Real Estate Riot

Navigating the real estate market today can be a battle, but it’s unlikely to be as dangerous as the New Lambton land sale of 1886.  The colliery in this area was established in 1868, with land leased to miners rather than sold outright. After the mine closed, the owners planned a 474-lot subdivision, to be auctioned on-site on 27 February 1886. To entice bidders, a free special train from Newcastle was laid on, and lunch was to be provided. Things did not go well. The Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate reported:

One of the most disorderly scenes ever witnessed in the county occurred at New Lambton on Saturday, when Mr. J. C. Bonarius, the well-known and popular auctioneer, endeavoured to sell the property known as the New Lambton Estate. This land has been occupied for the past 16 or 17 years by tenants who have erected houses, and having lived so long on the land, resent any attempt to dispossess them. Accordingly, as soon as the train arrived, it was met by a hooting, roaring crowd, composed of the old leaseholders shouting, “They’re going to sell the roof over our heads!” On the sale being commenced, by their howling and groaning and making ridiculously small bids, they endeavoured to block the proceedings. The crowd then broke into the luncheon tent, seized the provisions and liquors, and threw the furniture outside. Five different messengers were despatched for the police, but none could be found, they all being away at the Wallsend races. The meeting had become a complete riotous display, and a number of intending buyers were intimidated and threatened. Mr. Bonarius had nothing left but to withdraw the sale.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 1 March 1886.

In the aftermath of the riot another on-site auction was not attempted. Instead, a month later Mr Bonarius held an auction in the Victoria Theatre in Newcastle – this time without food, without alcohol, and without incident.

A poster advertising the New Lambton Estate subdivision sale in 1886, which curiously has a completely different set of street names to those we know today. State Library of NSW.
What might have been – Pitt St and Horsfield St in New Lambton, now Portland St and Regent St. (Image digitally altered.)

The article above was first published in the March 2023 edition of The Local.


Additional Information

The original land sale was heavily promoted by J C Bonarius in the lead up to the on-site auction, with multiple large advertisements in the newspaper. The proprietor of the newspaper also got on board, with more than one editorial ‘puff piece’ praising the impending land sale in glowing terms such as “fine subdivision”, “best land”, “beautiful building sites”, “a more lovely spot is not to be found”, “the beauties of New Lambton Heights are far beyond description”, and “this little paradise”.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 23 January 1886.

On the Monday after the attempted land sale, the Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate had a lengthy report on the disturbance. Because of its sensational nature, the story was reproduced in dozens of other newspapers across the country.

For reasons of space, the newspaper report I quoted in the article published in The Local was a much condensed version of the original, which appears in full below.

RIOT AT LAMBTON.
The Mob Block a Land Sale.
Disgraceful Proceedings.

ONE of the most disorderly scenes ever witnessed in the county of Northumberland occurred at New Lambton on Saturday last, when, pursuant to advertisement, Mr. J. C. Bonarius, the well-known and popular auctioneer, endeavoured to sell the property known as the New Lambton Estate. The special train, which left here at noon, conveyed a large number of intending purchasers from Newcastle, and there were numerous visitors from Sydney, Maitland, and elsewhere.

It appears that this property has been occupied for the past 16 or 17 years by a number of tenants who have erected houses thereon, and who originally held leases of 14 years, which have expired, two or three years since, through effluxion of time. Hence, having lived so long on the land, the occupiers came to regard it as their own, and were prepared to resent any attempt to dispossess them of what they, from force of habit, had led themselves to believe to be their birth-right, forgetting that since the expiration of their leases they had been permitted to remain on the land on sufferance rent free.

Accordingly, as soon as the train arrived, it was met by a hooting, roaring crowd, composed of the old leaseholders and their patizans, and a number of those who are always in their glory when there is a prospect of a row, shouting “They’re going to sell the roof over our heads !” Taking no notice, the party proceeded to partake of luncheon in a tent prepared for the occasion. During this time the larrikin element began to manifest itself in various way, and Mr. Bonarius, the auctioneer, addressed the crowd, which number in all about 700 persons, asking them in the most persuasive terms to keep quiet; but without avail. On the sale being commenced, it was evident that a concerted plan had been adopted by the old leaseholders to block it. Drafts of them were distributed here and there among the mob, and by their howling and groaning and making ridiculously small bids, they endeavoured to achieve this object. The crowd then broke into the [lunch] tent and took whatever they could lay their hands on, seized the provisions and liquors and threw the articles of furniture outside. The Hon. G. R. Dibbs, Colonial Secretary, who was present, remonstrated with them, asking them to conduct themselves like men, but they took no heed, and Mr. Dibbs and a number of gentlemen had to withdraw to save themselves from violence. Mr. Bonarius and his son were also threatened, and the attendants in charge of the luncheon paraphernalia beaten and ill-used. Five different messengers were despatched for the police, but none could be found, they all being away at the Wallsend races – which fact the mobs well knew. The meeting had now become a complete riotous display; the auctioneer’s voice was inaudible amidst the babel of tongues, and a number of intending buyers who were present were intimidated from bidding, as the rioters threatened them with ill-treatment if they did so. Mr. Bonarius had nothing left but to withdraw the sale, on which announcement being made, the mob set up cheer after cheer that could be heard a mile off. Lots 1 and 2, section B, on the crown of the hill, were sold at £2 per foot, while a few blocks lower down realised from 15s to £1 per foot.

It may be mentioned that last week Mr. Bonarius valued the allotments, informing their occupants that he would not sell the lots on which houses were built if the tenants were willing to pay the same for them as the adjoining allotment fetched. All except three were satisfied with his valuation, from which the proprietors were willing to knock off 50 per cent., and also to give two large allotments to each of the churches for the erection of their respective places of worship, and two allotments for a Mechanics’ Institute.

We understand that Police Court action is to be taken against the ringleaders.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 1 March 1886.

A fortnight later, one of the leaseholders on the New Lambton estate wrote a letter to the editor, giving quite a different explanation of the disturbance.

Sir, – Seeing an account in your paper of Monday, March 1st, wherein one of the most disorderly scenes ever witnessed in the county of Northumberland occurred at New Lambton, there being so many misstatement I deem it my duty to correct. First, the train arrived at New Lambton with 25 passengers, including vendors, auctioneers, and others. True, Sir, we have lived on the estate for 16 or 17 years, and have held leases for 14 years, but after that term expired we went on the same as before, paying our 30s a year for each allotment. As our original leases stated we had the right of renewal, and the proprietors have held out promises to renew it, so you will see, Sir, we have not, been living there rent free.
Next, the train arrived and was “met by a hooting, roaring crowd, composed ofleaseholders, &c.” We give our most emphatic denial to this. The people got out of the train and were never molested. After arriving on the top of the hill and partaking of luncheon provided by the auctioneer, some of the liquid portion was not long before it commenced to operate on the larrikin element, which had come from all parts of the district; and I have no doubt that they did misbehave themselves, and for this we blame other people, and not the tenants of the New Lambton Estate. As for 700 people being there, I think if the writer had said 70 it would have been nearer the mark.
Now, Sir, I say we had no concerted plan adopted to block the sale, but it was the auctioneer who ran the land up to such an exorbitant price that the leaseholders knew they had no chance to buy the small piece of land their houses stood on, which was believed not to be a bona fide bid after all.
The Hon. G. R. Dibbs was also present, and remonstrated with children and larrikins for their bad behaviour.
Now, Sir, if I were the father of one of those children who got intoxicated I would most undoubtedly have seen further into it. As for Mr. Dibbs and other gentlemen having to withdraw to save themselves from violence, they did not leave until after the sale was closed. Also as to Mr. Bonarius and his son being threatened and the attendants in charge of the luncheon paraphernalia beaten and ill used, we know of no one being ill used; but this we know, a young man stood on the counter, with a bottle of porter in his hand, threatening to knock down the first man that touched anything, but he was besieged by the larrikins and the bottle taken from him. And as for the police, I think it was the man’s fault who brought so much liquor. He should have seen that it was properly protected.
Next comes: “Mr. Bonarius’s voice being inaudible with the babel of tongues.” This noise proceeded from the larrikin element, who were by this time intoxicated and quarrelling among themselves. The “intending buyers being intimidated by the leaseholders” we deny in toto. As for cheering taking place after the sale was closed, we heard none, and if there had been we would have heard it.
True, Sir, lots Nos. 1 and 2 on the top of the hill were knocked down at £2 per foot, that being the only legitimate sale that took place that day, the others being a farce. It is true Mr. Bonarius was up last week and valued the houses on the allotments, not the allotments, Sir, and for which we had agreed to pay 50 per cent. of the said valuation, provided we became purchasers of the land, for which we had to pay the same as the next allotment to us brought.
Hoping you will pardon me for trespassing,-I am, &c., ONE OF THE NEW LAMBTON TENANTS.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 13 March 1886

Some of this letter stretches credulity to breaking point, as the writer successively blames the riot on …

  • “the larrikin element, which had come from all parts of the district”
  • “other people”
  • “the auctioneer who ran the land up to such an exorbitant price”
  • “children and larrikins”
  • “children who got intoxicated”
  • “the man’s fault who brought so much liquor”

… while all the time denying that the leaseholders, who clearly had the most to gain from blocking the sale, bore any responsibility at all.

The truth probably lies somewhere between the Herald’s sensationalistic report of 1 March 1886 and the leaseholder’s exculpatory letter of 13 March 1886. However it is clear that whatever occurred on Saturday 27 February 1886, it was sufficiently disruptive to cause the abandonment of the sale after only 2 lots had been auctioned.

The 1886 subdivision map

One of the important aspects of the 1886 subdivision map is that it shows which lots were leased and to whom they were leased. For example, in Sections D and G we see leases to Lunn (James Lunn of the Hand of Friendship Hotel), Sneddan, Horsfield, and Butterworth (Abraham Butterworth of the Duke of Wellington Hotel.)

The whole map shows leases to: Allanby, Banks, Bart, Beveridge, Boberly, Buckley, Bunn, Butterworth, Chinchin, Cummin, Davis, Dover, Gould, Hincks, Hitchcock, Horsfield, Hyde, Jeffries, Johnston formerly Strange, Jones, Kelly, Lewis, Limn, Lucas, Lunn, M. John, Marchant, Mogg, Morgan, Musgrove, Pellew, Peterson, Police, Price, Pritchard, Ray, Reece, S. Williams, Sager, Saunders, Sneddan, Solway, Thomas, Wesleyan Church, Williams, Wilson, Winspear.

Lots 1 to 4 of Section G are shown as leased by “Sneddan”, a rather mercurial name with various other documents and newspaper articles spelling the name “Snedden”, “Sneddon”, and even “Snedding”. Mr Thomas Sneddon was a long-time resident and well known gardener and florist in New Lambton. A number of editorial puff pieces leading up to the February 1886 land sale made reference to his garden.

  • 20 January 1886 – “A correspondent writes that having had occasion to transact business at Wallsend the other day, he started from Newcastle in a bus, and when near New Lambton a gentleman induced him to get out and visit Snedding Garden at New Lambton. To his utter astonishment he saw one of the prettiest gardens outside of Sydney. The whole place was a living mass of flowers of all kinds and colours, and the fernery was beautiful, some of the choicest kinds being New South Wales ferns.”
  • 30 January 1886 – “The paragraph which appeared in your paper last week, referring to Snedding Garden, or this estate, and to the site equalling for scenery anything in this part of New South Wales, led me to take a journey to this northern paradise, and to my astonishment I was well paid for my labour. The ‘bus dropped me at the railway bridge, and I made my way to the gardens, which are really beautiful. Flowers and ferns are herein abundance, and to give you the names of them would take me too long, but the wonder to me was how they grow here in the open air in such splendour. I was informed the soil was very rich, and with a little trouble anything thing will grow at New Lambton Heights.”
  • 20 February 1886 – “I visited some of the houses, and fortunately happened to drop into Mr. Sneddon’s garden. I was very glad of this, as I had read an account of this garden, and really was paid for my trouble. I was here surrounded by all the colours of the rainbow, and was not long in procuring a lovely bunch of flowers that really would have done credit to Covent Garden in the old country. The camelia bushes are just breaking out with their lovely new leaves, and when the season arrives New Lambton Heights will be able to show camelias with any part of New South Wales.”

Thomas Sneddon resided in New Lambton until his death in 1927, aged 83. His obituary described the fame of his garden.

Mr Thomas Sneddon who died last week at his home, cnr Cromwell and Victoria streets, was one of the oldest residents of New Lambton. He was known throughout the Newcastle and Maitland districts as a keen horticulturist, and his gardens proved a strong attraction. In past years, during the days of the old wind jammers, they were the rendezvous of ship captains and other visitors. Mr. Sneddon was born at Cockpen, county of Edinburgh in 1844. He came to New Lambton in 1879, when the township was but a scrub, and lived there till his death at the age of 83. As a flower exhibitor he won many prizes at various shows, and in certain classes he invariably swept the board. He had also acted as judge on many occasions. In his early years at New Lambton he conducted a grocery business on the corner of Regent and Victoria streets, eventually selling out, and taking up the florist business, which he conducted (with the aid of his family) to the present.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 13 April 1927.

1886 street names

1886 Street NameProbably named afterPresent Street Name
Bonarius StJohn Charles Bonarius, auctioneerCarrington Pde
Brown StAlexander Brown, proprietor of New Lambton Coal CompanyCromwell St
Brummy StRussell Rd
Coal StFleet St
Dibbs StG.R. Dibbs, colonial secretary and part owner of the New Lambton Estate land.Evescourt Rd
Griffin StVictoria St
Hill StQueens Rd
Mitchell StJames Mitchell, former owner of a 128 acre parcel of land whose northern border is on the line of Mitchell St.Henley St
Pitt StPortland Pl
Horsfield StThomas Horsfield, former manager of the New Lambton colliery.Regent St
Short StBaker St/Curzon Rd
Soudan StAddison Rd
Thomas StJames Thomas, manager of New Lambton colliery.Oxford St
William StHigh St
Young StSt James Rd

There are scant references to the original street names in the newspaper …

  • Griffin St is mentioned in 1875 and in an 1879 reference to the Duckenfield Hotel.
  • Horsfield St is mentioned in reference to the Duke of Wellington Hotel – Abraham Butterworth licensee in 1878, and Thomas Pringle licensee in 1879.

I have found no information as to why the original street names was abandoned, and a new set of names adopted. The modern street names first started appearing in newspaper reports in 1889, the year that New Lambton municipal council was formed.

Curiously, the part of New Lambton north of Russell Rd also originally had a set of street names different from the current names, although in this case we know this was due to an administrative bungle.

The ‘missing’ lot

The map promotes the subdivision as “containing 474 blocks of land”.

The subdivision contains 25 sections, labelled ‘A’ to ‘Z’ (omitting section ‘I’), with each block of land labelled with a number. On tabulating the numbered lots in each section, I initially came up with a total of only 473 lots. I eventually found what I think is the answer to this discrepancy, where in Section S lot 22 is divided in half and leased to two different persons.

Later land titles show the southern half of this block labelled as Lot 22A.

The 1901 Sale

Fifteen years after the aborted on-site auction of 1886, the proprietors felt brave enough to attempt another on-site auction of the remaining lots, on Saturday 20 April 1901. I have no explanation of why the advertisement says there are 325 allotments available while the poster map shows only 312 lots for sale.

Advertisement for 20 April 1901 auction sale of New Lambton Estate. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 20 April 1901.
Subdivision map for 20 April 1901 auction sale of New Lambton Estate. National Library of Australia.

1913 Subdivision Map

The University of Newcastle Living Histories site has another subdivision map of New Lambton, which has no date information on the map.

New Lambton Subdivision map, 1913. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.

The map only has 213 lots that are not marked as sold, so is clearly after 1901 when there were more than 300 lots for sale. Inspecting the land sales on Vol-Fol 1865-121, pages 6 and 7 shows that Lot 9 Section F sold on 15 April 1913 and is marked as sold on the above map. The next entry on Vol-Fol 1865-121, Lot 15 Section J sold on 19 June 1913 and is NOT marked as sold on the map. All subsequent entries on Vol-Fol 1865-121 are likewise not shown as sold on the map, thus dating it to mid 1913.

There does not appear to have been a big advertised sale of land in New Lambton in 1913 associated with this map, however a 9 September 1913 article refers to progress in constructing the “Eves Court” bridge and notes that …

The bridge will have the effect of opening up a considerable portion of land on what is generally termed “The Second Hill,” to the right of Orchardtown, and this land will probably be the second subdivision of the New Lambton Coal Company.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 9 September 1913.

The bridge was of sufficient importance to the New Lambton Company in their real estate ambitions, that they contributed £115 of the eventual £234 construction cost. It is probable that the 1913 subdivision map was produced to facilitate and promote land sales expected to arise from the construction of the Evescourt Rd bridge. A social function to celebrate the opening of the bridge was held at Butterworth’s hotel on 13 December 1913.

Newspaper articles

Article Date Event DateNotes
20 Jan 1886Editorial 'puff piece' promoting the upcoming New Lambton Estate land sale.
23 Jan 1886Lengthy advertisement for New Lambton Estate land sale.
30 Jan 1886Editorial 'puff piece' promoting the upcoming New Lambton Estate land sale.
13 Feb 1886"Mr. W. H. Bonney has just completed a plan for Messrs. Hodgkinson and Wilkinson, of Newcastle and Maitland, which does him great credit. The plan is 11 feet, long, by 5 feet wide and shows all the blocks of land - 474 building sites, at New Lambton - which are to be sold on the 27th instant by Mr. J. C. Bonarius, auctioneer. The colouring is very good, and the plan altogether is one of the neatest we have seen. It is to be on view at the Borough Markets."
20 Feb 1886Editorial 'puff piece' promoting the upcoming New Lambton Estate land sale.
1 Mar 1886
27 Feb 1886
Report on the riot at the New Lambton Estate land sale.
2 Mar 1886Letter to the editor countering the misapprehension that it was the striking miners at Lambton colliery who had rioted.
13 Mar 1886Letter from one of the leaseholders, refuting a number of claims made in the newspaper report of 1 March 1886.
20 Mar 1886
27 Mar 1886
Advertisement for sale of land to be held in Victoria Theatre.
26 Mar 1886
27 Mar 1886
"Attention is drawn to the great land sale of "The heights of New 'Lambton," which is to be held in the Victoria Theatre to-morrow at 12 o'clock. Mr. J. C. Bonarius is the auctioneer. The property consists of over 158 acres of freehold land, subdivided into lots to suit all classes. As it is within a quarter of an hour's drive of the city, and adjoins the proposed tramway, it is most conveniently situated. Healthy and elevated, this most valuable subdivision should meet with keen competition."
25 Aug 1886"Purchasers of allotments of land on the New Lambton Estate are reminded that promissory notes for the second payment, due on 1st September next, are payable at the Commercial Bank, Newcastle."
20 Apr 1901Advertisement for sale of 325 lots of the New Lambton subdivision, to "take place on the ground adjoining Doritty's Sportsmen's Arms Hotel."

Lost names – “White Gates”

The localities we live in all have names. As new suburbs are built new names arrive, but we are usually unaware of those that have disappeared from our city. “White Gates” for example, formerly described three different locations in Newcastle, each associated with a railway.

  1. In 1857 the Governor General opened the Hunter River Railway, which ran from Newcastle to East Maitland. Two miles from Newcastle station the line crossed the Maitland road, and with the erection of a barrier there, by 1864 the location was known as the “White Gates”. It did not last long, for with increasing rail traffic due to coal cartage, in 1876 the government constructed an overhead road bridge, and the name disappeared.
  2. In 1863 the Waratah Coal Company opened a branch line from the Great Northern Railway to their coal workings near Braye Park.  In 1871 Lambton and Waratah councils were deciding what should be the principal road between their municipalities. One option was where Kahibah and Bindera Roads currently run, and the spot where this route went over the colliery railway was referred to as the “White Gates” crossing. The colliery closed in 1876, passenger trains ceased in 1887, and with the railway no longer in use the name disappeared.
  3. In 1861 the Wallsend Coal Company opened a rail line to their colliery. In 1875 the newspaper reported an accident on the Wallsend line “near the White Gates, about 300 yards from the Co?operative junction.” In 1887 the Newcastle to Wallsend tramway opened, and by 1903 there was a White Gates tram stop where Douglas St crossed the rail and tram lines. In 1944 the Housing Commission resumed 35 acres of land south of the tram stop and built 150 homes for the “White Gates” estate. This eventually morphed into just “Whitegates”, a title that has all but disappeared, with only a public reserve and adjacent apartment block bearing that name today.
Whitegates Reserve in Wallsend, a remnant marker of one of three locations in Newcastle formerly known as “White Gates”. OpenStreetMap.
Map from a 1939 real estate poster, showing the White Gates tram stop at Douglas St, Wallsend. National Library of Australia.

The article above was first published in the February 2025 edition of The Local.


Additional Information

There were three locations in Newcastle that at various times had the name “White Gates”, each being a place where a road crossed a rail line.

Location Years mentioned in Trove Notes
Newcastle West/Wickham 1864 to 1876 Rail line opened 1857.
Overhead road bridge constructed 1876.
Lambton/Waratah 1871 to 1880 Rail line opened 1863.
Colliery closed 1876.
Passenger train service ceased 1887.
Wallsend 1875 to 1995 Rail line operated 1861 to 1953.
Tram line operated 1887 to 1949.
The three locations in Newcastle that at various times had the name “White Gates”. Wallsend still has an open space named “Whitegates Reserve”.

1. Newcastle West/Wickham

The location of the “White Gates” crossing at Wickham/Newcastle West, where a bridge now takes Maitland Rd over the rail line.
Article Date Event DateNotes
31 Mar 1857
30 Mar 1857
Opening of the Hunter River Railway between Newcastle and East Maitland.
9 Aug 1864"The double line of rail has already been completed between the Wallsend and Waratah junctions … The work of laying the remaining portion is progressing as rapidly as circumstances will permit, and the operation has proceeded as far as to the east side of the white gate, better known as the Maitland road crossing, near Newcastle."
17 Jun 1868"Our readers will recollect, that a few months since, a number of allotments of Crown land lying near the Great Northern Railway line, between Mr. McPhail's house at Honeysuckle Point and the White Gates, on the Maitland road, were sold by auction, at the Court-house, and purchased by various persons living in and near Newcastle. On the plan of this land, as exhibited at the sale, there appeared a railway crossing, which the purchasers expected would be given, especially as access to the ground could hardly be had in any other way than by this crossing."
24 Jun 1868"White Gates" mentioned as one of the points on the boundary of a proposed municipal district to the west of Newcastle, incorporating the colliery townships.
20 Oct 1870"On Friday, a very large iguana, measuring near upon four feet, was killed by Mr C H Hannell in his garden near the White Gates, at the Railway Crossing."
27 Jan 1872For sale: "SIX BEAUTIFUL BUILDING ALLOTMENTS situated in front of the Wesleyan Burial Ground, near the White Gates, Maitland-road."
29 Jun 1872"A new railway platform has been opened at Hamilton, a short distance beyond the "white gates", and about two miles from the Newcastle terminus."
20 Jun 1874"We understand that, in reply to an application from the Wickham Council, some time since, the Government have declined to construct the crossing at the White Gates in a line with the main Maitland road. It is their intention to erect a high level bridge over the railway, as the future shunting of carriages and the weighing of coal will retard the passenger traffic too much; it is also their intention to bring in the new line of rails from the dyke at Bullock Island, and connect them with the main line on the Newcastle side of the White Gates."
4 Jan 1876"The junction of the Bullock Island Railway with the Great Northern Railway is at a place known as the White Gates, a mile and half or two miles from Newcastle ... At the junction of this extension with the main line there has hitherto been a crossing-place through railway gates, but as the traffic on this part of the railway will before long be very great, an overline bridge has been built for the traffic across the railway, and the gates will be closed. The bridge is constructed of brick and iron, there being something like a quarter of a million bricks, and forty tons of iron in it. The iron girders were made by P. N. Russell and Co. About twenty thousand cubic yards of earthwork taken from the sandhills at Newcastle have been used in the construction of the bridge and its approaches, and the work will be completed, it is believed, in about a fortnight."

2. Lambton

The location of the “White Gates” crossing in Lambton, at the intersection of Griffiths Rd and Kahibah Rd
1873 Waratah Coal Company map, showing where the Lambton to Waratah road crossed the colliery railway. National Library of Australia.
Newcastle Parish map, with location of Betty Bunn’s crossing marked in blue, and the White Gates crossing marked in red. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.
Article Date Event DateNotes
26 Sep 1863Waratah Coal Company railway to be opened “next week”.
18 May 1871At the Waratah Council meeting, a motion "for the repairing of the road between the Railway Station and Lambton. Alderman Kerr wanted to know where this road was, and was informed that it crossed the Waratah Company's line at the White Gates, near the small coal heap."
23 Sep 1871Mention of White Gates at a Lambton Council meeting. This reference is significant because it clearly establishes that the white gates were NOT at Betty Bunn's crossing (bottom end of Acacia St today), but lower down the rail line. "In reference to the line of road to be surveyed and proclaimed between Lambton and the Waratah railway station, stating that the conference had met, when two lines were proposed, one crossing the Waratah Coal Company's railway where it meets the boundary of the two municipalities at the place known as Betty Bunn's crossing ; the other at the company's white gates, or lower crossing, the latter being adopted by the conference."
26 Sep 1871Lambton Council meeting refers to a "sketch of a main road through the municipality, commencing at the crossing-place on the Waratah Coal Co.'s railway at the white gates at the east of the old tunnels."
20 Jan 1872
16 Jan 1872
Public meeting regarding upcoming Lambton council election … "Then they had had trouble about which should be the road from Waratah to Lambton, and a conference, at which most of the principal persons differed in opinion ; he himself was confident that the lower road, or that by the White Gates crossing was by far the best for both townships, as it could be made more cheaply, and would be a better road. They had adopted the top road, and it was not likely that Waratah would do their part of it for a long time to come. If they did make a bridge over Betty Bunn's Creek, it would not be used much."
27 Jan 1872
23 Jan 1872
Accident on the rail line near the White Gates … "His father's residence is close to the White Gate, or lower crossing of the Waratah and Lambton road, at the lower end of Griffiths' Flat, and when the train was a little beyond this, and approaching the other, or Bunn's crossing …"
6 Jul 1872In a discussion at Lambton Council about a possible change in municipal boundaries … "Lambton should get the piece of railroad from the New Tunnels to the Junction at the White Gate Crossing."
7 Aug 1873The White Gates is mentioned in the satirical poem "Lambton Bleatings".
30 Jan 1875"The crossing place at the creek near the Waratah Company's white gates crossing has also been made much better by the erection of a bridge."
15 May 1876"I beg to call the attention of our Council to the dangerous state of the bridge across the creek on Griffith's Flat, below the White Gates Crossing."
17 May 1877Suggested site of a new cemetery near the white gates … "After a careful examination of the ground it was resolved to recommend to the Government the advisability of granting that portion running parallel with the Waratah Company's railway, commencing at the white gates, and running twenty chains down the line with a width of six chains."
16 Aug 1878
12 Aug 1878
"On Monday last, a child belonging to Mr. Richard Hughes, gate keeper at the White Gate Crossing on the Waratah Company's railway, had a most miraculous escape from death."
19 Mar 1880Last mention in Trove of White Gates in Lambton - at a Lambton Council meeting "Alderman BEVERIDGE called attention to the state of the road from the white gates crossing."

3. Wallsend

The location of the “White Gates” crossing in Wallsend. The shared pedestrian and cycling path follows the route of the former Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company railway.
1927 Wallsend map showing “White Gates” marked near the west end of Wilkinson Ave. State Library of NSW.
Map of the tramways of Newcastle in 1938, showing White Gates to the east of the Co-Operative Junction. Sydney Tramways Museum.
A street directory map (date unknown) shows the location of the “White Gate” tram stop.
Hexham Parish map showing 35 acres of land resumed by Housing Commission for the Whitegates housing estate. Historical Land Records Viewer.
Whitegates Reserve in Wallsend is one of the few reminders of the original name of this housing estate. SIX Maps
An apartment block in Wallsend adjacent to Whitegates Reserve also bears the name “Whitegates”.
Article Date Event DateNotes
19 Jan 1861Report on the completion of the Wallsend Coal Company railway.
3 Apr 1875
31 Mar 1875
First mention of White Gates at Wallsend. "On Wednesday afternoon last one of the most painful and lamentable accidents that it has ever been our lot to witness occurred on the Wallsend line, near the White Gates, about 300 yards from the Co-operative junction."
2 Jun 1875"For Sale, A LEASEHOLD OF FIVE ACRES OF LAND, on which is built a Substantial House, with a Large Garden, well trenched, and planted with Fruit Trees and Grape Vines; also, Good Tank of Water, and the whole securely fenced in. The above is situated at Blue Gum Flat, near the White Gates. For particulars apply to JOHN EVANS."
24 Sep 1896Deputation to Railway Commissioners call for a tram stopping place “at the white gates”.
27 Aug 1903Wallsend Council meeting … "Improvements at the road leading towards the White Gate tram stopping place were recommended."
14 May 1908Wallsend Council meeting referred to "the necessity of a waiting shed being erected at the white gates on the tramline."
23 Jul 1908Wallsend Council meeting motion to "urge the necessity of having the white gates fixed as a regular stopping place for the trams."
25 May 1917"The clerk also reported that Mr. Munro, of the Tramway Department, proposed altering the name of the stopping place known as the White Gates. The report was adopted, and it was decided that the name "White Gates" remain as previously."
25 Mar 1925"The duplication of the [tram] line has now reached as far as the White Gates."
23 Dec 1925"Along the portion of the line between the stop known as the White Gates and the stopping place for Wallsend Hospital, a difficulty presented itself to the authorities. There the tram line ran parallel with, and in close proximity to, the Newcastle Wallsend Coal Company's railway, which was higher than the tram line."
12 Dec 1936"From Wallsend-Borehole collieries loading yards, the train had passed the White Gates level crossing and was ascending the long rise which continues above the Heaton-Birmingham Gardens crossing, when a number of trucks with the brake-van stopped and then began to run back down the grade."
22 Jan 1940
20 Jan 1940
"The station officer of Wallsend branch of Newcastle Ambulance (Mr. W. Lowe) found Darrell Davis, 25, of Douglass street, White Gates, Wallsend, in a state of collape in the cutting of the Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company's branch railway, above the Heaton-Birmingham Gardens' level crossing on Saturday."
12 Nov 1941Passing of the Housing Bill that established the NSW Housing Commission.
5 May 1944Acquisition by Housing Commission of 35 acres of land at Wallsend for the Whitegates estate.
8 Jul 1944"Men have been putting in allotment pegs, and I understand bricks and timber have been ordered," said Ald. McGrath, referring to a start on the Housing Commission's homes at Wallsend, on an area adjacent to Birmingham Gardens. He added that the Government had gazetted the taking over of the land. On the suggestion of Ald. McGrath, it was decided to send another letter to the council asking that a tramway shelter shed be provided at White Gates.
22 Jul 1946
21 Jul 1946
Formation of the White Gates Welfare Association.
28 Nov 1947
19 Dec 1947

The Minister for Housing (Mr. Evatt) would unveil a commemorative stone at the Housing Commission's project at Wallsend on Friday, December 19, at 2 p.m., Whitegates Welfare Association was advised. Replying to a Ministerial inquiry on the origin of the name "Whitegates," the Secretary (Mr. G. Kendon) said he had been told that the area was once an orchard, entry to which was through a set of white gates. The area was generally known at Whitegates, and that name had been accepted by the association.

Note: I am somewhat sceptical of the explanation for the origin of the name offered here. The name had been in use for at least 72 years by this time, and the orchard explanation had not been documented previously. In contrast, all the early references to White Gates are in connection with the railway or tramway, so it is much more likely the gates are related to a crossing of a railway rather than an entrance to an orchard.

19 Dec 1947"A residential area of 147 homes and a shop with a house attached, Whitegates was established by the Housing Commission. It will be officially named to-day by the Minister for Housing (Mr. Evatt), who will unveil a tablet commemorating the completion of the project."
20 Dec 1947
19 Dec 1947
"The Lord Mayor (Ald. Quinlan) read out framed letters announcing the approval of Greater Newcastle Council and the Postmaster-General's Department of the designation "Whitegates," and presented them to the Secretary of Whitegates Welfare Association (Mr. G. Kendon)."
25 Jan 1995The last mention in Trove of Whitegates, named as a polling place by the NSW Electoral Commisioner. The polling place was probably the former St James church hall on the corner of Abbott/Douglas, Wallsend, which has been a pre-school since 1978. This site was used for polling in 2007 and 2010, but named as "Wallsend East".

This page is part of the collection of Newcastle’s Obsolete Place Names.

Croudace Road, Elermore Vale

A friend recently asked me about the naming of Croudace Road in Elermore Vale.

Croudace Road, Elermore Vale. Open Street Map

There is a Croudace Street in Lambton, named after Thomas Croudace, the first manager of the Lambton colliery. Thomas was also the reason for the naming of Croudace Bay, as he bought land and built a house in that locality. Presumably Croudace Road in Tingira Heights has a similar connection, being a road leading towards Croudace Bay. But what was the connection that led to the naming of Croudace Road in the Wallsend area? The answer turns out to be not Thomas, but his son Sydney.

Sydney Croudace was born in Lambton about 1874, the third son of Thomas and Christina Croudace. He was educated at The King’s School, Parramatta, and then followed his father into a coal mining career. At a comparatively early age he became manager of the Scottish Australian Mining Company’s B pit (also known as the Durham or Lambton B pit) at Redhead. In February 1913 he was appointed manager of the Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company’s pit at Wallsend.

In August 1915, while he was manager, the Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company registered a subdivision of a large area of their land with Deposited Plan 8479.

Lodgement entry for Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company’s subdivision Deposited Plan 8479, in 1915. HLRV.

The subdivision, of approximately 1500 acres, covered the area between Wallsend, New Lambton and Cardiff. An area of about 50 acres was excluded from the middle of the subdivision, as this was the location of the Jubilee Shaft of the coal company. (More on this shaft later in this article.) The first land sale in DP8479 was to Henry Hancock for Lot 60 on 24 July 1916.

From land title Vol-Fol 5215-110, a map showing the lots in DP8479. The area shaded white was not included in the subdivision, as this is where the Jubilee Shaft of the Wallsend mine was located.
Area of DP8479 shown in Google Earth.
DP8479 extends over the area of six modern suburbs: Elermore Vale, Rankin Park, New Lambton Heights, Cardiff Heights, Cardiff, Glendale.

Just a few months after registering the subdivision, Sydney Croudace resigned as manager of the Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company in December 1915 due to ill-health. The employees of the mine held a farewell dinner for Sydney Croudace, with both the office staff and the miners bestowing effusive praise upon him. By 1921 Croudace’s health had recovered sufficiently that he was able to resume the position of manager in February 1921.

By this time about 40 of the 94 lots in the subdivision had been sold. In July 1921 the residents in the northern part of the subdivision, known as Chinaman’s Flat, lobbied Wallsend Council to change the the name of their suburb, and to also set names for their as yet unlabelled streets.

Chinaman’s Flat is by no means a high-sounding title for a progressive suburb. The residents of No. 2 subdivision, which is situated on the Lake road, near Wallsend, think it should be changed to something more Australian. They have asked Wallsend Council, through the Lake-road and Cardiff Progress Association, to erase the name of Chinaman’s Flat from all official records, and that the streets be named according to a list they supplied. South Wallsend was suggested as more appropriate. Alderman England said that the name certainly acted to the detriment of the place, and visitors were not favorably impressed who might otherwise have entertained the idea of purchasing land there. The names suggested are: Jubilee-street, Cardiff-road, Scott-street, Lake-road, Croudace-road, Smith-street and Watkin-street. The council agreed to all of the requests on condition that they be called roads.

The Newcastle Sun, 29 July 1921.
  • Jubilee Road would have been named after the Jubilee shaft of the Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company. The shaft was sunk in 1887, the year of Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee. The section of the road north of Croudace Road was originally called Lundy (Lundie) Street. In December 1953, at the request of the Lake Road Progress Association, Newcastle Council renamed that section to be an extension of Jubilee Road.
  • Cardiff Road is obviously named as for being the road from Wallsend to Cardiff. Although the residents requested this name, interestingly it was not formally granted at this time. As late as 1946 the road appears unnamed in land titles (e.g. Vol-Fol 5579-214.) Newspaper reports as late as December 1935 refer to the road as “Chinaman’s Flat Road”. By 1957 a Shell street map shows “Cardiff Road”, and land titles in 1959 (Vol-Fol 7753-30) now show “Cardiff Road”.
  • Scott Road – the inspiration for this name is unknown. It was later renamed to Grandview Road.
  • Lake Road was a name that was already used for that road further south in the Lake Macquarie Shire. The request by the residents here appears to be just an extension of that name further north into the Wallsend Council area.
  • Croudace Road was almost certainly named in honour of Sydney Croudace, who was manager of the Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company when the subdivision was created in 1915 and the streets named in 1921.
  • Watkins Road is probably named after John Thomas Watkins, who purchased Lot 35 on that road in 1917.

Ministerial approval for the naming of Croudace, Smith, Watkin, Jubilee, and Scott Roads was received in December 1921.

Prior to 1921, land titles in DP8479 just showed unnamed roads. Vol-Fol 2782-170.
Land Title Vol-Fol 3327-139 in June 1922 is the first to show the name “Croudace Rd”.
A 1957 Shell Street map shows that Cardiff Road has now been officially named, however it still shows Lundy Street, although it had been renamed to Jubilee Road in 1953.

Sydney Croudace finished as manager of the Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company in October 1928, and moved to a property in Brighton Avenue, Toronto where he lived until his death on 3 February 1935 at the age of 61. Co-incidentally, his death came just one week after shareholders of the Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company voted to cease operations at the Wallsend Colliery that Croudace had managed for ten years.

In the ensuing years the suburb adjacent to his namesake road was variously called “South Wallsend” and “Wallsend South” in equal measure.

A 1957 map with the suburb labelled “South Wallsend”.
The 1970 Gregory’s Street Directory has the suburb labelled “Wallsend South”.
The 1973 Robinson’s Street Directory has the suburb labelled “South Wallsend”.

On 14 November 1975, the suburb name was officially changed to “Elermore Vale”, probably in reference to the Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company’s “A pit” that opened in Wallsend in 1859, which was also known as the “Elermore Vale Colliery”.

1920s Craigies map showing the A pit of the Wallsend colliery labelled as “Elermore Vale Colliery”. Newcastle University, Living Histories.
Somewhat confusingly, the area of the modern day Elermore Vale suburb (shaded red) does not include the location of the original Elermore Vale Colliery.
The 1984 UBD street directory shows the new suburb name “Elermore Vale”, and the former “Jubilee Rd Public School” is now labelled “Elermore Vale Public School”.

Jubilee Shaft

In 1887 in the year of Queen Victoria’s golden jubilee, the Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company sunk a new shaft to assist with ventilation of their mine, and named it the Jubilee Shaft. It was located inside the area that was later subdivided in 1915 as DP8479, and thus was excluded from that subdivision.

The area shaded orange was excluded from DP8479 in 1915, as it was the location of the Jubilee Shaft.

In the early 1930s the Wallsend Colliery struggled to be profitable, and in November 1934 the owners advertised the colliery for sale or lease. When no acceptable offers eventuated, the shareholders voted in January 1935 to close the mine and sell off the colliery plant, machinery, waggons and railway. Surplus equipment from the Jubilee shaft was sold at auction in May 1935. The land in the vicinity of the shaft then began to be subdivided and sold off, however a smaller parcel of land around the shaft was retained by the coal company.

After the closure in 1935, the coal seams were worked by various tribute collieries until 1968, when the Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company resumed operations at Wallsend under the new name of “Gretley Colliery”. The name was a combination of two coal seams the company was mining – the Greta Seam in their Pelton and Ellalong mines, and the Dudley seam they were working at Wallsend. In November 1996 tragedy struck at Gretley mine when four miners were drowned by a sudden inrush of water when they inadvertently broke through to flooded abandoned workings adjacent to the Gretley workings. The error was due to the mine having been supplied with incorrect plans of the old workings by the Department of Mineral Resources. Work at Gretley was immediately suspended. In 1999 Gretley was bought by New Wallsend Coal Pty Ltd, who operated the workings as “New Wallsend No. 2 Colliery.”

A partial history of the Jubilee Shaft site can be seen in the photo below, the sign on the enclosing fence shows “Gretley Colliery” overstamped with “New Wallsend Coal Pty Ltd, New Wallsend No. 2 Colliery.” At the bottom of the sign, the words “Mine Ventilation Shaft” are just visible.

Sign on fence enclosing the former Jubilee Shaft. Page 20 of Appendix G of Development Application for Lot 1 DP1197128. EJE Heritage.
Plaque at the former Jubilee Shaft indicating that is was filled and capped in March 2003. Page 22 of Appendix G of Development Application for Lot 1 DP1197128. EJE Heritage.

In 2021 Newcastle Council approved a development application for the construction of a 50 lot Community Title subdivision on the former Jubilee Shaft site. The development will retain some of the remnant Jubilee Shaft sandstone building walls in a community area

In 2022, the area around the Jubilee Shaft was still mostly vacant, and some remains of the mine buildings were still present.
In October 2024, the concrete capped shaft (red) and remnants of a sandstone wall from an old mine building can be seen in the midst of the development of 50 new housing units.

Croudace Road in Edgeworth

In the original iteration of this blog post I posed the question of why there is a Croudace Street in Edgeworth? Thanks to a note on page 138 of Ed Tonks’ 1990 book “Wallsend and Pelton Collieries. A Chronology of The Newcastle Wallsend Coal Company”, I have the answer.

That area of Edgeworth has five north-south streets, all named after prominent colliery managers of the Newcastle district when that subdivision was created in 1885.

Street names in Edgeworth named after colliery managers. OpenStreetMap.

Edgeworth was originally called “Young Wallsend”, and the subdivision created by John Charles Bonarius was described by the Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate on 16 May 1885

The subdivision has been laid out by Mr. Percy Hodgkinson, of this city, whose abilities in laying a township are well known to everyone in the district, and is under the supervision of Mr. John C. Bonarius, our oldest and well-esteemed auctioneer, who will wield the hammer at the sale. The streets are plainly seen. Large posts, with the names Neilson, Fletcher, Croudace, Turnbull, Thomas, and other notables connected with the coal trade of Northumberland are seen.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 16 May 1885.

A real estate poster advertising the sale of the subdivision was produced, but with Neilson and Johnson spelled incorrectly.

Young Wallsend subdivision, 1885. State Library of NSW.

The naming of Johnson St is uncertain. It possibly refers to R Johnson who was the manager of the Glebe colliery.

Unanswered questions

  • When exactly did Cardiff Road get its official name?

Newspaper articles

Article Date Event DateNotes
7 Feb 1913Sydney Croudace appointed manager of the Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company's Wallsend Colliery.
6 Dec 1915
4 Dec 1915
Retirement due to ill-health of Sydney Croudace as manager of Wallsend colliery. "There was a large attendance at the Masonic Hall, Wallsend, on Saturday evening, when Mr. S. Croudace, who for the last three years has occupied the position of manager of the Wallsend Colliery, was entertained by the employees of the colliery, and presented with marks of their esteem and appreciation."
2 Feb 1921"Mr. S. Croudace will succeed Mr. N. J. Clark as colliery manager of the Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company." (Croudace returns to the position he previously resigned from due to ill-health.)
29 Jul 1921Residents of "Chinaman's Flat" request that their suburb be renamed to "South Wallsend", and suggest names for a number of their roads.
17 Dec 1921"Ministerial approval having now been received, it is notified for public information that the un-named roads in the South Wallsend subdivision, otherwise known as Chinaman Flat Subdivision, will be designated as follows: Croudace-road, Smith-road, Watkin-road, Jubilee-road, Scott-road."
13 Oct 1928
10 Oct 1928
"Mr. Sydney Croudace on Wednesday terminated his second period of service with Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company as manager of Wallsend colliery."
23 Nov 1934Advertisement for sale or lease of Wallsend Colliery.
25 Jan 1935
24 Jan 1935
"At the annual general meeting of shareholders of the Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company held yesterday it was decided to cease operations at the company's Wallsend colliery owing to heavy losses incurred during the past six years and the uncertainty of the future."
4 Feb 1935
3 Feb 1935
Death of Sydney Croudace, in Toronto, aged 61.
16 Feb 1935"Hopes of a reopening of Wallsend Colliery, commonly known as Wallsend C Pit, have been shattered … dismantling and removal to the surface of the underground appliances and plant of the colliery. … The mine is to be abandoned."
18 Feb 1935"Wallsend citizens who have been hoping for an 11th-hour sale of the colliery property, or for a lease which would allow a resumption of operations, are beginning to despair as they realise the latest definite steps Newcastle-Wallsend Coal Company has adopted to seal the doom of Wallsend C pit. For three-quarters of a century the coal company has been operating at one or another of the branches of its Wallsend mine. Wallsend without a Wallsend colliery is to many people almost unthinkable."
2 May 1935Sale of equipment from the closed Jubilee Shaft in Wallsend.
16 Dec 1953"Newcastle Council Works Committee recommended last night that the council alter the name of Lundy-street, Wallsend, between Lake-road and Croudace-street, to Jubilee-road. The City Engineer (Mr. Baddeley) said a month had passed since the council proposed to alter the name. It had been publicised and no objection had been received."
14 Nov 1975The suburb name "Elermore Vale" is officially gazetted.

Kotara Railway Station

In 1924 the Scottish Australian Mining Company, owners of the Lambton colliery, made plans to subdivide several hundred acres of their land to form a new suburb.  To make the estate appealing to potential purchasers, the company constructed a new station on the Great Northern Railway that ran through the middle of their development.

Both the suburb and the station were originally intended to be named “Exton”. However, the Railway Commissioners, concerned that the name was too similar to other existing stations, chose instead the name “Kotara”, the Awabakal word for a hunting club. To avoid confusion, the developers then agreed to rename their subdivision to match the station.

For the first sale of land, held on site on Saturday 17 January 1925, the agents Creer and Berkeley produced a 40-page booklet with panoramic photos, glowing prose for the suburb, and praise for the new station.

“In order that every facility might be afforded to the residents of Kotara, a modern Railway Island Platform, 520ft in length, has been constructed in the Heart of the Suburb, and a regular service is maintained between Newcastle, the other Suburbs, and the Lake.”

In 1925 there were twelve train services each day, but as the platform was unstaffed, travellers faced the inconvenience of having to alight at the next station on the line to purchase tickets.

A century later, Kotara station is largely unchanged. There are now 25 train services each weekday, but a very low patronage of 90 passengers a day. This may change if the state government delivers on their recently announced “Transported Oriented Development Program”, which aims to streamline the development of mid-rise housing (up to 6 storeys) within 400 metres of selected railway stations, including Kotara.

In examining the birth of Kotara 100 years ago, it is interesting to note how the development of housing and the provision of public transport occurred together. Now that’s a practice from the past I’d love to see followed in the future.

The newly constructed Kotara railway station in late 1924. From the 40 page promotional booklet produced for the initial land sale on 17 January 1925. National Library of Australia, Call Number mc N 1870 MCL HIST 553
Kotara railway station, 2024.

The article above was first published in the October 2024 edition of The Local.


Additional Information

Kotara Railway Station

For the current day passenger numbers at Kotara Station, I used the Train and Metro Station Monthly Usage numbers from the NSW government Open Data website. This showed that entries and exits totalled 2747 for the month of July 2024. This equates to an average of 89 trips per day, to or from the station.

Kotara Estate

As early as July 1922 there were reports that the Scottish Australian Mining Company planned to subdivide their land adjoining the Tickhole Tunnel of the Great Northern Railway. By October 1923, plans had been drawn up for the subdivision. In 1924 the Kotara Railway Station was constructed, and the streets of the new subdivision prepared, in readiness for the initial big land sale to take place on Saturday 17 January 1925.

Advertisement for sale of Kotara subdivision. Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 3 January 1925.

The plans have been prepared for the Scottish-Australian Mining Company of a subdivision of about 200 blocks of land contiguous to the railway line on both sides. For many years eyes have been cast on this area, which lies between the Adamstown railway station and the Tickhole tunnel, and is within easy distance of the city. The design of the big subdivision conforms with the new ideas planning for model suburbs, and provision has been made for park areas, children’s playgrounds, street gardens, plantations, and other recreative utilities. The company has entered into an agreement with the Railway Commissioners for the erection of a railway platform to serve the area.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 17 October 1923.
Kotara Subdivision Plan, Saturday 17 January, 1925. Newcastle University, Living Histories.

Although the initial reports of the auction on 17 January 1925 stated that “160 lots were disposed of in about two hours”, the land wasn’t formally sold at this time, it was just people signing up with intention to purchase. At that time New Lambton Council (the municipality in which the land was located) still hadn’t formally approved the subdivision, being in dispute with the developer about various matters including access to Charlestown Road, and the width of the main streets in the subdivision. After resolving matters, New Lambton council finally approved the subdivision in May 1925. The deposited plan DP13333 for the subdivision was lodged with the Department of Lands on 27 August 1925.

DP13333 lodged on 27 August 1925

Transfers of title arising from land sales in the subdivision subsequently appear in Volume-Folios 905-119, 3878-122, 4350-65, and 5604-172. The first transfer recorded is for Lot 97 Sec A to Leslie Arthur Fitness on 15 September 1925, and the final transfer was for Lot 51 Section B to Thomas Egginton on 21 October 1953.

Despite the January 1925 article reporting that 160 lots had been sold, actual sales and transfers of title occurred over a very long period of time. Examination of the land title records shows that it took until 1944 before 160th lot sold. How much of this delay was due to slowness in purchasers finalising their transaction, and much due to purchases foregoing/forfeiting their lot due to economic pressures is uncertain.

Cumulative sales of lots in subdivision DP1333.
A 1938 aerial photograph of Kotara shows that only 36 dwellings had been constructed in the Kotara Estate subdivision (DP13333) in the thirteen years after the initial land sale in 1925. Newcastle University, Living Histories.
A 1944 aerial photograph shows considerable building work in the previous 8 years, with 67 dwellings now erected in the Kotara Estate subdivision (DP13333). NSW Historical Aerial Imagery

Newspaper articles

Article Date Event DateNotes
26 Jul 1922"At the present time the Scottish-Australian Company and the Kinnaird Land Syndicate are about to subdivide their estates adjoining the Tickhole Tunnel, and property running between New Lambton and Tickhole Tunnel and Charlestown. This property is most ideal for suburban residences, being four miles from the Broadmendow station, and served by two railways, the Sydney line and the Waratah coal line. At the present time it is anticipated that the Scottish-Australian Company will build a railway station on their land between Adamstown and the Charlestown Tunnel and then subdivide."
17 Oct 1923"The plans have been prepared for the Scottish-Australian Mining Company of a subdivision of about 200 blocks of land contiguous to the railway line on both sides … The company has entered into an agreement with the Railway Commissioners for the erection of a railway platform."
3 Oct 1924"It is authoritatively stated that the name of the station in connection with the new subdivision at present known as Exton has been altered to Kotara. This has been brought about by the suggestion of the Lands Department and the Railway Commissioners. The vendors of the estate, the Scottish-Australian Mining Company, Limited, having undertaken the cost of the construction of a new station, desired to have it named Exton in keeping with the township, but the departments pointed out the similarity to the name of other stations and the possibility of confusion arising. They suggested a native name, and with a view of obtaining something appropriate the agents. Messrs. Creer and Berkeley, enlisted the services of Mr. J. J. Moloney, who submitted a long list of local aboriginal names, from which Kotara was finally chosen. The construction work of the railway platform will be finished in a few weeks, and its train service will be of considerable advantage to all those people living on the northern side of Cardiff, at Charlestown, and the south-western side of New Lambton or Orchardtown, as it is more familiarly known."
9 Oct 1924
8 Oct 1924
New Lambton Council meeeting … "Correspondence was received from S.A.M. Company, stating that as the Railway Commissioners had decided to call the railway station situated near Cardiff tunnel, in their subdivision, Katara (sic), they had renamed the subdivision Katara in lieu of Exton. The Mayor said that the Railway Commissioners had acted discourteously in not conferring with the council re the naming of the station."
10 Nov 1924"The new railway station at Kotara, on the Newcastle to Sydney line, has been completed by a Scottish-Australian mining company. The cost was borne solely by the company which, however, may be compensated after three years by the Commissioners if traffic justifies it. The new station is situated between Adamstown and the Cardiff tunnel, and will serve a fairly large population. The necessary overhead bridges have been erected, and the platform is of island design."
19 Nov 1924"The new railway station at Kotara is already being availed of, as certain trains from Toronto are stopping there."
16 Jan 1925
17 Jan 1925
"Kotara, the newly subdivided suburb of Newcastle, has been the object of considerable interest for some time past amongst land speculators and investors generally. The sale of the land will be conducted to-morrow (Saturday), by Messrs. Creer and Berkeley. Easy terms of payment have been arranged, and the sale should be a big success."
20 Jan 1925
17 Jan 1925
"One of the most successful land subdivision sales held in this district was that of Kotara, conducted by Messrs. Creer and Berkeley, on Saturday afternoon last. The result evidences the importance of transit. The vendors, the Scottish-Australian Mining Company, Limited, realising this, undertook the responsibility of having a railway station erected in the centre of the estate. This convenience, a run of only 19 minutes from the central station, Newcastle, with a service of some 12 trains a day, each way, was no doubt a great factor in attracting upwards of 600 people to the sale, when 160 lots were disposed of in about two hours."
30 Jan 1925
29 Jan 1925
"A well-attended meeting of purchasers of land at Kotara was held last night at the rooms of Messrs. Creer and Berkeley, when a progress committee was formed. The meeting prepared a lengthy agenda of work and improvements to be effected, and the association will particularly watch the parks, railway facilities, supply of water, gas and electric light, and generally assist home builders to embrace modern ideas in keeping with a district so full of residential possibilities."
10 Feb 1925"New Lambton Council is not satisfied with the plans for the subdivision of portion of the Scottish-Australian Mining Company's Estate at Kotara … The plans did not provide for any outlet to Charlestown-road … the council would insist on the main road being 22 feet wide, instead of 16 feet."
8 May 1925"The Kotara Estate subdivision has at last received the legal approval of New Lambton Council. For a considerable time the finalising has been held up, although the greater part of the subdivision has been sold."
22 May 1925"As [Kotara] is gradually growing in importance, and trains are being stopped to pick up and set down passengers, the regulations that tickets must be got at Adamstown is becoming more and more irksome. The other morning half a dozen persons, who got into the train at Kotara, had to alight at Adamstown to get their tickets en route to Newcastle. The train, in consequence, was delayed for about two minutes."
29 May 1925"The monthly meeting of the Kotara Progress Association was held last night … the vendors of the estate, the Scottish-Australian Mining Company, Limited, set aside large areas for park and recreation purposes, and it is the planting and improvement of these reserves that is engaging attention."
30 Sep 1925"One of the biggest residential estate developments in the Newcastle district was inaugurated at the beginning of this year, when the Kotara subdivision was made available. It comprises several hundred acres, lying between Adamstown railway station and Tickhole tunnel, five miles from Newcastle. The first sale in the estate was conducted on January 17 by Messrs. Creer and Berkeley acting for the Scottish-Australian Mining Company. There were 191 allotments offered and over 160 were sold on the day. The success of the sale was largely due to the enterprise of the vendors. About three miles of streets had been made, and a railway island platform 520 feet in length constructed in the centre of the new suburb. With the object of assisting in the development of the suburb, purchasers of blocks formed a progress association, which now has a membership of between 70 and 80."

Centre Pit Tragedy

At 4.15pm on Tuesday 8 November 1878, tragedy was unfolding beneath the earth. At the bottom of the 60-metre-deep Centre Pit shaft of Lambton Colliery, three men were struggling to breathe and desperately fighting for their lives.

In an age prior to electric fans, ventilation was achieved by burning a fire at the bottom of a shaft so that the rising heat would draw stale air out, and draw fresh air in. However, the Centre Pit shaft, located in present day Blackbutt Reserve, was proving troublesome that Tuesday.

After several unsuccessful attempts to get the furnace to ‘draw’, workmen called in 25-year-old acting mine manager Thomas Seymour. At 4pm, Seymour and miner Robert Brown descended the shaft via rope and bucket. A few minutes later engineer William Short also descended only to find the other men in dire circumstances.  Brown was unconscious and Seymour nearly so. Short struggled to get them into the bucket to lift them to safety, but with poisonous air rapidly sapping his own strength he had no choice but to return to the surface alone. In desperation, six other miners descended the shaft but were only able to retrieve the lifeless bodies of Seymour and Brown. Lambton colliery management later presented these six with awards recognising their courageous efforts.

An inquest commencing the day after the accident returned a verdict of death “by being suffocated by the foul air due to the want of a proper system of ventilation.”  Unfortunately, as was standard in that era, the inquest did not attribute any blame or recommend any remedial actions. The fatalities were just accepted as a natural consequence of a dangerous industry.  The Jim Comerford Commemorative Wall at Aberdare, with the engraved names of 1793 miners killed in the Northern Coalfields, shows that fatalities peaked in the 1940s. Thankfully the numbers have steadily declined since then. The wall records just 20 fatalities in the last quarter century, where previously that many often died every year.

David Hutchinson, one of the six rescuers awarded for courage in the 1878 tragedy, with his family at New Lambton in 1892. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Newcastle Libraries Online Collection 001 000929
The names of Robert Brown and Thomas Seymour on the Jim Comerford Commemorative Wall at Aberdare.

The article above was first published in the August 2024 edition of The Local.


Additional Information

The shaft of Lambton Colliery where the accident occurred was located in present day Blackbutt Reserve, in the vicinity of the animal exhibits off Carnley Avenue. At the time of the accident in 1878 it was known as “Centre Pit”, but later called “Mosquito Pit”, as evidenced from testimony in a court trial in 1887.

“An under level ‘drive’ was driven from the bottom of the shaft to the centre (or Mosquito) pit, running a small ‘drive’ or slope into it, so that the water flowed down.”

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 5 May 1887.

For more information on Mosquito/Centre Pit and the tragedy of 1878, refer to my Mosquito Pit page.

Jim Comerford Commemorative Wall

The Jim Comerford Commemorative Wall, with the names of miners killed in the northern coalfields, is located at the rear of the Mining and Energy Union building at 67A Aberdare Rd, Aberdare.

Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1816 to 1877
Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1877 to 1891
Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1891 to 1903
Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1903 to 1912
Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1912 to 1922
Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1922 to 1931
Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1931 to 1940
Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1940 to 1948
Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1948 to 1958
Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1958 to 1974
Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 1974 to 2004
Comerford Commemorative Wall – Years 2008 to 2021

David Hutchinson

David Hutchinson purchased portion 1186 of the Newcastle Pasturage Reserve. Vol-Fol 1099-235.
The location of David Hutchinson’s house in New Lambton, portion 1186 on Westcourt Rd.
David Hutchinson, one of the trustees of the New Lambton Lay Methodist Church property in Rugby Road. Vol-Fol 1075-124.

Mrs. Elizabeth Hutchinson, wife of Mr. David Hutchinson, a well-known and respected resident of New Lambton, died at her residence, Westcourt-road, on Tuesday evening, after a long and painful illness. The deceased was in her 70th year, and was born in Chorley, Lancashire. With her husband she arrived in the State in the year 1870. Soon after arrival they settled down at what was then known as The Huts, now New Lambton, and for the past 36 years their residence in the locality has been continuous. When in good health the late Mrs. Hutchinson was an earnest member of the Lay Methodist Connexion, and her remains will be taken to the church this afternoon, where a short service will be held. The funeral afterwards will proceed to the Sandgate Cemetery per train.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 25 January 1907.

Mr. David Hutchinson, an old resident of New Lambton, died at his residence, Westcourt-road, at an early hour yesterday morning. The deceased was in his 70th year, and for the past ten years had suffered from paralysis, and for a long time was bedridden. He was born in Bolton, Lancashire, England. He came to New South Wales in the year 1870, and for the past 40 years he lived continuously in New Lambton. He worked as a miner while in health in the Lambton Colliery, and was one of the rescue party that went down the shaft at the time that Messrs. Seymour and Brown were suffocated at the Lambton Company’s Centre Pit. He was a prominent member of the Lay Methodist connexion. His wife predeceased him some five years ago, and his only family relations are two grandsons and two great grandchildren. The funeral will take place this afternoon.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 16 November 1911.

Newspaper articles

Article Date Event DateNotes
30 Jul 1890Commonage land court hearings - David Hutchinson granted portion 1186 for £20.
19 Jul 1900Report on a celebration tea for the Lay Methodist Church in New Lambton. David Hutchinson is listed as one of the ten original trustees of the debt associated with the building of the church. "Especial thanks are due to Mr. David Hutchinson, who deposited deeds of his property with the A.J.S. Bank, Wickham, when first commencing building. He is now in great trouble, his daughter Maggie being dangerously ill, having been bedfast and in the care of Dr. Stapleton for a number of years, and is now in Dr. Andrew Nash's charge."
25 Jan 1907
22 Jan 1907
"Mrs. Elizabeth Hutchinson, wife of Mr. David Hutchinson, a well-known and respected resident of New Lambton, died at her residence, Westcourt-road, on Tuesday evening, after a long and painful illness."
16 Nov 1911
15 Nov 1911
"Mr. David Hutchinson, an old resident of New Lambton, died at his residence, Westcourt-road, at an early hour yesterday morning."

New Lambton’s Super Sentinel Steam Lorry

When you’re in a time of technological change, it’s hard to know which innovations will last, and which will fade away. That’s a problem New Lambton council faced 100 years ago, when they moved to mechanised transport.

In August 1923 the council decided to sell their horses and drays and purchase a steam powered “Super Sentinel” lorry. Manufactured in Shrewsbury, England, the lorry was sent by ship to Sydney for final assembly. The council advertised for a driver, and with the economy still suffering a high rate of post-war unemployment, received 96 applications for the position. 

With the truck’s arrival early in the new year, council arranged a public demonstration on 19 January 1924. The Newcastle Morning Herald reported “The Super Sentinel steam lorry purchased by the council for £1400 was given a very successful trial on Saturday afternoon, in the presence of the aldermen of the municipality and several visiting aldermen. The machine was driven by Mr. C. J. Robinson, and the various steep grades were easily negotiated with a 6-ton load of gravel.”

Despite the glowing appraisal of this new technology, reality did not measure up to expectation. The following year breakdowns regularly kept the lorry out of action. At a fiery council meeting in October 1925, some blamed the driver for operating the truck inappropriately.  With continuing breakdowns, a motion was tabled in March 1926 to dispose of the lorry. The motion was defeated, but soon afterwards council decided to supplement the troubled steam machine by purchasing a petrol lorry, the first of many more to come. The “Super Sentinel” continued to be used until the amalgamation of suburban councils into Greater Newcastle Council in 1938. In June 1941 Newcastle council briefly brought the steam lorry back into service to assist the effort to conserve petrol supplies during the war. When war-time rationing ended, the age of steam powered road transport was soon over, and petrol and diesel power has dominated to this day.

The “Super Sentinel” steam lorry with a capacity of 6 tons, on Russell Road New Lambton, 19 January 1924.
The same location on Russell Road in 2023. Note that the bullnose verandah roof of the house on the right has been replaced at some time.
A Terex TA400 diesel powered truck with a capacity of 38 tons, at the Rankin Park to Jesmond bypass construction site.

The article above was first published in the January 2024 edition of The Local.


Additional Information

Advertisement for driver for New Lambton’s steam lorry. Sydney Morning Herald, 25 August 1923.

In the article I wrote that the Super Sentinel was “manufactured in Shrewsbury, England” which seems to contradict a 17 October 1923 report on the imminent arrival of the “steam lorry which was ordered by the New Lambton Council from the makers in Scotland.” The apparent discrepancy is explained by the fact that the steam waggons were originally manufactured by the Allen and MacLellan company in Glasgow, Scotland, but with growing demand for their vehicles, in 1915 they opened a new factory in Shrewsbury, England, dedicated to the manufacture of steam powered vehicles.

Greg and Silvia Ray’s Photo Time Tunnel website has a couple of photographs of the Sentinel steam lorry from 1941, when Newcastle Council brought it back into service to assist with the conservation of petrol supplies during World War 2.

Newspaper articles

Article Date Event DateNotes
24 Jul 1908
22 Jul 1908
After many years of relying on contractors for the carting of material, New Lambton council "decided to purchase a horse and tip dray for general carting, and the Mayor, along with Alderman Mitchell and the council clerk, were appointed a sub-committee to purchase material for the erection of stables and sheds in the yard of the council chambers."
5 Oct 1921Detailed description of the Sentinel Steam Waggon, manufactured in Shrewsbury, England.
31 Aug 1922Another detailed description of the Sentinel Steam Waggon.
3 Aug 1923
1 Aug 1923
New Lambton Council - "At a special meeting held during the week, to consider the transport, it was decided to purchase a Sentinel steam lorry at cost of £1160, and the existing plant (horses and drays) be sold, and, further, that applications be called for driver under conditions fixed at a wage of £6 per week."
17 Aug 1923
15 Aug 1923
New Lambton Council meeting - "M. Whylie, asking council's opinion re applications to be called for driver for proposed Sentinel steam lorry. As driver of the present plant, he claimed preference to the position, if proficient, and able to pass necessary test. This he would be prepared to do at his own expense."
25 Aug 1923Advertisement for the position of Steam Lorry Driver at New Lambton.
14 Sep 1923
12 Sep 1923
"Ninety-six applications were received for the position of driver for the steam lorry ... it was decided to hold a special meeting to finalise the position of driver on Monday night week."
28 Sep 1923
26 Sep 1923
"Alderman Cameron moved that as the motion in connection with the appointment of driver for steam lorry was for consideration of local applicants firstly, and seeing that Mr. Scowcroft was not a resident, the resolution passed at the special meeting of the council held on 24th September appointing him to the position, be rescinded, and that a fresh ballot be taken at the next ordinary meeting of the council. He contended that the method adopted was not fair, as it allowed a minority to exclude any applicant. The motion was carried."
12 Oct 1923
10 Oct 1923
After having his appointment as steam lorry driver rescinded, a fresh vote by the aldermen results in Scowcroft appointed again.
17 Oct 1923"The Super Sentinel steam lorry, which was ordered by the New Lambton Council from the makers in Scotland, at a cost of £140, is expected to arrive next month. The machine is fitted with a three way tipping waggon, allowing of the material to be deposited on either side or from the back. It will have a capacity of from five to six tons. The steam lorry will replace the council's present plant of three horses and three drays, and it is anticipated will effect a material saving in time and expense."
10 Dec 1923"New Lambton Council has accepted a tender of £190 for the erection of a garage to house the council's Sentinel steam waggon. The Mayor (Alderman Brown) will supervise the erection of the building."
3 Jan 1924"W. Adams and Company, Limited, advised New Lambton Council that the Sentinel steam waggon would be delivered in the second week in January. The council decided that the driver be sent to Sydney for instruction on the waggon, and that the test of the machine be made from Greta-road to Evescourt-road, via Russell-road, then up Rugby-road to Brett-street and Carrington parade."
11 Jan 1924The Sentinel steam lorry which was ordered by New Lambton Council some time ago arrived at Sydney by the steamer Tairora on January 3, and it is being assembled. It is expected that the lorry will be handed over to the council on Saturday, January 19, when it will undergo a test, to which representatives of the various Newcastle district councils are being invited.
15 Jan 1924"We are advised by the local house of Wm. Adams and Co., Ltd., that the first super-Sentinel model to arrive in Newcastle will be delivered to the New Lambton Council on Saturday afternoon next, 19th, at 3 p.m., when official trials by the council will take place. After the official trials, the waggon will be on view at the park, where the fireman's gala is being held."
21 Jan 1924
19 Jan 1924
"The super Sentinel steam lorry purchased by the council for £1400 was given a very successful trial on Saturday afternoon, in the presence of the aldermen of the municipality and several visiting aldermen. The machine was driven by Mr. C. J. Robinson, and the various steep grades were easily negotiated with a steam pressure of 190lb, the machine being gauged to 230lb, and carried a 6 ton load of gravel. On reaching the highest point an exhibition of the machine's three-way trip was given. It ran very smoothly, silently on route of trial, and was driven to the sports, where the general criticism passed was more rates'." - Newcastle Morning Herald
21 Jan 1924
19 Jan 1924
" 'Jump on the waggon, boys, and we'll all have a ride.' This was the Mayor's injunction on Saturday to the aldermen and visitors who assembled to witness the trial of the new Super-Sentinel waggon purchased by New Lambton Council. The test was a severe one, and fully demonstrated the capabilities of the 'super.' With a load of six tons of gravel (irrespective of the human contingent) the Sentinel climbed Russell road and then backed down, demonstrating the brake control. Then it went along Regent street and up to Evescourt road, a test good enough for anything in New Lambton. Afterwards it proceeded to Rugby-road, where the unloading facilities of the waggon were demonstrated. Either side may be tilted, also the back. All present were satisfied with the demonstration." - The Newcastle Sun
22 Oct 1925
21 Oct 1925
"New Lambton Council possesses a motor lorry. It is used for carrying road-making material about the municipality; but it is out of action at present. This was tho subject of a long, and at times angry, discussion at last night's council meeting. The council must try to prevent the constant stoppages of the lorry for repairs, because these were a drain on the funds."
30 Nov 1925"At the beginning of 1924 the old system of carting by horse and dray was changed and mechanical transport by a steam waggon substituted. This has proved an economical method of traction, hauling quarry metal over a distance of three miles, and enabling a road to be completed at less cost than the metal could be purchased either at Broadmeadow or at Adamstown. Carrying out the same work under old conditions would have been prohibitive."
3 Dec 1925
2 Dec 1925
"A report on the lorry was placed before the council, and created considerable discussion. Alderman Brown gave a verbal report of his interview with Mr. Parsons, which substantiated the written document. It referred to several matters of repairs, which could have been done by the driver."
17 Dec 1925
16 Dec 1925
"The detailed report of an engineer on the lorry was then considered. The Mayor reported the synopsis of the whole question, and the resignation of the driver, with its subsequent withdrawal. The driver was given an opportunity of making a statement. The assistant driver was also given the opportunity of stating his case, in which he said that both drivers had been made scapegoats, which was an unfair proposition. No action was taken."
25 Mar 1926"New Lambton Council some time ago purchased a steam lorry for traction work on the streets. Great things were expected, but expectations have not been fulfilled. At last night’s meeting of the council Alderman Auckett tabled a motion to dispose of the lorry by tender.” Alderman Auckett: "The lorry has not been satisfactory to any one. It has cost a considerable sum for repairs, and as it has not given satisfaction we should get rid of it."
8 Apr 1926
7 Apr 1926
"In a report submitted to the council, the engineer (Mr. Williams) recommended that a light type of motor lorry, from two to two and a half tons, be purchased for street and gravel work, and that the present steam lorry be retained for a further period. During the winter months, the engineer stated, to carry on satisfactorily, the council would be compelled either to employ drays continually or purchase some lighter vehicle to carry gravel to places where the heavy steam lorry could not go."
6 May 1926
5 May 1926
"Why is the steam lorry not giving satisfactory work, and what is the cause? These questions were put to the New Lambton engineer, Mr. Williams, at the local council meeting last night. In reply, the engineer said that the driver was the cause. He said he was old, and his nerves were not good, and he could not do the work. He recommended getting another driver to do the work for a month. The recommendation was adopted."
17 Jun 1926"The council has added to its road making plant by the purchase of a 2½ ton motor lorry. The council possesses a 6-ton steam lorry. The lighter machine has been acquired for maintenance work, and it will do away entirely with horses and drays."
22 Jul 1926
21 Jul 1926
New Lambton Council - Mr. R. Lathlean was appointed motor lorry driver. There were 102 applicants for the position.
14 Jul 1927
13 Jul 1927
"The acting foreman reported that the steam lorry was again in commission after the overhaul, and, according to the driver was giving satisfaction."
9 May 1936New Lambton council "has the most modern and comprehensive plant of any municipal council in the district. The plant comprises four motor-lorries, a steam lorry, two steam rollers, a footpath roller, a road grader, four concrete mixers, and scores of subsidiary roadmaking tools."
10 Feb 1938
9 Feb 1938
"A resident of Mackie-avenue complained that the council's steam lorry damaged a water-pipe leading to his property."
20 Jun 1941"An old steam waggon which has been lying idle in Corlette-street depot for several years is to be brought back into service again by Greater Newcastle Council to haul metal and gravel. This is one step in the council's programme to assist the Government in conserving supplies of petrol."

New Lambton Quarry Tramways

“There are at present no streets that can lay any claim to the name – they are simply cart tracks and foot tracks and when one of these becomes too bad to travel on owners of vehicles simply go and pick out another.”

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 29 March 1886.

Such was the state of roads in New Lambton in 1886 some 18 years after the town began. The need to improve the streets was a major impetus for formation of New Lambton council and was extensively discussed in their very first general meeting in March 1889. To turn rutted dirt tracks to solid roadways the council needed gravel, and as they owned no land, they sought assistance from the local collieries.

For the roads in the southern half of the town, the New Lambton Land and Coal Company allowed the council to obtain material from their quarry at the top of Addison Road. To transport the gravel down the hill, in 1890 the council constructed a 400-yard tramway down to Evescourt Road.

For the roads in the northern half of town, Thomas Croudace, manager of Lambton colliery and mayor of New Lambton, agreed in 1891 for the council to use the company’s quarry in the pit paddock hillside. As before, a tramway was constructed to get material down to the streets. Unsurprisingly, the combination of skips, rails, and a steep incline proved irresistible to local lads. In October 1891 a 13-year-old boy was severely injured when the skip he was riding down the hill left the rails.

After the initial construction of roads, the council does not appear to have used the Lambton colliery quarry again. The company sold the land to developers in 1956 and the location of the former quarry is now hidden by housing. In Addison Road the council purchased the quarry in 1896 and continued using it until the 1920s. The land is vacant today, but still has a few reminders of its past use lying amongst the undergrowth.

A 1906 view over New Lambton, with the Lambton colliery quarry in the hillside above. Photo by Ralph Snowball. Newcastle University, Living Histories.
The Lambton colliery quarry is now obscured by housing.
At the top of Addison Road a drill hole in a fallen rock is a reminder of the site’s past use as a quarry..
Portion of Barrett’s 1910 map showing the Lambton colliery quarry, and the New Lambton Council quarry at the top of Addison Road. Newcastle University, Living Histories.

The article above was first published in the December 2023 edition of The Local.


Additional Information

New Lambton colliery began operations in June 1868 and a township soon formed around it. The following year The Newcastle Chronicle reported on the progress of the town, including the state of the roads …

As yet no streets have been formed, and, with the exception of a kind of a main road, leading through the mostly inhabited part of the township, there is no other thoroughfare, and from the multiplicity of the stumps that are still visible, even in close proximity to the houses, perambulating the village in a dark night must be a difficult undertaking. It would be most advisable for the residents to take early steps for making one or two tolerably passable streets, for the lack of this convenience in any township is a serious drawback.

The Newcastle Chronicle, 16 September 1869.

Despite this advice for better roads, seven years later the roads were still in need of much attention.

Bad roads are now the order of the day, and between Old and New Lambton they are in a very bad and almost impassable state, owing chiefly to the recent heavy rain.

The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser, 5 August 1876

Twelve years on, the lack of decent roads was a leading inspiration for the residents of New Lambton to press for the creation of a municipal council.

It is rumoured that an effort is to be made to have this town incorporated and proclaimed a municipality. There are at present no roads or streets other than the main road to Newcastle that can lay any claim to the name. They are simply cart tracks and foot tracks and when one of these becomes too bad to travel on owners of vehicles simply go and pick out another, which for a time suits them, and so on. If the place was incorporated, this state of things would soon become a thing of the past, because regular streets would be laid out, made, and maintained, and every traveller and resident would enjoy the benefit – a benefit which would far more than recoup the few shillings per year the inhabitants would pay in rates.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 29 March 1886.

Addison Road Quarry

Within a year of the council being formed in 1889, the Improvement Committee was seeking permission from Alexander Brown (managing director of the New Lambton colliery) to use their quarry for road making materials. At the council meeting of 12 March 1890 the committee recommended …

That a deputation wait upon Mr. A. Brown to see what terms he would allow the council to open out quarries upon lots 36 and 37, near Mr. Hincks’ house; also to see upon what terms he would allow the council the use of 400yds of rails and sleepers. 2. That a tramway be laid from the proposed quarries down to near Mr. Hilton’s place, a distance of about 400yds; also that a tip and shoot be erected.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 14 March 1890.
Lots 36 and 37, Section R, DP1949 – the location of the quarry referred to in the 12 March 1890 meeting of New Lambton council. SIX maps.

The 12 March 1890 meeting of New Lambton council refers to the quarry being “near Mr Hincks” house. Land title Vol-Fol 1468-110 shows that Richard Hincks’ property was at the top of Addison Rd, opposite the quarry. Sometimes the newspapers referred to the quarry as “Hincks quarry”, simply because it was near his house.

Property of Richard Hincks. Vol-Fol 1468-110.

The improvement committee’s report recommended that a tramway be laid “down to near Mr. Hilton’s place, a distance of about 400yds”. Land title Vol-Fol 992-68 shows that Matthew Hilton owned lots 22 and 23 near the bottom of Addison Rd.

Matthew Hilton’s property, Addison Rd, New Lambton. Vol-Fol 992-68.

We have no information on the exact route of the tramway, but a straight line of 400 yards in length (shown in yellow below) matches the distance between the quarry and Hilton’s property.

The quarry (left) and Hilton’s property (right), with the distance between them being approximately 400 yards.

The council’s request to use the colliery’s quarry proved successful. The council meeting of 26 March 1890 reported …

From the Mayor and Alderman Gray, who had interviewed Mr. A. Brown, when that gentleman offered to allow the council to work the gravel quarry on lots 36 and 37 on the New Lambton estate at the rate of 4d per yard, and the use of rails and sleepers for a tramway free of charge

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 28 March 1890.

The council then called for tenders to construct the tramway.

Four tenders were received, resulting in the tender of Hinton & Co., being accepted for the sum of £23 18s 6d. The tender of Hinton and Co. was also accepted for the construction of a tramway hopper, for the sum of £79 18s.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 16 May 1890.

Hinton completed the tramway, but being more work than he anticipated he asked the council for extra payment. The curt response was that …

… the contractors to be informed of the previous decision of the council to the effect that they cannot feel justified in paying extras, as the work for which extras are claimed was provided for in the specifications.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 16 August 1890.

In February 1896 the council resolved to “negotiate with the New Lambton Company for the purchase of lots 36 and 37, section S, near Hinck’s, for a quarry” and also “to place the tramline in order.” The Company agree to sell the the two lots for £15 each, but after a further inspection of the site the Mayor reported that …

… he was of opinion that the council would act wisely in purchasing four allotments from the New Lambton Co., as it was clear the gravel extended with a much larger face in the two allotments through from the present quarry. Alderman Williams moved, “That £50 be offered to the company for the four lots.”

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 21 February 1896.

The sale of 4 lots of land totalling 1.2 acres was completed in September 1896.

Sale of land from “The New Lambton Land and Coal Company” to “The Borough of New Lambton”, September 1896. Vol-Fol 1203-130.

In October 1896, the newspaper reported that

A boy named Benjamin Taite met with a painful accident yesterday morning. He was walking along the rails of the Quarry line, and somehow or other slipped and fell on his arm, breaking both bones near the wrist.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 26 October 1896.

It is not absolutely certain which “Quarry line” is referred to, but I strongly suspect that it is the Addison Road quarry line, as this is the quarry recently purchased by the council and which they had expressed their intention earlier in the year “to place the tramline in order.”

There are various references to the quarry in the ensuing years. At a 1924 council meeting, correspondence was received from “S.A. Mining Company, granting permission to council to remove gravel from Hincks’ quarry.” At first glance, this appears a little odd, as the council owned Hincks’ quarry, so why would they need permission from the Scottish Australian Mining Company? This can be explained by viewing the extent of the quarry in a 1944 aerial photograph, and overlaying land boundaries, and noting that the quarry extended into Scottish Australian Mining Company land holdings. Presumably this extension westwards was because that was where good gravel could be obtained.

A 1944 aerial photograph overlaid with council’s 1896 purchase of land for a quarry (white) and the extension purchased in 1925 (purple), which shows that the quarry also extended westwards into the land holding of the Scottish Australian Mining Company.

In October 1924 New Lambton Council …

… on the recommendation of the Mayor, decided to increase its quarry property. The council will acquire two blocks of land at a cost of £25 each. This land adjoins Hinks’s quarry, and includes another block. The land contains gravel for street construction and repairs.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 9 October 1924.

This land purchase (lots 3 and 25 of Section S of DP1949) was completed in April 1925. Vol-Fol 3735-122.) There is a brief mention of Hincks’ Quarry in 1926.

The steam lorry had been engaged for the fortnight in street patching with gravel from Fern Quarry. The motor lorry arrived on July 8, and was being used in carting gravel from Hincks’ quarry, and was doing good work.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 15 July 1926.

After this date there are no more mentions of this quarry being actively used, presumably because the council was now sourcing its gravel requirements from the larger Fern Quarry (located on Peatties Road Kotara) that they purchased in August 1926. (Vol-Fol 3808-23)

Lambton Colliery Quarry

A note on street names: The Lambton colliery quarry was used for the construction of streets in the northern part of New Lambton, on the Commonage. Due to a mix up many of these streets were given one name by the council, and a different name by the Lands Department in Sydney. Eventually the council had to give way to the Lands Department names. Hence a number of street names mentioned below in council reports are now known by a different name. See the article “Sadly Bungled Street Names” for further details.

In June 1890, Thomas Croudace, alderman on the New Lambton council and also manager of the Lambton Colliery …

… offered on behalf of the company, to allow the council to quarry chatrock on the Lambton Company’s estate at a price to be fixed at a future date.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 7 June 1890.

Chatrock is gravel smaller than pea gravel, but larger than sand. In April 1891 the council made formal moves to request use of the Lambton colliery quarry.

Alderman THOMAS moved, that a deputation, consisting of Aldermen Capewell, Lonsdale, and Hitchcock, wait upon Mr. Croudace, and ask his permission to use the colliery quarry for Dent and Gibson streets contracts.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 24 April 1891.

The Mayor (Thomas Croudace) intimated that he would do his utmost as regards letting the council have gravel to make Dent and Gibson-streets.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 8 May 1891.

The request was granted and the council then called for tenders for the extracting gravel from the quarry. In July 1891 the contractors, Messrs Friel and Curran, wrote to the council …

… stating that the gravel in the colliery quarry was much heavier than in Russell-street, and asking for consideration; the means of conveying it would also be inconvenient and costly.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 3 July 1891.

Although no formal resolution of the council regarding the transportation of gravel is recorded in newspaper reports, the council decided that a tramway down the hill was required, and sought the co-operation of the Lambton Colliery in its construction. In October 1891 the council resolved …

… That Aldermen Lonsdale and Capewell wait upon Mr. F. Croudace in regard to the speedy completion of the quarry tramway … The MAYOR and Alderman DEAN reported that Mr. F. Croudace had promised to provide rails and sleepers for the tramway in Dent-street.”

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 23 October 1891.

With a lack of worksite security combined with the lure of adventures, soon afterwards the paper reported that

ON Tuesday evening a serious accident happened to a boy, aged 13 year, son of Mr. Simeon Davies, New Lambton. It appears the boy, with a companion, was riding on some full skips, which were being brought down a steep incline from the quarry in the Lambton Colliery paddock. The skips left the rails and threw the boys off, injuring the boy Davies severely. He was at once conveyed home and medical assistance procured, when it was found that his arm had suffered a compound fracture, and his leg was fractured above the ankle. It is feared the injuries to the arm will necessitate amputation. The boy at present is in a critical condition.

Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners’ Advocate, 29 October 1891.

It is unclear when the council ceased using the Lambton colliery quarry as a source of gravel. The last mention in the newspapers is in June 1892 where the Mayor is permitted to engage men “in quarrying gravel in Russell-street, also in the colliery quarry.” Presumably after the council purchased the Addison Road quarry in 1896, there would have been little need to use the Lambton colliery quarry.

Portion of Parrott’s 1893 map, that shows the Lambton colliery quarry, the tramway leading down to Wickham Road, with the words “Tram” and “Quarry” colourised for emphasis. National Library of Australia.
Close up view from 1906 of the Lambton colliery quarry and the path of the former tramway down to the streets of New Lambton. Newcastle University, Living Histories.
In a 1938 aerial photograph the path of the quarry tramway can be clearly seen leading from the former quarry near the intersection of Croudace St and Russell Rd, down to Wickham Rd. Newcastle University, Living Histories.

The land on which the quarry was located was sold by the Scottish Australian Mining Company in July 1956 (Vol-Fol 7114-143) and by the mid 1960s suburban development of the area was well underway.

Aerial photography from 1966 shows ongoing suburban development in the former Lambton colliery pit paddock and quarry area. NSW Historical Imagery.

Other New Lambton quarries

The reports of the meetings of New Lambton council mention numerous other local quarries in the period 1899 to 1938. Some of these are named by location. Some are named after a person, although it is often not clear whether the person is the owner of the quarry, the main worker in the quarry, or just someone who lived nearby as was the case with Hincks’ quarry.

Newspaper articles

Article Date Event DateNotes
16 Sep 1869Report on the first year of New Lambton's development, including the state of the roads.
5 Aug 1876Bad roads between Lambton and New Lambton.
29 Mar 1886Report on the state of New Lambton, and the desire for a municipal council to improve the roads.
14 Mar 1890
12 Mar 1890
Council requests use of the New Lambton colliery quarry, and the erection of a tramway down the hill.
28 Mar 1890
12 Mar 1890
Council's request to use the New Lambton colliery quarry granted by A. Brown.
11 Apr 1890
9 Apr 1890
New Lambton Council decides that "tenders be invited for the formation and laying of about 400 yards of a tramway."
16 May 1890
14 May 1890
New Lambton Council - tender for construction of quarry tramway and hopper awarded to Hinton and Co.
7 Jun 1890
4 Jun 1890
"Alderman CROUDACE offered, on behalf of the company, to supply the ashes and to allow the council to quarry chatrock on the Lambton Company's estate at per yard; the price to be fixed at a future date."
16 Aug 1890
14 Aug 1890
“From Messrs. Hinton and Co., contractors for the quarry tramway and hopper, asking for extras”
4 Jul 1890
2 Sep 1890
"the matter of obtaining eight skips for the tramway connected with the quarry be left in the hands of the supervising committee and Alderman Thomas"
24 Apr 1891
22 Apr 1891
"The foreman reported verbally that the Mayor had promised to allow the council to obtain gravel from the colliery quarry. Alderman THOMAS moved, that a deputation, consisting of Aldermen Capewell, Lonsdale, and Hitchcock, wait upon Mr. Croudace, and ask his permission to use the colliery quarry for Dent and Gibson streets contracts."
8 May 1891
6 May 1891
The Mayor (Thomas Croudace) "intimated that he would do his utmost as regards letting the council have gravel to make Dent and Gibson-streets."
5 Jun 1891
3 Jun 1891
New Lambton council resolution that "the matter of calling tenders for quarrying gravel in the Lambton Colliery quarry be left with the Mayor."
3 Jul 1891
1 Jul 1891
"From Messrs. Friel and Curran, stating that the gravel in the colliery quarry was much heavier than in Russell-street, and asking for consideration; the means of conveying it would also be inconvenient and costly."
23 Oct 1891
21 Oct 1891
New Lambton council, seeking co-operation from "Mr. F. Croudace in regard to the speedy completion of the quarry tramway."
29 Oct 1891A 13 year old boy is injured while riding the skips down the tramline from the Lambton Colliery quarry.
17 Jun 1892
15 Jun 1892
"That 1s 4d per cubic yard be paid to any men the Mayor may engage in quarrying gravel in Russell-street, also in the colliery quarry."
7 Feb 1896
5 Feb 1896
New Lambton council seeks to purchase the Addison Road quarry.
21 Feb 1896
19 Feb 1896
"From Mr. Alexander Brown, managing director of the New Lambton Company, offering lots 36 and 37, section R, for £15 each as a quarry, the council to pay cost of transfer."
19 Mar 1896
17 Mar 1896
Motiona at New Lambton Council "That the managing director of the New Lambton Land and Coal Co. (Mr. A. Brown) be requested to dedicate and align Carrington Parade and Addison-road for the purpose of enabling the council to form and make the roadway to the quarry in a proper manner."
26 Oct 1896
25 Oct 1896
"A boy named Benjamin Taite met with a painful accident yesterday morning. He was walking along the rails of the Quarry line, and somehow or other slipped and fell on his arm, breaking both bones near the wrist."
22 May 1913
21 May 1913
"The recent rains had caused the hill on the Addison-road to slip away, and blocked the road to the gravel quarry."
11 Sep 1924
10 Sep 1924
Correspondence from "S.A. Mining Company, granting permission to council to remove gravel from Hinck's quarry, at the same royalty and conditions applicable to Fern quarry, until such time as the latter quarry was again available."
9 Oct 1924
8 Oct 1924
Decision by New Lambton council to extend the Addision Rd quarry by purchasing two adjoining blocks of land.
15 Jul 1926
14 Jul 1926
"The steam lorry had been engaged for the fortnight in street patching with gravel from Fern Quarry. The motor lorry arrived on July 8, and was being used in carting gravel from Hincks' quarry, and was doing good work."
24 Aug 1950"A landslide in Addison-road, New Lambton, was not due to mine subsidence, according to an expert's report. An inspection of a nearby disused gravel quarry indicated the underlying strata consisted of about four feet of clay shale sub-soils lying on a bed of hard conglomerates."

General Roberts Hotel, New Lambton

In 1868 the New Lambton Coal Company struck a payable seam in their mining lease adjacent to Lambton, and a new township began. Unlike Lambton where private ownership of land was promoted, the New Lambton proprietors did not offer their land for sale. With no ownership, there was no incentive for townspeople to construct anything but the most basic of buildings. In 1890 when land was first sold in the town, New Lambton had just three hotels, all of them hastily erected wooden structures.

In 1898 Frederick George Roberts purchased land on the corner of Lambton and Tauranga Roads, and built a weatherboard store, selling groceries, draperies, ironware and clothing. In July 1902 he applied for a publican’s license to open a hotel on the site of his store. Despite police objections the licensing court granted the application, in part swayed by Roberts’ plans to erect a substantial brick hotel, in contrast to the other hotels nearby that were described at the time as “a very disappointing lot indeed”.

By September 1902, the store was demolished, and the builder William Knight was constructing a new brick hotel designed by the notable local architect Ernest George Yeomans. On 18 April 1903 120 years ago this month, Roberts announced by advertisement that his “new hotel will be opened for business today, containing 20 spacious and well ventilated rooms.” He named it the General Roberts Hotel, after Frederick Sleigh Roberts, recently commander of the British forces in the Second Boer War. Within a year Phillip Byrne had become licensee, and Ralph Snowball photographed the hotel soon afterwards. Looking west along Lambton Rd and Alma Rd, the photo shows the General Roberts Hotel on the right, and beside it the remnants of a cutting where the New Lambton colliery railway once ran.

General Roberts Hotel, 15 July 1904. Photograph by Ralph Snowball. University of Newcastle, Living Histories.
Lambton Rd and the General Roberts Hotel in 2023.

The article above was first published in the April 2023 edition of The Local.


Additional Information

See the General Roberts Hotel entry in my New Lambton Hotels page.