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Brownlee

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Tongarra

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Tongarra Mine

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NameTongarra MineTypeBuildingComplexGeolocation^[1] Last edited by: Will Chittick

AddressTongarra Mine Road, TongarraDescriptionIn the 1870s coal seams existed at Tongarra. In 1893 William Brownlee of Tongarra started mining a coal seam on his property. The Albion Park Butter Factory had opened in Calderwood Road and in 1894, William sold his coal to the factory for their machinery operations.

William Brownlee came from Ireland as a settler and farmer. In the late 1850s William purchased 236 acres in the foothills of the escarpment and base of Macquarie Pass .

William married Elizabeth Collins in the early 1860s and they had five children, John, Mary, James, Peter and Jane. William built a cottage of local sandstone for the family which still stands today.

After discovery of coal on his property in 1880, William began to excavate. By 1893 William excavated a horizontal tunnel 800 feet above sea level. By August 1893 the tunnel had cut into a seam of the purest and best gas coal which was 22 feet thick. There were another two seams above this one at 14.5 feet and 4.5 feet respectively.

The coal at Tongarra was regarded as being of the best quality and was put on par with Newcastle. William Brownlee was able to sell the coal to operate the machinery at the creamery.

In 1893 when Brownlee opened the mine there was every prospect that Lake Illawarra would be developed into a major port to export coal from a mine at Dapto.

Further development was made to the mine in the early years by Percy Owen, and later Dawson, Gilchrist and De Latorre.

Excelsior Collieries of Thirroul took over mine operations in 1943 and in the 1940s Yuill and Company, under the management of Murray Brownlee. In 1950 William Brownlee’s son, Francis became the manager of the mine on his fathers old property and at this time the entire mine was operated by Excelsior.

Tongarra Mine was closed in January 1965. Over the years the mine provided steady employment for the men of Albion Park and the surrounding districts.

External LinkCoal Mining at Tongarra 1889A Visit to Tongarra A Coal Mine and Other Mineral Treasures 1893Tongarra Coal 1899A Tongarra Coal Mine 1903The Tongarra Mine Unfound Rumors 1905District News 1909Caughter in a Mine 1909Tongarra Coal Mine 1914Bitten by Tiger Snake 1938Owners of Mine Buys Share 1939The Tongarra Colliery 1939Tongarra Coal 1940Mine Accident 1941Escape from Mine Blaze 1941Petrol Rationing Results in Closure of 2 Coalmines 1941Tea Service in Mine 1948Resumption at Tongarra Colliery 1950Huge Expenditure in South Coast Mines 1954

Object

Ordinance Certificate Anston House

Letter Regarding Certificate Of Compliance Anston House

Supplemental Abstract Of Title Anston House

Anston House Ownership Notes

Abstract Of Title Of Kathleen Swan

Indenture - Samuel Hughes To John Brown

Tongarra Coal

Rules for Bath and Change House Tongarra Colliery (Mine)

Miners Safety Lamp

Excelsior Collieries And Coke Works Register

NSW Department of Mines Organisation In Case Of Disaster

Person

Swan, Mervyn (Merv)

Harris, Claude

Brownlee, William

Family

Zatschler

Harris

Brownlee

Place

Tongarra Mine Cottage

WG Harris and Sons Garage

Document

Indenture - Samuel Hughes To John Brown

Industry

Mining - Coal

William Brownlee at the Tongarra Mine entrance, Tongarra, c.1900.

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CollectionPlacesFamilyBrownleeLocalityTongarra

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Tongarra Mine