Blair Sergeant gives a brief history of the coal mining industry in Australia, and how it still thrives today. For more information on coal, visit Blair's blog!

1. A Brief History of
Coal Mining in
Australia
By Blair Sergeant

2. Had been part of Australia's history
even before James Cook ever set foot on the continent. Although
the coal industry did not become fully integrated into Australian
society until the 1830s, it soon became a flourishing business as
more free settlers made the trek. The success of the coal trade
would then give way to more trade opportunities, including salt
and lime, iron, copper, brass, foundries, soap and candles, and
cloth and flour mills emerged with the introduction of free
settlers.
There are differing opinions on when coal was officially first
discovered in Australia—some records note that survivors of a
shipwreck found some in New South Wales in August 1797. Others
indicate that Surgeon Bass, of the famed Bass and Flinders, was
the first to notice Australia’s rich deposits.
COAL

3. Regardless of who found the coal first,
Australia soon latched onto the possibilities
that came with the new source of revenue. As
soon as 1804, convict settlements began to
develop along Coal River, where there were
significant sources of coal, including
Newcastle on the Hunter River. Even today, it’s
known as the biggest coal export in the world.
Settlements expanded past New South Wales
as new coal deposits came to light. Victoria
and Queensland saw growth; Tasmania and
South Australia, and even Western Australia
found seams that are still producing coal to
date.

4. that also stimulated other areas
of growth, such as minerals like
gold and tin, and prompted
larger, more populated
settlements that would grow
into booming towns. The need
for a more convenient way to
transport these goods also
became evident very quickly,
too, so railway companies came
in to assist and profit.
As coal mining careers
rose in popularity,

5. Throughout the obvious success of
the coal industry, developing the
trade has not come without its
challenges. The 1903 strike in
Victoria completely disorganised
the coal mining trade, and even
the present-day industry can feel
those effects. Not long after, in
1909, came the Coal Mines
Regulation Bill, which provided for
the established of a State coal
mine.

6. The coal industry has changed to
an extent since the first finding in
Point Solander, more than 200
years ago, but even today, coal
remains the largest export product
of Australia. The industry provides
jobs across the country, even
though the global community is
moving away from thermal coal.
There is still a great need for coking
coal, which is used to make iron
and has yet to see a severe
decrease in demand.

7. For more information on the coal mining
industry, visit BlairSergeant.com
Thank you for viewing!