The Achievements of Captain Wallis Commandant 1818

Extract from the Sidney (sic) Gazette 26 December 1818

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2178450

The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser
Saturday 26 December 1818 Page 1 of 4

GOVERNMENT AND GENERAL ORDERS.
Government House, Parramatta, Thursday, 24th December, 1818

CIVIL DEPARTMENT.

HIS EXCELLENCY the GOVERNOR, in relieving Captain JAMES WALLIS, of the 46th Regiment, from the Command of the Settlement at Newcastle, by the Appointment of Captain JAMES MORISSETT, of the 48th Regiment, to that Station, avails himself of the Opportunity afforded by the Relief proceeding to Newcastle, to express publicly his high Sense and unqualified Approbation and Acknowledgment of the various important Services rendered to the Settlement of Newcastle by Captain Wallis during the Period of his Command, which commenced in the Month of June,1816.

The Zeal, Ability, and Judgment manifested by Captain Wallis, as Commandant of the Settlement on Hunter’s River, where the relative Duties were at once so peculiarly arduous, and invariably demanded the most vigilant and prompt Attention ; whilst they merit the highest Commendation for their public beneficial Effects, reflect the greatest Credit upon Captain Wallis as an Officer and a Gentleman.

The humane and judicious System adopted by this Officer towards the large Population of Convicts at Newcastle (now amounting to nearly seven hundred persons), entitles him to His EXCELLENCY’S warmest Commendation, considering in what Degree the Condition of those unfortunate Persons has been ameliorated and improved since he took the Command of the Settlement.

Yielding to that charitable Consideration towards a Description of our Fellow Creatures, however debased in moral Principle and Conduct, and justly appreci- ating that humane benignant Line of Conduct pursued by Captain Wallis during his Command, which was at least calculated to lead to Improvement and Reforma- tion ; His EXCELLENCY feels it equally a Tribute due to that Officer’s Merits, to notice with suitable Commen dation the grand scale of Improvements by which he has advanced the Settlement at Newcastle, from the Appearance of an humble Hamlet to the Rank and Capabilities of a well laid out, regular, and clean Town ; in effecting which Captain Wallis must have had to encounter various Difficulties, which could only have been surmounted by the Exercise of superior Judgment, Perseverance, and Ability.

It would far exceed the Limits of a Government and General Order to enumerate in detail all the Improve merits and Advantages which the Settlement of New castle has undergone by Captain Wallis within the short Space of two Years and an Half: But it would neot be doing him that Justice which his Claim to pub- lic Commendation entities him to, were not some Specification brought to View of the important Buildings constructed and compleated under his Direction, at once interesting, and ornamental to the Settlement, and promising a permanent Footing and Security to Religious and Civil Establishments.

FIRST, A very handsome Church, capable of containing upwards of 500 Persons, with an elegant Spire.

2. An excellent Hospital, well aired and well situated, constructed with Stone with a Viranda round it, and inclosed with a suitable Paling.

3. A large commodious Gaol, well aired and well situated, and strongly built of stone.

4. A commodious Barrack built of Brick, for two Subalterns.

5. A good Brick Barrack for the Assistant Surgeon.

6. A large comfortable Barrack for the Convicts.

7. A Guard-House.

8. A Watch-House.

9. A Boat-House.

10. A Lime-House.

11 A new Lumber-Yard, with the necessary Work Shops for Mechanics and Artificers

13. The old Wharf considerably enlarged and improved.

In Addition to the foregoing useful and permanent Buildings, Captain Wallis has commenced and made great Progress in another most important Undertaking, namely, constructing a strong massy Stone Pier across the Channel dividing the main Land (on which the Town is situated) on the South Side of the Harbour from Coal Island (or Nobby), for the Purpose of confining the Whole of the Water of Hunter’s River to the principal Channel by which Vessels enter the Har- bour of Newcastle, and preventing that Channel from being blocked up, and consequently rendered dangerous, if not impracticable for Navigation. – This useful Work was commenced on early in August last, at the Time His EXCELLENCY was on his Visit of Inspection to Newcastle, and had himself an Opportunity of personally laying the Foundation-stone of the Pier.

Considering the great Skill and Attention necessary, to bestow on Works of such Magnitude and Utility, Captain Wallis’s intelligent and comprehensive Mind; was not only equal to the Undertaking, but led him, highly to his Honor, to devise the best means of effecting the Reformation and Comfort of the Convicts under his Charge, as well as to the instruction and Improvement of their Children. – With this laudable View he established an excellent School, where the rising Generation are taught and brought up in the pure Principles of the Christian Religion ; nor was that Officer less attentive to the moral and religious Duties of his Troops, to whom, as well as to the Convicts, he personally read Divine Service every Sunday at the new Church.

From the Opportunity the GOVERNOR had of witnessing the various Improvements at Newcastle on his late Tour of Inspection to that Settlement His EXCEL LENCY is led duly to appreciate their Importance, and to render this public Suffrage to Captain Wallis’s Arrangements, as well as in respect to the Convicts under his Direction, whose ameliorated Condition was every Day more manifest, and gave every reasonable Hope of eventually producing the wished-for Reformation. These, His EXCELLENCY is persuaded, will long remain honourable Testimonies of Captain Wallis’s Merits,when the Voice of Commendation shall have passed into Oblivion.

The GOVERNOR will consider it his Duty, as it will be his highest Pleasure, to make the most early and favourable Report to His MAJESTY’S PRINCIPAL SECRETARY OF STATE, of the meritorious Conduct and Services of Capt. WALLIS.

By His Excellency the Governor’s Command,

J. T. CAMPBELL, Secretary.

Transcribed and Corrected by Mr Russell Rigby
27 July 2010

The Newcastle Fortifications – SMH 24 May 1881

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13484259

The Sydney Morning Herald
Tuesday 24 May 1881  Page 6 of 10

THE NEWCASTLE FORTIFICATIONS.
(BY OUR SPECIAL REPORTER.)

On Saturday last Colonel P. H. Scratchley, R.E., C.M.G., and Colonel C. F. Roberts, visited Newcastle for the purpose of inspecting the hill known as Signal Hill, near Nobby’s, upon which the fort recommended by Sir William Jervois and Colonel Scratchley is being constructed. Recently it was discovered that extensive coal-workings existed under the hill, and that it had been so much under-mined as to excite apprehension with respect to the security of the fortification works. The matter was reported to Colonel Scratchley by letter, dated the 14th ultimo, which he received about four days afterwards, and he then wrote to the Under-Secretary for Public Works, pointing out that it was necessary to obtain the opinion of an expert, and also of the Government Inspector of Collieries, as to the chance of any subsidence of the hill, and also as to the extent of the old coal workings.

Personally, from the information supplied, and considering the nature of the ground, he had no fear whatever that the works in progress would be effected, but it was desirable to have such opinions as those mentioned above, and also that a rough survey should be prepared showing the area occupied by the fort. Meantime the explosion of a blast used in connection with the excavating work carried on in the construction of the fort had either such an apparent or such a real effect upon a portion of the hill, in the way of loosening or shaking it, that the question arose whether it would not be wise to stop the work until something was done towards making the ground secure. Steps were immediately taken to ascertain as far as practicable the extent to which the hill had been under mined, and the course adopted was to reopen the old workings. These had been carried on in the old convict days all round the hill, and adits were found to have been made at every ten or twenty yards. As they were opened by removing the rubbish that filled them, it was seen that the passages into the hill were in most places very low, that they branched in various directions, and that, as far as could be ascertained, without knowing from actual inspec- tion the extent of the workings, the hill was completely honeycombed. The condition of the headings and drives showed that the ordinary mining precaution of leaving pillars of sufficient strength to resist the pressure from above had not been followed. Instead of that, the pillars left as supports were very small and narrow, and the only object which appeared to have influenced those who directed the work of mining under the hill in years gone by was to get the coal out. This seems to have been done most completely.

The hill bears the reputation of having been the first place at Newcastle from which coal was obtained, and doubtless was the locality   selected for the first coal-mining operations, because the out-crop of coal on the beach proved the existence of the mineral in the hill. Newcastle was a convict settlement in those days. Convicts worked in chains, with a file of soldiers in attendance ; a formidable gaol, which has since rotted away, stood near the beach, not far from where the mines were opened ; and the taskmasters and gaolers were hard. Just where the fort is being constructed, a huge beacon was kept burning as a light to mariners – a practice that was continued until a lighthouse was built – and a large portion of the coal taken from the hill was used for this purpose. Six or seven feet of ashes were found by the workmen recently when engaged in excavating for the works connected with the fortifications. The circum stances that the hill was the first of the Newcastle coal- field to be discovered and worked, and that there was a large consumption of the coal obtained both for the beacon and for domestic purposes at the settlement, would necessarily cause the seam of coal that was found to be ex- tensively opened out, and the hill to be pretty well exhausted of the mineral before the workings were abandoned. This is more likely to have been the case if the seams further inland had not been discovered at the time, or if, though one or more of them had been discovered, appliances were not at hand to work them : and it explains the present appearance of the hill.

As far as the passages that have been opened indicate, all the good coal that existed in the hill has been taken out. The seam was a very narrow one, not more than from eighteen to twenty-four inches, and as this good coal was taken out of the bill the space was filled in with rubbish which coal   miners call “gob,” and which consists of inferior coal, mixed with the dirt which falls, from the roof and sides of a mine, and accumulates on the floor. So completely was the hill worked, that in some places not only are there the usual headings and boards, or passages running at right angles to one another, but extensive chambers, so low that one must almost creep to get along them, but so open as to leave a cavity under the hill which suggests very great insecurity unless proper precautions be adopted in the way of suitable supports to the roof. In all the passages timber was left by the  convicts, but it was very small and in the lapse of years has in many instances become rotten and unsafe , and as the men who recently have been working with a view to ascertain the number and extent of the passages have met with this timber they have removed it and placed in its stead new props of good size and strength. But even this change has failed in one or two instances to keep the material overhead in its place, and by “creeping,” as the   technical term for the subsidence of strata is, the roof has come down upon the supports and bent or split them most undeniably. This led Colonel Scratchley on Saturday to give directions that for the present no further passages should be opened out, as It was evident that taking out the rubbish and admitting the air into the interior of the hill had the effect of removing a support of more or less strength, and causing the material, of which the roof of the headings and boards were formed, to decompose and fall. In addition to the workings beneath the hill, there are one or two cracks or fissures on the surface, and near where the casemate battery is being constructed, which have ugly appearance, but it is believed that the portion of the hill where they exist can very well be dispensed with, and after it has been removed the face of the hill can be sloped, grassed, and made perfectly secure.

The main question to be considered is the course that should be taken with the underground workings. Concus- sion is the great element of danger, and this would, of course, be present in any active operations with the guns of the fort. Colonel Scratchley is decidedly of opinion that with proper precautions everything may be made as secure   as if the hill were perfectly solid. He has decided not to stop the work of constructing the fort, not only because he considers there is no necessity for stopping the work, but also because this hill is absolutely the onlv site suitable for the fortifications. Anv other hill in the locality would be too far South for the purpose, and Nobby’s, the only site northwards, is too near   to the entrance channel of the harbour, and is moreover more insecure than the hill where the fort is being built. Nothing could be better than the range of fire which the guns on Signal Hill will have, and as far is the fortification works have progressed they appear excellent in every way. How far the firing of the heavy guns will affect the under-     ground workings is a matter that has yet to receive further attention. Considering the generial solidity of the hill, and the depth below the excavations for the fort, at which the coal workings have been carried on, Colonel Scratchley does not think the fortifications will be affected by the underground passages, but at the same time it is necessary to guard against all risks, and the point to be settled is one that cannot well be disposed of without consultation with a competent mining authority.

The contractor for the fortifications has been stopped from proceed ing further with the opening out of the underground workings, and a competent mining engineer, possessing not only a thorough knowledge of coal mining, but a perfect ac quaintance with the Newcastle district, will be called in to give his opinion with regard to the condition of the hill. Having done that, Colonel Scratchley will separate the work of constructing the fortifications from that of   filling in or otherwise dealing with the underground passages, and have the latter done by contract in order to save unnecessary expense. His idea of the manner in which this work should be dealt with is probably the best that can be adopted, and it possesses the merit of being sup- ported by the opinions of at least two independent authorties on the subject in Newcastle. He proposes that in a gradual and systematic manner the full extent of the workings shall be ascertained, that cross-walls of brick and cement 14 inches thick shall be built in the headings at every 15 or 20 feet, and then that the remaining spaces shall be filled with sand or other material, the mouths of the headings being closed with walls of sufficient thickness to completely exclude the air and so prevent any further disintegration of the shale which   forms most of the roofs in the passages. All the timber   props will be left as they are, to form additional supports to the roof. Getting this work done as far as possible by contract will of course considerably reduce the cost and it is   believed that it can be done for, at the most, £2000. Colonel Scratchley will visit Newcastle again next Thursday, and will probably be accompanied by the Colonial Architect.

When the fort at Newcastle is completed it is expected   that it will prove one of the most effective of its kind. The excavations for the guns, for the passages to and from the magazine, and for the shelter of the men, are in a very forward state, and as the concrete work progresses, it bears a very solid and finished appearance. Three 12-ton guns in barbette will command the approach to the port seawards, a casemate battery manned with three 80 pounders will defend the torpedo station and the submarine mines inside the harbour and an 80-pounder gun, also in barbette, near the casemate battery, will possess a range of fire from Nobby’s to the A A Co’s coal shoots.

The circumstance of so much dead weight on the hill as the presence of these guns will cause has been suggested as somewhat dangerous to the stability of the place, seeing that the ground has been so much undermined, but, though   Colonel Scratchley does not attach much importance to this, he has decided not to have the roof of the casemate battery constructed until necessity for it arises, and this will relieve the top weight on one part of the hill considerably.

Transcribed and Corrected by Mr Russell Rigby
27 July 2010

Ferdinand Bauer 1804 View of Newcastle

Settlement of Newcastle, circa 1804 by Ferdinand Bauer

The Mitchell Library has digitised a copy of one of the earliest drawings of early Newcastle when only a fledgling settlement in 1804.  Its creator was artist Ferdinand  Bauer, 1760 – 1826, and the drawing is located in the library’s collections at Call Number  SV1B/Newc/1800-1809/1, and measures 8 1/2 x 15 3/8 inches.

They believe it was probably traced from an original sketch located in England at the time when the Bonwick transcripts were made.  A circa 1860s photograph of a very similar oil painting is filed at PXA 561, f.1c.

We applaud the staff at the State Library of New South Wales in their efforts to digitise important historical documents of Newcastle and the Hunter Region.

Here is the correspondence from  Lieutenant Menzies to Governor King that mentions this actual work from the Historical Records of New South Wales:

LIEUTENANT MENZIES TO GOVERNOR KING.

King’s Town, Newcastle, 19th April, 1804.

Sir,

I have the honor to inform your Excellency that we arrived here on Friday, the 30th of March, at noon. Previous to the vessels entering the harbour I went in a small boat to examine the situation of the mines, and fix on a place the most suitable for the settlement, which I found to be a most delightful valley, about a quarter of a mile from the entrance and south head, and close to the mines. I immediately ordered a disembarkation to take place, and began to unload the three vessels.

The next morning I examined Chapman’s Island, which would neither answer to settle on, or for a place of confinement for the worst of the convicts. For the former it is too far distant from the mines ; and with respect to the latter they could wade to the mainland at low water ; and even allowing that to be impracticable, the natives would take them across in their canoes. Coal Island will answer much better as a place of confinement, from which it would be impossible to effect their escape; but I trust there will not be any occasion for a place of that description.

An excellent mine has been opened, the strata of which continues a yard six inches thick. This shall be worked in a regular manner, so as to enable us, at a future period, to carry it on in a most extensive manner.

The mines have hitherto been dug by individuals in a most shameful manner. Never have they been at the trouble of leaving proper supports, leaving them to fall in anyway, but until I receive your Excellency’s commands on this head, the chief miner shall take care that this is not done in future.

Fifty more convicts, if sent here, could be worked to great advantage, as I could wish to keep a quantity of cedar and coals always at hand, so as not to detain any Colonial vessel which your Excellency may send here ; and I am well assured, even with the present small military establishment, that they could be managed with the greatest security. Those already here I make work hard, and they perform it in the most cheerful manner. As their legs were getting bad from being ironed I released the greatest part of them, that I might not be deprived of their labor, and as we are always sufficiently upon our guard to counteract any schemes which they may be mad enough to form.

I have directed the provisions to be issued twice a week, so that should they abscond they will have very little to depend upon.

Mr. Bauer will present you with a sketch of this delightful spot, which I have taken the liberty of naming after your Excellency.

The storekeeper, McGuire, and the soldiers are very anxious for their wives and families. They request your Excellency will have the goodness to allow them to embark in the first vessel ; and may I beg to be favored with the names of those who are to be victualled from His Majesty’s stores.

A few guns could be placed to great advantage on a commanding height above the town so as to prevent any vessel, in case of being seized by convicts while up Paterson’s River, from getting out of the harbour.

I have, &c.,
C. A. F. N. MENZIES.

- Lieutenant Menzies to Governor King 19th April 1804 (H.R.N.S.W. Vol 5. pp. 367-368)

 

Early Architects of the Hunter Region

Plan for Newcastle Town Hall Building

We are greatly honoured to host the online digital version of Les Reedman’s landmark work, ‘Early Architects of the Hunter Region: A Hundred Years to 1940′.

This work is an anthology connecting the development of the Hunter Valley with the architects living and practicing architecture within the region. It outlines the early settlement and growth of the valley in which the architectural profession gradually responded to the challenges and opportunities in partial isolation, a hundred miles from big Sydney town.

It tells the story of the architects, how they worked and how they contributed to the life and planning of coal, industrial and rural towns. Their architecture is illustrated and so are some of the drawings needed to present themselves with skill to clients, public and the early building industry.

The study concludes at 1940 before the disruption of WW2. The period covers the evolution of styles from Post‐Colonial to Victorian times to Federation and on to Inter‐War Functionalism, Art Deco and early Modern. This is interesting as the Hunter architects operated as a necessarily local enclave and can be seen as a contained microcosm of the architecture of the period.

DOWNLOAD the FULL COLOUR DIGITAL COPY in PDF Format [38MB] Courtesy of Mr Les Reedman. Digital Processing by Ms Margaret Walker and Kathleen Phelps.

Nobbys (Whibayganba)

Video: NBN News Broadcast 29 October 2008 featuring Mr Gionni Di Gravio (Chair of the University of Newcastle’s Coal River Working Party) and Dene Hawken (Awabakal Descendent) interviewed by Paul Lobb.

Professor John Fryer submitted an application for dual naming for Nobbys/Whibayganba to the Geographical Names Board (GNB) in October 2008. The application was accompanied with a letter of support from the Aboriginal representatives on the Coal River Working Party, the Awabakal Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation. Professor Fryer is Emeritus Professor of Surveying and Photogrammetry at the University of Newcastle. This application was inspired by a recent rediscovery of an original 1828 survey book by surveyor Sir Thomas Mitchell that contains the first recorded mention of Nobbys’ Aboriginal name.

Cartoon courtesy of Peter Lewis and The Newcastle Herald

The original manuscript has been digitised and is freely available to the Newcastle community on the Coal River Working Party’s blog: http://coalriver.wordpress.com/2008/10/23/mitchells-1828-field-book/

At the November meeting of the University’s Coal River Working Party, Professor Fryer informed the Party that he has received acknowledgment thanking him for his application.

The GNB will be in consultation with Newcastle City Council and the local Aboriginal Community, a process which we understand will take a number of years.

We sincerely hope that the Newcastle community will support this application.

Click here for media articles courtesy of the Newcastle Herald [nobbyswhibayganba]

Mitchell’s 1828 Field Book

Newcastle in 1828 from Signal Hill (now Fort Scratchley)

Nobbys or Whibayganba 1828

Newcastle from the Windmill (now Obelisk Hill) (1828)

For the complete Field Books relating to Sir Thomas Mitchell’s Survey’s of Newcastle please see the following items kindly supplied by the State Library of New South Wales.

1828. Mitchell, Sir Thomas Livingstone (1792-1855) Field Book – Port Jackson and Newcastle, 1828 (C 40) 55MB PDF (Courtesy of the State Library of New South Wales)

1828-1830. Mitchell, Sir Thomas Livingstone (1792-1855) Field, Note and Sketch Book, 1828-1830 (C 42) 14MB PDF Database Picman (Courtesy of the State Library of New South Wales)

Emeritus Professor John Fryer is currently working on these Field Books, deciphering the survey readings and we will bring you news as it comes to hand.

Kind Regards,

Gionni Di Gravio
Chair – Coal River Working Party,
University of Newcastle Australia

The Virtual Convict Lumber Yard circa 1840

The Convict Lumber Yard Circa 1840

Many years ago, in the late 1990s I attended a Heritage Seminar Workshop at the University’s Design Studios. One of the presenters (Mr George Drewery) that day handed out CDrom copies of a Virtual Convict Lumber Yard that he created as a 3D Quicktime Movie display. It was a great piece of work and we have been unable contact him.

A couple of days ago I took an enquiry over the phone from a gentlemen wishing to know if there were any paintings or images of the Convict Lumber Yard in existence besides the ones in the landscape panoramas that are distant in their aspect.

I remembered this presentation and so decided to have another look for the Cdrom. Having found it I soon discovered that most of the Cdrom’s contents won’t run on a modern machine anymore, but the mov file still works and so we have uploaded it to the Coal River website in the hope that Mr Drewery the author and creator (or someone that knows him) will get in touch with us.

The Virtual Convict Lumber Yard circa 1840 [An Interactive Presentation by George Drewery c.1990s] prepared as a 360 Quicktime. Be sure to view with the Quicktime Viewer for 360 effect and click on convict arrows for 3D views of Convict Lumber Yard. (11 MB Mov File]

Thanks,

Gionni Di Gravio
University Archivist and Chair – Coal River Working Party

Nobby – Whibayganba first recorded mention 1828

Nobby - Whibayganba 1828

Late yesterday afternoon we received a copy of the Mitchell Field Book that contains the first recorded mention of Nobbys as ‘Whibayganba’. The Mitchell Library reference is:

Mitchell, Thomas, Sir, 1792-1855.
Field Book – Port Jackson & Newcastle, 1828. Includes sketches (Locn No.: C 40 – Request Microfilm CY 1560)

We have seen numerous references to the name in a variety of spellings so it is good to see it in its first documented form and couldn’t resist uploading a scan of the page.

There are two panoramas of Newcastle including the Chinese pagoda building that was part of our light beacon prior to the creation of the Nobbys Lighthouse.

This afternoon I have asked Emeritus Professor Fryer to see whether he (or his colleagues in Surveying) could examine the survey readings for the Newcastle Township and compare them with those of the Armstrong Survey of 1830. This information will also be of interest to art historians wanting to compare the actual perspective readings with the artistic colonial portrayals of the township.

I’ll try to get the Field Book into our online Virtual Source books as soon as possible.

Gionni Di Gravio
University Archivist and Chair – Coal River Working Party
19 September 2008

Historic Online Newspapers

The National Library of Australia has just launched the beta version of its Historic Australian Newspapers, 1803 to 1954. With new titles being added, in time it should emerge as a fantastic resource, unlocking the historical treasures lying within our newsprint archives. The direct link is here:

http://ndpbeta.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/home

Journey to the Centre of Nobbys

The University of Newcastle’s Coal River Working Party have begun the search for the long lost gun powder chambers that secretly lie within the Nobbys Headland.

The following document outlines the story.

1854, July 18th.
New South Wales. Parliament. Legislative Council. Nobby’s Island. Laid upon the Council Table by The Colonial Secretary, and Ordered by the Council to be Printed, 18th July, 1854. Papers relating to the blowing up of Nobby’s Island. [727KB PDF file] Thanks to the New South Wales Parliamentary Archivist.

In February 1853 the original plan was to cut Nobbys down to 65 feet above the high water mark for the erection of the Light house. On the 26 February the Colonial Secretary suggested the proposed work might be expedited with the use of gunpowder. This was enthusiastically received by Lieutenant Colonel Barney and Gother T. Mann who on the  4 March 1853 agreed and embraced the idea of blasting the rock. By April Barney reports that work was underway to drive galleries into the headland for the planting of the explosives for the ‘demolition’ of Nobbys Island. Colonel Barney & Mann had planned three tunnels, and thought they may have needed a fourth.  However, it seems that only two tunnels were actually dug, both to a distance of 24 metres into the island.

This angered the wider Newcastle community who rallied under the leadership of John Bingle to save the Island from destruction. The tunnel excavation was stopped after Newcastle residents protested to the Government.

On what is perhaps the birth of the environmental movement in Newcastle, on the 22 November 1853 they sent a Memorial to His Excellency Sir Charles Fitzroy, the Governor General of the Australian Colonies calling for him to intervene and protect Nobbys Island. Another figure, known simply, as Mr Thorn enters the story, traveling to Sydney and is credited with finally convincing the Governor’s mind.

Colonel Barney was asked to explain, and replied that the Memorialists were under the misconception that they wanted to blow up the Island completely, when in effect they only wanted to remove 60 ft above the high water mark.

This sounds like a simple misunderstanding until we came upon William Keene (Examiner of Coal Mines) Stratigraphic sketch from Nobby’s Island Newcastle to Burwood, showing coal seams and their Order of Superposition. 31 May 1854. Photographed by Bruce Turnbull. Archives Authority Map No. SZ325 (Courtesy State Archives of NSW)

See the Detail 1 Nobbys Island, where he marks at the base of Nobbys the Chambers excavating for blowing up Nobbys’.

The Memorialists had a right to fear the destruction of Nobbys Island. John Dunmore Lang’s 1834 edition of “An Historical and Statistical Account of New South Wales” Volume 2 pp 89-90 says

“Some colonial goth, whose antipathy to interesting natural scenery be a sort of inherent or original sin, has even proposed to level Kobby’s Island altogether, on the plea of its having been repeatedly found guilty of taking the wind out of the sails of vessels entering the harbour. I trust, however, the colonial government will adopt the wiser expedient of erecting a light-house on its elevated summit ; for the island has surely been long enough at a penal settlement, to entitle it to indulge the reasonable hope of escaping decapitation-the last punishment of the law.”

It is interesting to note that Colonel Barney’s offsider in the Nobbys gunpowder plot was a fellow by the interesting name of ‘Gother K. Mann Esq’ Could Lang have been making an oblique reference to this individual? We would also like to thank Ann Hardy (Secretary of the Hunter Branch of the National Trust) and Mr Frank Maxwell for alerting us to the following two newspaper articles below. The second, ‘When Nobbys Was Tunneled’ (from Mr Maxwell) should provide the Coal River Working Party’s archaeological team working on relocating the tunnels with ample information to get their bearings.

When Nobbys was tunneled. [Transcription]

Mr D. Williams, of Bondi, recalled recently an attempt that was made to drive a tunnel under Nobbys – the conspicuous headland at the entrance to the Hunter River.

This is his story – I was for years employed in the Harbours and Rivers Department. At the time I speak of, Mr. Percy Allan was Superintendent of Public Works, and the foreman engineer under him was Mr. John Walker. It was popular talk that tunnels had been driven into Nobbys base. Mr Allan wished to know what they were, and whether they were driven above or below the coal, which is still to be seen in the “outcrop” there and in the hills running along in a southerly direction. I accepted the job to find out, being a practical miner. Armed with a pick and candles, I had little difficulty in entering the tunnel driven from the eastern face of Nobbys. After I “got my eyesight” I proceeded to the face, sounding the roof as I proceeded. On the face of the tunnel there had been inscribed “Lieut. Shortland,” the name of the discoverer of the Coal (Hunter) River. Each side of the tunnel face chamber was constructed. The end of the drive resembled the capital letter T. Ample space was provided to pack explosives and other materials. I had to dig myself into the drive, going into Nobbys from the south. It was almost blocked up at the entrance, but inside it was constructed and finished off just the same as was the other drive from the east. I found that the drives were driven in the same bed of rock, above high-water mark – about 4 ½ ft. high and 5 ft. wide. The drives were damp, but there was no water on the floor of either. I saw no coal. That mined from Nobbys was probably got from a tunnel down on the Newcastle side of the knob.

Newcastle Morning Herald
25 August 1945 p.5
(Article brought to our attention and provided courtesy of Mr. Frank Maxwell)

The tunnels originally excavated in 1853 were still visible at the turn of the 20th century before being buried in debris and rock falls.

The Coal River Working Party’s investigations continue.

Gionni Di Gravio, with corrections and additions by Roslyn Kerr, Geologist.
Chair – Coal River Working Party