One of the big copper smelters I worked at here in Arizona we actually had to clean our smoke stacks every so often. You'd be amazed at the rare elements that were attached to the inside. Great explore. You brought back some memories. Thanks.😊
Hi Warren: So, I'm guessing the blackberries won out, in the endeavor to reach the old trestle. But even without that, it was a great sortie showing some fantastic old time craftsmanship of the building and tunnel. The old photo showing the plant in its' operating time was amazing. I always truly enjoy your history walkabouts, and encourage to do more as your time permits. Thank you!
G'day Warren. Great commentary! 3-4 years ago that area was a dust-bowl; not now. I've spent hundreds of hours exploring and studying the pit sites around Abernethy. There was a rudimentary old town-ship of sorts at that site, so remote they called it 'Siberia'. To the archio-eye, the dwelling lots are still visible; that particular area is now gazetted as National Park. Where the chimney is, I believe is council controlled, and probably quite okay to detect. Next time you are in the area I'd be glad show you to some of what I've discovered; it's a huge area all up. All the best, David.
My great grandfather worked here after he came back from WW1, used to grade and weigh the coal coming out of the mine. My Grandad, wrote a book about this mine and the settlement around Abernethy during those days. It’s called - “they called it Siberia” by Neville Robinson. Cheers for the interesting vid.
Thank you for the upload Warren, only read today that you will be in Perth on Saturday, so disappointed I can’t make it to see you. Maybe next trip, cheers mate 🍻 Keep up the great work 👍
Excellent and very interesting video! Thank you very much Warren! Be good if they do make that into a rail trail, those rail trails are usually very easy going thanks to the steady gradient and great for people who struggle a bit for whatever reason. Anyway be great to make use of it!
I could listen to those bell birds all day long. One of my favourite memories of driving from Nambucca Heads to Armidale as a kid in the 60's is the sound of the bell birds bile driving up to Dorrigo.
I lived in Charlestown from 1961 to 69 my playground was the Burwood Colliery and Dudley and Redhead beach's then the family moved to Townsville, they were fun days for a 12 year old
Thanks for this video. I was there about 12-18 months ago photographing the ruins, tunnels, and old trestle bridge and it looks like all the rain we've had in the last 12 months or so haven't done the track any favours. There were quite a few snakes around too.
I spent a big part of my childhood around the Aberdare South Colliery and most summers swimming in the dam. My grandfather and an Uncle worked at the pit. My grandparents and three of their children lived between the railway line and the dam. The remnants of that home is still there, albeit very overgrown now,100 + years on.
G’day ol mate. Very nice video, lovely place. I live up the valley from there, looks like a nice place for a wander. The thing with those arch windows is that they don’t need a lintel. They are load bearing, self supporting and spread the load outwards and downwards. Have a great day.
Your right, that brick work is just astonishing how rugged it has been. Many places like Maitland and Cessnock also used coal in "gasworks". The coal was heated in a retort, to drive off a flammable gas which was then cleaned, and piped out to homes for gas appliances and gas lighting. In steel making, high quality coking coal is heated in coke ovens, and the coke provides the heat source in a blast furnace, when it is fed with high pressure air.
Not that anyone would want a residence a this location. However Imagine the house you could turn that building into. Like the show in England where people make houses of old water towers and generator buidings etc.
The railway tunnel was part of the final days' track at the 1992 ISDE Motorcycle event which was held around Cessnock. The tunnel got very boggy and was filled with 2 stroke smoke...
I do wonder whether this site should be heritage listed, as it tells a lot of the story of Newcastle as a port. It would be great to see this as a part of a rail trail, goof idea.
Always fascinates me that there doesnt appear to be a thick layer of soot still on a tunnel roof.....maybe there was enough steam to rinse it off each time?????? the mind boggles
I grew up in Abernathy were the pit is and it was my playground and a great dam to swim in. If anyone would like more information on the area there is a book you can buy at cessnock library called THEY CALLED IT SIBERIA written by Neville Robinson .
Well if you didn't bring this video out I would of never known about this place what a great part of our history thank you for sharing
One of the big copper smelters I worked at here in Arizona we actually had to clean our smoke stacks every so often. You'd be amazed at the rare elements that were attached to the inside. Great explore. You brought back some memories. Thanks.😊
What a rush. You know of the best places to revisit !
Hi Warren: So, I'm guessing the blackberries won out, in the endeavor to reach the old trestle. But even without that, it was a great sortie showing some fantastic old time craftsmanship of the building and tunnel. The old photo showing the plant in its' operating time was amazing. I always truly enjoy your history walkabouts, and encourage to do more as your time permits. Thank you!
G'day Warren. Great commentary! 3-4 years ago that area was a dust-bowl; not now. I've spent hundreds of hours exploring and studying the pit sites around Abernethy. There was a rudimentary old town-ship of sorts at that site, so remote they called it 'Siberia'. To the archio-eye, the dwelling lots are still visible; that particular area is now gazetted as National Park. Where the chimney is, I believe is council controlled, and probably quite okay to detect. Next time you are in the area I'd be glad show you to some of what I've discovered; it's a huge area all up. All the best, David.
My great grandfather worked here after he came back from WW1, used to grade and weigh the coal coming out of the mine.
My Grandad, wrote a book about this mine and the settlement around Abernethy during those days. It’s called - “they called it Siberia” by Neville Robinson.
Cheers for the interesting vid.
Nice to hear from a direct descendent, Josh; your Grandad would have been one tough old bloke. ⚒
Bloody fantastic! Thanks Warren!
That was very interesting ' thank you for sharing with us.
Thank you for the upload Warren, only read today that you will be in Perth on Saturday, so disappointed I can’t make it to see you. Maybe next trip, cheers mate 🍻 Keep up the great work 👍
Excellent and very interesting video! Thank you very much Warren! Be good if they do make that into a rail trail, those rail trails are usually very easy going thanks to the steady gradient and great for people who struggle a bit for whatever reason. Anyway be great to make use of it!
I could listen to those bell birds all day long. One of my favourite memories of driving from Nambucca Heads to Armidale as a kid in the 60's is the sound of the bell birds bile driving up to Dorrigo.
I lived in Charlestown from 1961 to 69 my playground was the Burwood Colliery and Dudley and Redhead beach's then the family moved to Townsville, they were fun days for a 12 year old
Thanks for this video. I was there about 12-18 months ago photographing the ruins, tunnels, and old trestle bridge and it looks like all the rain we've had in the last 12 months or so haven't done the track any favours. There were quite a few snakes around too.
You can just about taste the hundred year old, blood, sweat and tears in that place, hey Tim!!!
I spent a big part of my childhood around the Aberdare South Colliery and most summers swimming in the dam. My grandfather and an Uncle worked at the pit. My grandparents and three of their children lived between the railway line and the dam. The remnants of that home is still there, albeit very overgrown now,100 + years on.
G’day ol mate.
Very nice video, lovely place. I live up the valley from there, looks like a nice place for a wander.
The thing with those arch windows is that they don’t need a lintel. They are load bearing, self supporting and spread the load outwards and downwards.
Have a great day.
Absolutely amazing
i live around that area and have watched your videos for a long time now wish i had the chance to catch up for a chat on the area
Great informative video.
Keep it up mate.
Fantastic vid!
It's incredible
This is right near me and I had no idea lol might have to go see
Your right, that brick work is just astonishing how rugged it has been. Many places like Maitland and Cessnock also used coal in "gasworks". The coal was heated in a retort, to drive off a flammable gas which was then cleaned, and piped out to homes for gas appliances and gas lighting. In steel making, high quality coking coal is heated in coke ovens, and the coke provides the heat source in a blast furnace, when it is fed with high pressure air.
👍🏻 beauty mate
Not that anyone would want a residence a this location. However Imagine the house you could turn that building into. Like the show in England where people make houses of old water towers and generator buidings etc.
The railway tunnel was part of the final days' track at the 1992 ISDE Motorcycle event which was held around Cessnock. The tunnel got very boggy and was filled with 2 stroke smoke...
Was the deepest Shaft in the southern hemisphere in it's time
I do wonder whether this site should be heritage listed, as it tells a lot of the story of Newcastle as a port. It would be great to see this as a part of a rail trail, goof idea.
When you visit next ask the local you missed heaps bushrangers cave! go behind Richmond vale railway for beautiful buildings and rail memorabilia
Unreal.
Always fascinates me that there doesnt appear to be a thick layer of soot still on a tunnel roof.....maybe there was enough steam to rinse it off each time?????? the mind boggles
Hello I worked on the remaining 10 class locos at the time early 1990s Telarah 2 x remaining running at the time 4th year Boilermaker
You're not worried about snakes in those high weeds? You weren't wearing snake protection.
An uncle and a cousin of mine worked at Aberdare, but not at No.4
Wouldn't you think a purchase to turn the old building into a home would be better than to just let it deteriate into a pile of rubble.
I grew up in Abernathy were the pit is and it was my playground and a great dam to swim in. If anyone would like more information on the area there is a book you can buy at cessnock library called THEY CALLED IT SIBERIA written by Neville Robinson .
I’d love to know what’s in the bottom of the pond there. My guess is a lot of stolen stuff.
No vortex videos yet ?
Vortex videos will be up in the next few weeks - Cheers! Warren.
Graffiti is the mark of the barbarian.
would make an excellent home except all the graffiti ruin's it.