On 24 September and 1 October 1998, Richard Raxworthy interviewed several people about the Mount Keira Mine Tramway. These interviews were recorded on cassette tapes and discussed the tramway, the mines, and Wollongong Harbour.
Fred Kirkwood
Fred Kirkwood was born in 1909 and was employed at Mt Kembla Colliery for his entire working life. He spoke about working at Mount Kembla, exploring and studying Mount Keira Tramway during a layoff in the 1930’s depression, and his boyhood recollections of Wollongong Harbour.
Fred’s audio interview can be downloaded here.
Keywords:
Mount Keira Mine Tramway – Mt Keira Mine Tramway – Trams – Tramways – Railway – Port Kembla – Mount Keira – Mt Keira – Mount Keira Mine – Mt Keira Mine – Steelworks – Collieries – Skips – Mount Kembla – Mount Kembla Mines – Mount Kembla Tramway – Mt Kembla – Mt Kembla Mines – Mt Kembla Tramway
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Alf O’Brien
Alf O’Brien was born in Wolumla, Bega in 1927. He later worked as a clipper on the Mount Keira Colliery Tramway for three years between 1942 and 1945. Alf spoke of the working methods on the tramway and the condition of the harbour after the tramway was removed.
Alf’s audio interview can be downloaded here.
Alf’s interview transcript.
Keywords
Mt Keira Mines Tramway – Trams – Tramways – Railway – Port Kembla – Mount Keira – Steelworks – Collieries – Skips – Mt Kembla – Mt Kembla Mines – Mt Kembla Tramway
Jack Faulkner
Jack Faulkner was born in Glebe in 1922. He grew up in Keiraville, playing in the vicinity of the Mount Keira Mine Tramway between 1928 and 1936. He took a keen interest in the tramway as a child and spoke of its operation from the incline to the Harbour.
Jack’s audio interview can be downloaded here.
Keywords
Mt Keira Mines Tramway – Trams – Tramways – Railway – Port Kembla – Mount Keira – Steelworks – Collieries – Skips – Mt Kembla – Mt Kembla Mines – Mt Kembla Tramway – Wollongong Harbour
Tom Dixon
Tom Dixon was born in Durham, England in 1914. He grew up in Balgownie and in 1945 worked briefly as a wheeler at Mount Keira Mine. Tom related stories about the colliery and spoke a little of the tramway.
Tom’s audio interview can be downloaded here.
Keywords
Mt Keira – Mt Keira Mine Tramway – Mount Keira Mine Tramway – Trams – Mount Keira Mine – Railway – Mt Keira Mine – Mount Keira – Steelworks – Collieries – Skips – Mt Kembla – Mt Kembla Mine – Mt Kembla Mine Tramway – Mount Kembla – Mount Kembla Mine – Mount Kembla Mine Tramway – Wollongong Harbour – Balgownie
John Southern
John Southern was born in Hawthorn, Victoria in 1914 and worked as a mining and metallurgical engineer, operating and designing blast furnaces for BHP. He lived near the Mount Keira tramway and studied its operation. John has written about the tramway and other mine railways and spoke about these subjects as well as his background at BHP.
John’s audio interview can be downloaded here.
Keywords
Mt Keira Mine Tramway – Mount Keira Mine Tramway – Trams; Tramways – Railway – Port Kembla – Mount Keira – Mt Keira – Mount Keira Mine – Mt Keira Mine – BHP; Steelworks – Collieries – BHP Blast Furnace – 1962 World Monthly Production Record – Belmore Basin – Wollongong Harbour – Skips – Mount Kembla – Mount Kembla Mines – Mount Kembla Tramway – Mt Kembla – Mt Kembla Mines – Mt Kembla Tramway
Frank Northey
Frank Northey was born in Barraba, NSW in 1921. He served in the Australian Army in the A.E.M.E. radar unit in Australia, New Guinea and Japan between 1942 and 1947, before becoming a Mining Mechanic with BHP at Mount Keira/Kemira. Frank spoke of working in the mine, on the tramway, and on the incline.
Frank’s audio interview can be downloaded here.
Keywords
Mt Keira Mines Tramway – Trams – Tramways – Railway – Port Kembla – Mount Keira – Coal
Coralie Cunningham
Coralie Cunningham was born in 1935 in Murwillumbah, NSW, where her family had moved during the Depression. She grew up in Balgownie and her father and grandfather worked at Mt Keira Colliery. Coralie spoke of Wollongong Harbour and Fairy Creek from 1945 onwards.
Coralie’s audio interview can be downloaded here.
Keywords
Mt Keira Mines – Trams – Tramways – Balgownie – Mount Keira – Fairy Creek – Wollongong Harbour
Coralie’s Interview Transcript
Frank Coltman
Frank Coltman was born in Mount Keira in 1930. He worked as a mine fitter and turner and later as assistant engineer at the Mt Keira/Kemira Colliery for AI&S/ BHP from 1946 to 1988. Frank discussed working in the mine and on the tramway, including a little about the harbour.
Frank’s audio interview can be downloaded here.
Keywords
Mt Keira Mines Tramway – Trams – Tramways – Railway – Mt Keira – Mount Keira – Wollongong Harbour
Reg Phillips
Reg Phillips was born in 1919 in Mount Keira, where his father owned the mine horses and had a haulage contract. He worked at the Mount Keira Mine for his father, AI&S and BHP from 1935 to 1979. Reg spoke about the mine, horses, tramway, and harbour.
Reg’s audio interview can be downloaded here.
Keywords
Mt Keira Mines Tramway – Trams – Tramways – Railway – Mt Pleasant – Mount Keira – Wollongong Harbour – Mine Horses
Robert Reed
Robert Reed was born in Adelaide in 1921. Following his R.A.A.F. service between 1941 and 1945, he graduated from Adelaide University as a Mining Engineer in 1949. From 1951, he worked at the Mount Keira Mine for three years as a cadet Mining Engineer to obtain underground experience in order to achieve his full qualification. In 1981, he returned to Kemira as the mine manager. Robert spoke of the mine and tramway.
Robert’s audio interview can be downloaded here.
Keywords
Mt Keira – Mt Keira – Mines Tramway – Trams – Tramways – Railway – Mt Pleasant – Mount Keira – Fairy Creek – Kemira – Coal Seams
Mount Keira Mines Tramways Project’s Photo Album
