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Coal Discovered in Australia
Coal was first discovered by Europeans in Australia at the mouth of the hunter river in New South Wales by the escaping convict William Byrant. -
Coal for cooking
William Byrant's wife is thought to be the first European women to use Australian coal for cooking. -
Second Coal Discovery
The next discovery of coal was on the south coast of New South Wales by William Clarkenear present day Thirroul. This was an important resource for assisting industrialisation to occur in the colony. -
First Australian Coal Mine
The first coal mine was established near the mouth of the Hunter River. -
Settlement Set Up In Australia
Governor King set up a permanent settlement there, naming it Newcastle. It became the centre for devolopment of Australia's coal trade. -
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First Use Of Newcastle
One of the first uses of Newcastle coal was for the production of salt. Seawater was boiled using local coal for fuel. This proccess operated from 1804 - 1808. In the same area, seashells were burnt to produce lime, mainly for building.