 |
Photo by courtesy Mrs M. Morris. |
As work progressed at Byng for the restoration of the Byng Methodist Chapel and with all the contacts made with folk in the district and with the Orange Family History Group, it was becoming evident that some offer of aupport and assistance should be given to varioua aspects of the restoration of the Cadia Mine and Engine House.
The mine had eventually closed completely in the 1920s. The CANSW Webmaster was escorted around the Cadia Mine site by Mrs Margaret Morris whose family links with this site back to the mining era. Many photos were taken at that time but a 1930 photograph of the Cadia site is held by Mrs Morris who provided the photograph on loan to the CANSW for showing on the CANSW Web site.
|
Photo by courtesy Mrs M. Morris. |
The Headframe of the Phillips Shaft is on the extreme left. The Crusher House is just left of centre with the White Engine House alongside. The Chimney is on the extreme right margin of the photograph. Between the Engine House and the Chimney is the Boiler House, probably without a roof.
There were significant connections between the Cornish folk who had lived in Byng and had carried out work at the Cadia Mine. In addition, near Byng village, there had been the Carangara copper mine with a smelter set up by a Smelter Master who was born in Swansea (Wales) and whose parents were both of Cornish origin. His work at the Caranagara smelter was of outstanding quality and was said to rival that of any smelter work carried out in South Australia. When the Cadia Mine was established, he had become the Smelter Master for the ore deriving from that mine. Here was a strong connection between Byng and Cadia. Moreover, as is well known, there were amazingly close connections between Cornish Mine Captains and Smelter Master from Cornwall and Wales in places all around the world, making this story of the Cadia Mine establish a wonderful view of how these close connections would work, even in the days when correspondence and news travelled slowly by ship.
Many people felt strongly that the Cadia site was of considerable heritage value and steps were taken in 1989 to determine its cultural as well as its heritage significance. An archaeological report of 80 pages was prepared by South Australian consultants, J.P. McCarthy and J.E. Connell, for the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and presented in June 1989. During one of his visits to Adelaide on other energy matters, the CANSW Webmaster (Dr John Symonds) met with the Head of the SA Department of Mines and Energy, Mr R.K. Johns, to discuss the worth of the possible restoration of the Cadia Engine House and other component parts. Mr Johns had an intimate knowledge of the restoration of Cornish engine houses in South Australia and the advice he had received from former members of his staff rated the Cadia Mine and Engine House highly in heritage significance. He arranged for a meeting with Mr Connell who held copies of the consultant report. Reporting the discussions back to the CANSW members, it was made clear that the heritage value of the remains of the Cadia Engine House and other components was of such importance that the Association should give as much assistance as possible to the operations.
The Cornish Association of NSW, knowing the deep involvement of Cornish people in the mine, began an active interest in 1991 in the stabilisation and repairs, assisting with representations to the Heritage Council for funding and a review of the work which had to be done. During the second half of 1993, local people with the assistance of the Orange Rotary Club and Newcrest Mining began a study of what was needed to rebuild the engine house and repair the chimney to a stage where the principal areas of decay had been replaced and sealed against the weather and a roof placed over the building. Newcrest Mining gave approval for the operations to proceed about the beginning of December 1993.
The archaeological investigation undertaken by the consultants on behalf of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy was of a non-disturbing nature with no excavation work. They had had a wide involvement in similar work at South Australian mine sites. Nevertheless, the high level of integrity of the surviving structural elements and the physical evidence of the layout of the mine were of great significance when combined with the presence of unique components of the engine and crushing machinery.
Supported by a manufacturer's original drawing of the engine and engine house, the consultants considered that the site was one of the most important of its kind in Australia. Their overall finding was that the Cadia engine house, associated buildings and surrounding mine infrastructure constituted a historic site of national significance.
The importance of the manufacturer's original 1859 drawing of the engine and engine house was enhanced by the fact that no original drawing of any other Cornish engine or engine house erected in Australia was known to exist. You can call up the drawing but be warned that the file size is about 220 kb.
It was unfortunate that, in WWII, the engine was broken up to salvage cast iron and brass. In the process of removing heavy material, various components and stonework were seriously damaged by blasting operations. However, wrought iron and mild steel parts were of little scrap value and this resulted in the shafts, piston rod and connecting rod remaining. These components and others, such as the brake blocks, pump plunger and gland, made it possible for the consultants, aided by the original drawing, to build up a quite detailed picture of the engine and all the accessories.
They laid out many drawings in their report showing the arrangement of the engine house, the coupling of the engine to the Phillips Shaft with its flatrod assembly, the hauling and pumping systems, crankshaft design, connecting rod and strap, brake blocks, piston rod, cap and gland, the force pump plunger and gland, and the boiler.
Fortunately two parts of the boiler remain. One end plate, probably the front, lies on the ground at the rear of the engine house. The outer shell of the boiler from which the ends and furnace flue have been cut serves as a culvert under the road near the southern gate of the property. It was possible from these items to write an almost complete specification for the boiler. It was a large one as the dimensions above indicate and has many features not common to those known in South Australia.
The mechanical remains of the engine, drive and brake mechanisms, the pump and crushing machinery constitute a unique resource within the history of the Australian mining industry. The consultants recommended that these parts should be conserved and preferably retained at the site.
It was urged that stabilisation and repairs should be carried out as soon as possible before further damage occurred. Local groups and interested people, the Cornish Association of NSW and the Heritage Council worked together to make it possible to undertake the steps advocated, with the vital support of the Newcrest Mining Company.
After the consultants' survey, what they had feared would occur and did happen. The Engine House was further damaged in a violent storm during which there were lightning strikes and a willy-willy (whirlwind). Stonework was dislodged from the top of wall and some of the timbers including the remaining spring beams which had been protruding from the building were broken off. The Chimney had been in reasonable condition with some cracks and other damage from salvage crew operations. However, it was struck by lightning and pieces were broken out from the top of the chimney.
By June 1994, the general structure had been repaired and the roof was in place.
The chimney had been stabilised with reconstruction of the damaged stonework and mortar completed. Overall the work cost in the vicinity of A$50,000, half of which was provided by the Federal Government and half by the Newcrest Mining Company as an exercise in good will and public relations.
It is hoped that the area will become a public reserve; a memorial to the miners who opened the mine and kept it going from the 1860s to the 1920s. It is proposed to erect monuments to those that lived, died and were buried in the mining settlement, many of them Cornish. A part of the heritage development is that the Engine House could have a number of future uses such as an observation tower for visitors to view the new Newcrest workings, and a possible Mining or Geological Museum.
At the meeting between the Cornish Association of NSW members and those of the Orange Family History Group and the Orange District Historical Society, there were many exchanges of information and the viewing of photographs. It became possible to borrow several old photographs of Cadia village and the Cadia Copper Mine. It appears that they were taken in the 1880s or thereabouts. We add them here to indicate how important it is to investigate the sources of and retain the old photographs which are of considerable historical significance. Whoever was the photographer, the quality of the shots indicates how much care was taken in their production. Each is marked with the location but regrettably there is no indication of a date.
 A view of the village of Cadia |
 The main street in Cadia |
 A wide angle view of Cadia Copper Mine |
 A closer view of the Cadia Copper Mine |
The discussions between the CANSW members and the two Orange Groups provided such a wealth of background to the work at the mine and its associated smelter, together with the way the Cadia village grew with an increasing population of many ages. that the CANSW Webmaster considered how this might be put together for a historical revalation of those involved. At a later date, Newcrest Mining began expanding its mining activities to such an extent that it was likely to extend over the area where the Cadia Cemetery existed. The extension of the Cadia history story started another phase of the CANSW studies. The unravelling of the story of the mine and its people began again at this point in time. You will find the wide ranging story, set out in the pages which follow under the menu heading Cadia History. All those pages are presented in Adobe PDF format which requires an Adobe Reader.
