform and moral development of convicts is evidenced in the ruins of the chapel located between the two convict barracks. Ruins of the catechist‟s house are located some distance from the main barracks complex. The Coal Mines was considered a most severe place of convict punishment. The high number of solitary cells, floggings and solitary confinements indicate a comparatively high record of additional punishment. The colonial administration and Tasmanian community also considered the place as among the worst for homosexuality – homosexuality figured prominently in the anti-transportation debate and was noted in the report prepared for the United Kingdom Prime Minster William Gladstone by Charles La Trobe in 1847.

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With the place‟s dual reputation for harshness and immoral activity, it contributed to the failure of the probation system and its demise. The Coal Mines is one of the few Australian convict sites which outstandingly represent the economic role of convicts. It is rare as the only surviving penal coal mines with coherent surface remains. The place contains features related to the extraction of coal including seams at the beach, the remains of the original adits, the main pit head with original machinery footings, the boiler and the airshaft, and ground circular depressions which indicate the sites of the 1838, 1842 and 1845 main shafts. The place also contains features relating to the transportation of coal including evidence of the inclined plane for coal tram cars, which extends from the 1845 shaft on Coal Mine Hill to Plunkett Point, subsidiary inclined planes which appear as modifications to the natural landscape and the remains of wharves and jetties. The alternating solitary cell complex built in 1845-6 is the only extant example of this form of convict punishment accommodation and an outstanding example of the harshness of convict life. The cells effectively isolate convicts from contact with fellow prisoners and were a way of both punishing convicts and ensuring that homosexual activity did not occur. Being the only extant penal colliery in Australia, the surviving ruins and the archaeological remains associated with the structures of Coal Mines Historic Site, have yielded and have high potential to further yield valuable information on the working conditions, technical skills, penal administration, and the mining technologies used by convicts. Archaeological exploration of convict accommodation and associated structures, and in particular, the dormitories and solitary cells as well as the site of the separate apartments have the potential to provide a greater understanding of the lives and conditions for convicts in a place that was renowned for its harshness and „immorality‟. The existence of extensive historical documents in public collections and its ability to provide additional contextual information to evidence uncovered at the site enhances the importance of the research potential of the place

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Appendix 6: Tasmanian Heritage Register Listing

The Coal Mines Historic Site is entered in the Tasmanian Heritage Register. The official summary statement of State Heritage values reads as follows: The Coal Mines Historic Site is an outstanding example of the 19th century European global strategy of using the forced labour of convicts in the establishment of colonial economies. The dual role of secondary punishment station and an ambitious industrial venture is rare in Australian convict history. The mines were the first mechanised mines in Tasmania and among the first mechanised in Australia. The beds and footings of the winding and pumping machinery are the earliest pit-top workings in Australia. They demonstrate different technical aspects in the extraction and transportation of coal in the early 19th century, from relatively simple manual techniques through to the more mechanised systems of the steam age. The site has extensive research potential because of the high degree of integrity of the site and its cultural landscape setting. It is an unparalleled resource for archaeological research into early Australian mining practice. The Coal Mines Historic Site has outstanding heritage value because of the place‟s special association with convicts and their administrators in the period 1833 to 1848.

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Appendix 7: World Heritage Management Principles

(Schedule 5 - Regulation 10.01) 1.0. General principles 1.01 The primary purpose of management of natural heritage and cultural heritage of a declared World Heritage property must be, in accordance with Australia's obligations under the World Heritage Convention, to identify, protect, conserve, present, transmit to future generations and, if appropriate, rehabilitate the World Heritage values of the property. 1.02. The management should provide for public consultation on decisions and actions that may have a significant impact on the property. 1.03 The management should make special provision, if appropriate, for the involvement in managing the property of people who: (a) have a particular interest in the property; and (b) may be affected by the management of the property. 1.04. The management should provide for continuing community and technical input in managing the property.

2.0. Management Planning 2.01. At least 1 management plan should be prepared for each declared World Heritage property. 2.02. A management plan for a declared World Heritage property should: (a) state the World Heritage values of the property for which it is prepared; and (b) include adequate processes for public consultation on proposed elements of the plan; and (c) state what must be done to ensure that the World Heritage values of the property are identified, conserved, protected, presented, transmitted to future generations and, if appropriate, rehabilitated; and (d) state mechanisms to deal with the impacts of actions that individually or cumulatively degrade, or threaten to degrade, the World Heritage values of the property; and (e) provide that management actions for values, that are not World Heritage values, are consistent with the management of the World Heritage values of the property; and (f) promote the integration of Commonwealth, State or Territory and local government responsibilities for the property; and (g) provide for continuing monitoring and reporting on the state of the World Heritage values of the property; and (h) be reviewed at intervals of not more than 7 years.

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3.0. Environmental impact assessment and approval 3.01. This principle applies to the assessment of an action that is likely to have a significant impact on the World Heritage values of a property (whether the action is to occur inside the property or not). 3.02. Before the action is taken, the likely impact of the action on the World Heritage values of the property should be assessed under a statutory environmental impact assessment and approval process. 3.03. The assessment process should: (a) identify the World Heritage values of the property that are likely to be affected by the action; and (b) examine how the World Heritage values of the property might be affected; and (c) provide for adequate opportunity for public consultation. 3.04. An action should not be approved if it would be inconsistent with the protection, conservation, presentation or transmission to future generations of the World Heritage values of the property. 3.05. Approval of the action should be subject to conditions that are necessary to ensure protection, conservation, presentation or transmission to future generations of the World Heritage values of the property. 3.06 The action should be monitored by the authority responsible for giving the approval (or another appropriate authority) and, if necessary, enforcement action should be taken to ensure compliance with the conditions of the approval.

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Appendix 8: National Heritage List Management Principles

1. The objective in managing National Heritage places is to identify, protect, conserve, present and transmit, to all generations, their National Heritage values. 2. The management of National Heritage places should use the best available knowledge, skills and standards for those places, and include ongoing technical and community input to decisions and actions that may have a significant impact on their National Heritage values. 3. The management of National Heritage places should respect all heritage values and seek to integrate, where appropriate, any Commonwealth, state, territory and local government responsibilities for those places. 4. The management of National Heritage places should ensure that their use and presentation is consistent with the conservation of their National Heritage values. 5. The management of National Heritage places should make timely and appropriate provision for community involvement, especially by people who: (a) have a particular interest in, or associations with, the place, and (b) may be affected by the management of the place. 6. Indigenous people are the primary source of information on the value of their heritage and the active participation of Indigenous people in identification, assessment and management is integral to the effective protection of Indigenous heritage values. 7. The management of National Heritage places should provide for regular monitoring, review and reporting on the conservation of National Heritage values.

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Appendix 9: The Natural Environment

The majority of this information is sourced from the CMHS MP 1997 as reviewed by the Biodiversity and Conservation Branch, DPIPWE, and with updated information from the Natural Values Atlas and TASVEG.

Geology

The Coal Mines is located on the eastern side of the northwest tip of the Tasman Peninsula, at the northern entrance to Norfolk Bay. Norfolk Bay is a drowned valley, originally developed by stream erosion along a presumed northwest-trending fault between Triassic sediments and Jurassic dolerite which likely continues along the major topographic low between Little Norfolk Bay and Long Bay (Banks et al 1989; 13). The downthrow is to the west, as indicated by the prevalence of Permian sediments on the eastern half of the Tasman and Forestier Peninsulas (Gulline 1984). The principal rock types within the study area are sediments of the Parmeener Supergroup intruded by Jurassic dolerite with localised coverings of quaternary alluvium. Permian glaciomarine mudstone of the Lower Parmeener Ferntree formation occurs to the south at Turners Point, faulted against quartzose Triassic sandstone just south of the main entrance to the Coal Mines (Bacon 1985). Variants of this sandstone predominate in the study area, encompassing the majority of the northeast tip of the peninsula. The quartzose sandstone encloses a faulted wedge- shaped block of later Triassic sediments, comprising lithic sandstone, carbonaceous sandstone, mudstone and coal, that extends from south of Plunkett Point to the base of Mount Stewart. This down-thrown block, representing a formerly much more widespread sequence of fluviatile sediments that has subsequently been removed through erosion, is confined to an area approximately 0.5 x 1.5km long between two northwest trending faults associated with the emplacement of Jurassic dolerite. The dolerite extends from a small coastal prominence south of Plunkett Point to Coal Mine Hill, and appears to be dyke with a steeply dipping western boundary (Bacon 1985). The eastern boundary of the dolerite is ambiguous and becomes sill-like to the east, as exposed in the 1845 main shaft. Today, coal does not outcrop within the site, and historical descriptions of the deposit vary. Reid et al (1922) refer to two seams within the area, with a general southwest dip of 5-11 degrees. Contemporary accounts however indicate a single faulted and gently folded seam approximately 1.2m thick. The coal was described by Lt. Governor Sir William Denison as „a species of anthracite‟, although samples indicate carbon content in the low 60% [bituminous] range (Bacon 1985).

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Geomorphology

Geomorphology of the area is controlled by differential erosion of the predominantly sedimentary rocks in relation to much harder Jurassic dolerite. Topography is dominated by the resistant dolerite prominences of Mt Stewart and the Coal Mine hill intrusion, with the adjacent sandstone terrain and alluvium falling gently away to the west and southeast. Relief within the study area is typically low, ranging from sea level up to 80m elevation. Surface drainage is poorly developed, with the principal intermittent watercourse bisecting the two dolerite knolls entering Norfolk Bay to the north of Plunkett Point. There are no permanent watercourses within the site. The low-energy coastline contains both erosional and depositional features, comprising a series of low sandstone headlands up to 10 m high separated by low angle sand and shingle beaches. At the southern end of the Coal Mine Hill a dolerite dyke forms a low spur projecting into Norfolk Bay to the south of Plunkett Point. Relict dunes and sand sheets blanket pre-existing topography. These dune systems were most likely to have been mobile during the last glacial period, continuing through the early Holocene marine transgression. They are now essentially stable apart from where surface disturbance allows erosion. At a smaller scale, the landscape and coastline display evidence of extensive human modification. Excavations for mine adits and shafts, and allied spoil dumps, tramways, roads and numerous other industrial features contribute to a locally irregular terrain.

Soils

Much of the site is blanketed by windblown sand, which reaches considerable thicknesses locally (Cromer et al 1979). The soils have been generally classified as podzols which are acidic and strongly leached below a thin humic toposil, producing a dense clay subsoil at depths of between 1-3 m. Weathering is typically deepest on the sediments. The sandy topsoil is friable and free draining, but is susceptible to rill and gully erosion and sloughing where the vegetation cover is disturbed or when subject to heavy rain. Soils developed over dolerite are more stable. Locally some soils are modified or cultural in origin, comprising mullock heaps, coal screening waste and other redeposited excavated material.

Vegetation Communities

There are nine main vegetation communities known within the site. The vegetation of the site was surveyed in the 1980s as part of a state-wide assessment of dry sclerophyll vegetation (Duncan 1981; Duncan and Brown 1985) (refer Figure 10). This work describes the vegetation communities of the site in terms of their distribution, floristic

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composition and structure. Together with supplementary work undertaken by Egloff (1987), the survey provides a general overview of the vegetation of the site. This information and TASVEG data (TVMMP 2008) for the area has been used to identify the vegetation communities occurring in the site: Closed herbfield (Extra urban miscellaneous, FUM) A closed herbfield surrounds the ruins of the main settlement. The community is primarily a product of past human activities. The close-cropped appearance of the community is a result of grazing by marsupials and rabbits. A detailed analysis of the composition of the community has not been undertaken, but it contains numerous introduced pasture and garden species (for example Poa annua, Trifolium spp., Anagallis arvensis) as well as many native plants (Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides, Dichondra repens, Euchiton collinus). Open Pelargonium capitatum heath (Pteridium esculentum fernland, FPF) This community is found on Coal Mine Hill. It is dominated by an exotic garden escapee Pelargonium capitatum, which has naturalised, and bracken Pteridium esculentum. Eucalyptus amygdalina coastal forest and woodland (DAC) This is the most extensive vegetation community in the site. It is found on undulating sandstone country with well drained, moderately deep soils. This grades from heathy forest in dry sandy areas into shrubby forest in damp areas. Eucalyptus amygdalina is the sole dominant on lower slopes with southerly aspects. In other areas E. viminalis, E. globulus and E. ovata may be present. The dominant eucalypts are typically 10-20 m high. Common species of the understorey shrub layer include Banksia marginata, Leptospermum scoparium, L. glaucescens, Exocarpos cupressiformis, Melaleuca squarrosa, Epacris impressa, E. lanuginosa, Philotheca verrucosa, Euryomyrtus ramosissima, Aotus ericoides and Pultenaea juniperina. Ground layer species include Lomatia tinctoria, Pteridium esculentum, Lepidosperma concavum, Lomandra longifolia, Dianella tasmanica and Diplarrena moraea. Grasses and herbs include Goodenia lanata, Stylidium graminifolium, Viola hederacea, Wahlenbergia spp, Gastrodia sesamoides and Acianthus caudatus. Eucalyptus viminalis grassy forest and woodland (DVG) This community occurs on both dolerite and sandstone country with shallow soils in the Coal Mine Hill - Plunkett Point area. The south-easterly aspect of this area provides some protection from westerly winds and cool and damp conditions compared with the remainder of the site. Eucalypt trees typically reach 20-30 m in height and the shrub layer up to 6m. Eucalyptus amygdalina is occasional. Common species in the shrub layer include Banksia marginata, Leptospermum scoparium, Acacia dealbata, Acacia verticillata, Dodonaea viscosa and Monotoca glauca. Rarely in some moister situations Pomaderris apetala and Olearia argophylla occur.

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Eucalyptus obliqua dry forest (DOB) Shrubby forest dominated by Eucalyptus obliqua occupies an area in the western part of the site, which includes the Convict Well. This undulating sandstone country is one of the few locations away from the coast where sandstone rock can be observed outcropping. Eucalyptus amygdalina are still common through this vegetation. The area supports trees of 20-30 m in height and a dense shrub layer similar in structure and composition to the previously described forest communities. Eucalyptus ovata forest and woodland (DOV) This community is restricted to some small patches on the northern boundary of the site that consist of soaks and hollows with deep, wet, organic soils. Eucalytpus ovata trees reach 8-15 m in height and the dense shrub layer that may exceed 3m. Species present in the shrub layer include Hakea teretifolia, Melaleuca squamea, M. squarrosa, Leptospermum scoparium, Bauera rubioides, Sprengelia incarnata, Gahnia grandis, Lepidosperma spp, and Gleichenia microphylla. Pomaderris elliptica occurs on the better drained margins of the community. Eucalyptus tenuiramis forest on sediments (DTO) A small patch of open heathy forest dominated by Eucalyptus tenuiramis is located on the western side of the main road through the site. No field survey of this forest has been undertaken to determine the species composition of the vegetation. Eucalyptus globulus dry forest (DGL) A small patch of Eucalyptus globulus forest occurs at Plunkett point. No field survey of this patch was undertaken to determine the species composition of the forest understorey. Allocasuarina verticillata woodland (NAV) Sheoak woodland occupies a narrow coastal belt, which occurs in a narrow patch between Plunkett Point and the site boundary. The skeletal soils of the area support trees up to 8 m in height. Shrub and ground layer species include Dodonaea viscosa, Bursaria spinosa, Lepidosperma laterale, Lissanthe strigosa, Lomandra longifolia, Poa poiformis, P. labillardierei and Austrostipa spp.

Threatened Vegetation Communities

Of the above vegetation communities, the following communities are listed as Threatened Vegetation Communities under Schedule 3A of the Nature Conservation Act 2002: Eucalyptus ovata forest and woodland (Endangered), Eucalyptus globulus dry forest and woodland (Vulnerable), Eucalyptus tenuiramis forest and woodland on sediments (Vulnerable).

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Table 2 Native Flora Species

In addition to the noted flora species above in the vegetation community descriptions, the following flora of conservation significance have been recorded in the site.

Common Name Scientific Name

Black Peppermint Eucalyptus amygdalina Silver Peppermint Eucalyptus tenuiramis Blue Gum Eucalyptus globulus Smokey Tea Tree Leptospermum glaucescens Guitar Plant Lomatia tinctoria No common name (Orchid) Arachnorchis echidnachila Tree broomheath Monotoca elliptica Redstem wattle Acacia myrtifolia Sweet wattle Acacia suaveolens Scented paperbark Melaleuca squarrosa Silver banksia Banksia marginata Fawn spider orchid Caladenia echidnachila Paterson's spider orchid Caladenia patersonii Prawn greenhood Pterostylis pedoglossa Fawn spider-orchid Caladenia echidnachila Narrowleaf dusty daisybush Olearia phlogopappa var. angustifolia Shy dusty daisybush Olearia phlogopappa var. brevipes Smallflower dusty daisybush Olearia phlogopappa var. microcephala Willowleaf dusty daisybush Olearia phlogopappa var. salicifolia Orange spiky bitterpea Daviesia ulicifolia subsp.

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ruscifolia Common teatree Leptospermum scoparium Shortstem flaxlily Dianella brevicaulis

Table 3 Threatened or Conservation Significant Fauna Species

Common Name Scientific Name Conservation Status

Forty-spotted Pardalote Pardalotus quadragintus Endangered (TSP Act) Grey Goshawk Accipter novaehollandiae Endangered (TSP Act) White-bellied Sea Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster Endangered (TSP Act) Swift Parrot Lathamus discolor Endangered (TSP Act) Hairstreak Butterfly Pseudalemnus chlormide Rare (TSP Act) myrsilus Eastern Barred Perameles gunnii Vulnerable (EPBC Act) Bandicoot Common Wombat Vombatus ursinus ursinus Vulnerable (EPBC Act) Green Rosella Platycercus caledonicus Conservation Significance Yellow-throated Lichenostomus flavicollis Conservation Significance Honeyeater Yellow Wattlebird Anthochaera paradoxa Conservation Significance Dusky robin Melanodryas vittata Conservation Significance

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Table 4 Native Fauna Species

The following list of wildlife is based on information provided by the PWS Officer P. Brown to Egloff (1987) and the Natural Values Atlas.

Common Name Scientific Name Mammals

Tasmanian Bettong Bettongia gaimardi Tasmanian pademelon Thylogale billardierii Common brushtailed possum Trichosurus vulpecula Echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus Bennetts Wallaby3 Macropus rufogriseus Birds

Common Bronzewing Phaps chalcoptera Brush Bronzewing Phaps elegans Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo Australian Gannet Morus serrator Crested Tern Thalasseus bergii Silver Gull Chroicoephalus novaehollandiae Pacific Gull Larus pacificus Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus Pied Oystercatcher Haematopus longirostris Masked Lapwing Vanellus miles Hooded Plover Thinornis rubricollis Red-capped Plover Charadrius ruficapillus Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis White Faced Herron Ardea pacifica Black Swan Cygnus atratus Chestnut Teal Anas castanea

3 Introduced to area but native to Tasmania (Egloff 1987)

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Musk Duck Biziura lobata Australian Shelduck Tadorna tadornaoides Swamp Harrier Circus approximans Brown Goshawk Accipter fasciatus Brown Falcon Falco berigora Southern Boobook Ninox novaeseelandiae Tawny Frogmouth Polargus strigoides Musk Lorikeet Glassopsitta concinna Yellow-tail Black Cockatoo Calyptorhychus funereus Eastern Rosella Platycercus eximius Pallid Cuckoo Cacomantis pallidus Fantail Cuckoo Cacomantiscastaneiventris Horsfield's Bronze-cuckoo Chalcites basalis Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena Tree Martin Petrochelidon nigricans Grey Fantail Rhipidura fuliginosa subsp. albiscapa Grey Strike Thrush Colluricincla boweri Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Coracina novaehollandiae Bassian Thrush Zoothera lunulata Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla Yellow-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza chrysorrhoa Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus Dusky Woodswallow Artamus cyanopterus Spotted Pardalote Pardalotus punctatus Striated pardalote Pardalotus striatus Silvereye Zosterops lateralis Black-headed Honeyeater Melithreptus affinis Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris subsp. dubius

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New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae Little Wattlebird Anthrochaera chrysoptera Richard's Pitpit Anthus richardi Grey Currawong Strepera versicolor Grey Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus Forest Raven Corvus tasmanicus Short-tailed shearwater Ardenna tenuirostris Brown Quail Coturnix ypsilophora Tasmanian Native Hen Tribonyx mortierii Golden Whistler Pachycephala pectoralis Scarlet Robin Petroica boodang Flame Robin Petroica phoenica Satin Flycatcher Myiagra nana Reptiles

Tiger Snake Notechis ater White-lipped Whip Snake Drysdalia coronoides Copperhead Snake Austrelaps superbus Blotched Bluetongue Tiliqua nigrolutea Mountain Dragon Tympanocryptis diemensis White‟s Skink Egernia whitii Eastern Three-lined Skink Bassiana duperreyi Metallic Skink Niveoscinus metallicus Southern Grass Skink Pseudemoia entrecasteauxii Amphibians

Banjo Frog Limnodynastes dumerili Brown Froglet Crinia signifera Brown Tree Frog Litoria ewingi

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Invertebrates

Not recorded/surveyed

Table 5 Introduced Australian Native Fauna Species

Common Name Scientific Name

Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala

Table 6 Introduced Exotic Flora Species

Common Name Scientific Name

Californian Thistle Cirsium arvense Aloe Aloe spp. Horehound Marrubium vugare Common Broom Cytisus scoparious Meadow Grass Poa annua Clover Trifolium spp. Scarlet pimpernel Anagallis arvensis Rose-scented pelargonium Pelargonium capitatum

Table 8 Introduced Exotic Fauna Species

Common Name Scientific Name

Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus Mouse Mus musculus Blackbird Turdus merula Starling Sturnus vulgaris Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis Honey bee Apis mellifera

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Appendix 10: Interpretation Signs

In order to communicate the history of the site, thematic interpretation was employed in the current interpretation of the Coal Mines to convey key historical information to visitors. The key conceptual themes that informed the development of the current interpretation were:  Above and Below The „Above and Below‟ theme sought to inform visitors of the dichotomy of the site being both a penal station „above‟ ground and an punishing coal mine „below‟ ground. This was primarily undertaken through the historical personal narratives of life at the Coal Mines and through descriptions of mining technology and workings at key historical mining features. The theme is most strongly conveyed in the interpretation panels within the eastern wing of the 1838 Prisoner Barracks where it is written „Above and below ground, this was a place of hard labour‟.  Isolation and Communication The theme of „Isolation and Communication‟ sought to draw the visitor‟s attention to the fact that the Coal Mines, while isolated, was part of a penal peninsula comprised of numerous penal stations with an operating semaphore communication system. Visitors are introduced to the concept of the penal peninsula in the „Hard labour in a hidden land‟ sign at the „Introductory Adit‟ and through interpretation at the Semaphore Station site.  Living and Dying This theme aimed to reveal to visitors that people once lived, worked, and sometimes died at the Coal Mines by providing information on a cross-section of historical personalities that left personal accounts of their experience at the Coal Mines. These personalities are introduced at the „Introductory Adit‟ interpretative area and then again individually at selected interpretation locations where personal accounts bring to life the previous use of the interpreted heritage features. Other sub-themes that guided the development of interpretation included „Exploring, Mapping and Reading the Terrain’ and ‘Scarring’. Further information on the development of all themes can be found in SCM (2001). A significant proportion of the historical information provided at the Coal Mines is contained within the „Introductory Adit‟, located near the main settlement car park. Throughout the site interpretation plaques, arranged in small clusters on sandstone blocks or timber sleepers, have been installed at key locations near ruins or other historical features to provide information on former use/operation. These locations are shown in Figure 13 and the following provides basic information on the content of current interpretation.

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Figure 13: Historic Interpretation Signs. (Introductory Adit (A), signs about convict accommodation (B, C, D), gardens (F), semaphore (G), mining (E, H, I), the Commissariat Store (J)).

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 Introductory Adit At the Main settlement car park after the site map, visitors enter the site via a pathway that passes through an „Introductory Adit‟ interpretation area. This interpretation feature advises the visitor that the site is entered in the National Heritage List and then proceeds to introduce the visitor to the history of the site through a timeline chain („Chains of Time‟) that provides a chronology of key dates from 1803 to 2000. The feature contains an mock mine gallery that people can explore to give them an idea of the probable mining method and miner conditions experienced when the mines were in operation. Information is also provided on the geology of the area („When coal burns you feel the heat of the Ancient Sun‟), key mining terminology („Your Coal Mines Tool Kit‟), the penal peninsula („Hard labour in a hidden land‟), and some of the historic convict, soldier and civilian personalities used in further interpretation signs of the Coal Mines including Joseph Lacey, George Froggart, Joseph Greaves, James Wilkinson Jones, John Smee, and Captain O‟Hara Booth („Blackened Faces, Blistered Hands, Scared Skin‟). This information on historic personalities seeks name the names and tell the stories of those who were sentenced or stationed at the Coal Mines. Throughout the site historical ruins and other features are labelled with small plaques to inform visitors of the former uses.  Main settlement area Proceeding along the path visitors are taken to the eastern side of the 1838 Prisoner Barracks where interpretation plaques are fixed to imported sandstone blocks. The sandstone blocks resemble blocks that have dislodged from the original buildings of the site and are found cluttered around ruins. This use of replicating existing cultural fabric in the site ensures that these plaques and other plaques mounted on sandstone blocks are low key and do not intrude on a visitors sense of discovery in the site. These plaques provide further information on the Convict Overseer Joseph Clark and on the development of convict accommodation. Once a visitor walks around to the eastern wing of the 1838 Prisoner Barracks, further information on the penal station and the barracks can be found within the same wing including an 1842 plan of the original penal station. Still within the main settlement area, another cluster of plaques can be found within the Separate Apartments site. These signs provide further information on convict miner George Froggart, the 1845 Solitary Confinement Cells, the 1846 Separate Apartments and the bureaucratic fear of homosexuality among convicts.  Residences, Military Barracks, and Gardens From the Main settlement visitors climbing the track to Coal Mine hill will pass the Superintendent‟s and Senior Military Officer‟s Residences, and the Military Barracks, the latter two sites having additional plaques with plans of

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the original building. Walking into a small glade further along the track plaques which provide information on former penal station gardens are fixed to a jumble of weathered timber sleepers. The sleepers themselves are not prominent landscape features but entice visitors walk across the glade to investigate and discover their purpose.  Semaphore Station At the site of the Semaphore Station on top of Coal Mine Hill, interpretation plaques provide further information on the Port Arthur Penal Station Commandant, Captain O‟Hara Booth, on his development of the semaphore system, and attempted escapes. In addition to these plaques on timber sleepers, a historical map of the Tasman and Forestier Peninsula‟s is mounted on a podium so that visitors can orientate themselves to views of the surrounding landscape through the foliage of the regenerated eucalyptus woodland.  Mining Operations (1845 Main Shaft and Beach/Adit) Information on the mining operations of the site is provided at the 1845 Main Shaft, at the bottom of the stairs leading to the beach from the Main settlement, and at the lower end of the Inclined Plan. On the lip of the 1845 Main Shaft behind the safety fence, plaques on sandstone blocks describe the death of convict Joseph Greaves as well as the methods of mining. There are no interpretation signs at the Airshaft besides some additional text under the site map at the Airshaft car park stating that the purpose of the shaft is unknown. Just south of the original mining Adit behind the beach, interpretation plaques give an account of Lady Jane Franklin‟s visit to the Coal Mines, the death of James Williamson Jones and provide information about the original Adit, jetties and the lime kiln. Within the same location an „interpretation frame‟ or „viewing plaque‟ is set on a stand so that visitors can peer through the plaque to gain an understanding of the potential extent of underground mine working.  Plunkett Point (Inclined Plane and Commissariat Store) Within the vicinity of Plunkett Point, further plaques on timber sleepers can be found at the bottom of the Inclined Plane and at the site of the Commissariat Store. Plaques at the Inclined Plane provide information on the operation of the plane. Plaques at the Commissariat Store provide further information on civilian Wharfinger John Smee and the reasoning behind the construction of the Commissariat Store. Out on Plunkett Point a second viewing plaque is set on a stand to illustrate the location of previous jetties along the coast.

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