Picture 1: Courtesy of Welsh Collection
As I mentioned in the "About" page the mine pits were in 2 areas of the Burragorang Valley. "Burragorang Valley Collieries" were located Nth West of the Washery, whereas the "Valley Coal Collieries" were Sth East of the Washery. The Wollondilly Washery is located not far from Nattai Lookout (picture 1)
Burragorang Valley Collieries
The map below (Google Maps) provides a view of this area and you can still see the access road to these mines.
Burragorang Valley Collieries
The map below (Google Maps) provides a view of this area and you can still see the access road to these mines.
Picture 2: Courtesy of Bob Edwards
1) Nattai Lookout
2) Wollondilly Extd Central washery
3) Oakdale workers Club
4) Oakdale mine
5) Allied Camp No1
6) Brimstone No1 pit-top
7) Brimstone No2 pit-top
8) Opera house (picture 2) sometimes known as the steps & stairs
9) Lower Brimstone 1 "Blue trucks carted during the day & Contractors at night,
10) Lower Brimstone 2 Note: a conveyer "Drift No2 Belt" (orange line) was constructed in the early 1970's from lower Brimstone 1 & 2 up to Brimstone 1 pit-top, so the trucks very rarely went down to Lower Brimstone after this period.
All Coal from these 3 mines was then transported via Oakdale to the Wollondilly Washery site.
2) Wollondilly Extd Central washery
3) Oakdale workers Club
4) Oakdale mine
5) Allied Camp No1
6) Brimstone No1 pit-top
7) Brimstone No2 pit-top
8) Opera house (picture 2) sometimes known as the steps & stairs
9) Lower Brimstone 1 "Blue trucks carted during the day & Contractors at night,
10) Lower Brimstone 2 Note: a conveyer "Drift No2 Belt" (orange line) was constructed in the early 1970's from lower Brimstone 1 & 2 up to Brimstone 1 pit-top, so the trucks very rarely went down to Lower Brimstone after this period.
All Coal from these 3 mines was then transported via Oakdale to the Wollondilly Washery site.
Valley Coal Collieries
The map below (Goggle Maps) provides a view of this area and you can still see the access road to these mines.
The map below (Goggle Maps) provides a view of this area and you can still see the access road to these mines.
1) Wollondilly washery
2) Bluff corner
3) Nattai Bulli and Little pit
4) Wollondilly Extd (Boot)
5) Oakdale
6) "Dripping rock"
7) Baileys bridge
8) Valley 3 Bins
9) Valley 2 Bins: "River hill" was a landmark going into Valley 2. The "Ferret" lost brakes in a Leyland comming out loaded one morning and ended up in the bushes.
10) Valley 1 Bins: There are stories that coal was transported across to Nattai Bulli from Valley 1 before the dam was constructed (pre-1960) using an old bridge. Valley 1 closed in the early 70,s when Valley 3 was opened up by Clutha Development Pty Ltd.
In the early 60's Coal from Nattai pit was usually road transported straight up the Mountain to the Wollondilly Washery. The Blue trucks drivers were paid on trip money, the result being more trips more money. Having said that, driving out on the coal road in those days was not a place for the faint hearted. I remember as a 5 year old boy taking a ride down the Valley at 4am one morning, looking out the passengers window of the old Leyland into the Valley only to see a what looked like a bottomless pit, while still maintaining terminal speed with no safety rail in sight, its something that I will never forget. Some new drivers were so terrified on there first trip out they didnt last one day.
When the Conveyor belt was built in the early 60's (picture 3), the "Blue Trucks" generally didn't cart up the Mountain from Nattai unless the belt was broken, or coal needed to be dumped from Nattai pit to the "Boot" a road hooper designed to feed the belt.
2) Bluff corner
3) Nattai Bulli and Little pit
4) Wollondilly Extd (Boot)
5) Oakdale
6) "Dripping rock"
7) Baileys bridge
8) Valley 3 Bins
9) Valley 2 Bins: "River hill" was a landmark going into Valley 2. The "Ferret" lost brakes in a Leyland comming out loaded one morning and ended up in the bushes.
10) Valley 1 Bins: There are stories that coal was transported across to Nattai Bulli from Valley 1 before the dam was constructed (pre-1960) using an old bridge. Valley 1 closed in the early 70,s when Valley 3 was opened up by Clutha Development Pty Ltd.
In the early 60's Coal from Nattai pit was usually road transported straight up the Mountain to the Wollondilly Washery. The Blue trucks drivers were paid on trip money, the result being more trips more money. Having said that, driving out on the coal road in those days was not a place for the faint hearted. I remember as a 5 year old boy taking a ride down the Valley at 4am one morning, looking out the passengers window of the old Leyland into the Valley only to see a what looked like a bottomless pit, while still maintaining terminal speed with no safety rail in sight, its something that I will never forget. Some new drivers were so terrified on there first trip out they didnt last one day.
When the Conveyor belt was built in the early 60's (picture 3), the "Blue Trucks" generally didn't cart up the Mountain from Nattai unless the belt was broken, or coal needed to be dumped from Nattai pit to the "Boot" a road hooper designed to feed the belt.
Picture 4: Courtesy of K. Wintle
This is a picture of the notorious "Bluff Corner" (picture 4) that leads down the mountain to Nattai Bulli Pit . A driver ran out of brakes at this corner and tragically lost his life when the truck went over the edge. There is a rumour that some trucks are still laying in the cliff faces of the valley never retrieved because they are so hard to get to.
This is a picture of the Baileys Bridge at the bottom of the Valley Coal (picture 5), these trucks probably loaded coal from Valley 2 or 3
Coal from these pits were usually transported straight to Glenlee Washery
Coal from these pits were usually transported straight to Glenlee Washery
This is a picture of the notorious "Bluff Corner" (picture 4) that leads down the mountain to Nattai Bulli Pit . A driver ran out of brakes at this corner and tragically lost his life when the truck went over the edge. There is a rumour that some trucks are still laying in the cliff faces of the valley never retrieved because they are so hard to get to.
Picture 5: Courtesy of B Hatfield
Picture 3: Courtesy of Welsh Collection