Walk 2. Return to the vehicles and then set off in a south west direction to locate the Wolgan Cemetery, GR About 1km.

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1 THE BUSH CLUB Inc. Greater Blue Mountains National Park- Wolgan State Forest, Wollemi National Park and Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort. Two short walks - Lambs Tunnel, Wolgan Cemetery and more Friday 24 th June Part EXPLORATORY Title Lambs Tunnel and more Date 20 th June 2016 Leader Brian Fox/Michael Keats Maps, etc., Department of Lands topographic map, 1:25000, Ben Bullen, S, second edition. Department of Lands topographic map, 1:25000, Cullen Bullen, N, second edition GPS setting WGS 84. Walk Walk 1. Park vehicles on the Wolgan Road at approximately GR description Walk across Ross Howards property into the Wolgan State Forest at about and route GR and search for evidence of Lambs Tunnel, a former Kerosene Shale prospect. About 2km. Walk 2. Return to the vehicles and then set off in a south west direction to locate the Wolgan Cemetery, GR About 1km. Rating Walk 3.Attempt to reach the Wolgan Rover, locate the site of Jacks Camp and a granite outcrop referred to by JE Carne, 1901 on his geological map of the Wolgan Valley. About 7km. 4, M, LTW. Gear issues GPS, PLB, 2 litres of water, electrolytes, camera appropriate head and footwear. Numbers Max 10. Meeting point 0545 Pymble, 0640 Richmond Macdonald s for pick up. Salud in Lithgow for coffee 0800 or Wolgan Road 0820 Transport Club Cars Comments Private property access has been approved. Close of ASAP Bookings Bookings Michael Keats mjmkeats@easy.comn.au The Party Brian Fox, leader, Yuri Bolotin, Michael Keats, Rodney Nelson, David Dash, Harold Thompson, members and Denise Woodcock, guest, 7. The Weather A wild, windy (up to 30kph) and rather unpleasant day with scudding cloud, rain showers and the threat of snow falls. Temperature range 6-7 degrees but felt much colder. Background Notes- walk 1 1

2 Plaque at Wolgan Gap. Douglas Samuel Bird (known as Feathers ) 17 th August th April Aged 72, formerly of Wallerawang. The plaque to Doug Bird was placed by Danny Whitty and Doug's son, Mike. It was at this location that Doug's ashes were spread. Doug Bird was the son of Richard Bird and Uncle to Danny. (It was Richard's brother Jim Bird who held the license to Newnes Hotel). Photo: Brian Fox. Wolgan Road - Donkey Steps The road into Wolgan Valley from Wolgan Gap was via Donkey Steps was in use until Ref: Ian Coates land owner base of Wolgan Gap, 18 th June The Lithgow Mercury 15 th February 1907, p. 4 records, Communication from the Shire Council, stating that steps had been taken to prevent teamsters' and carters from cutting up the Wolgan Gap-road by placing drag-logs at the back of their teams and carts. The maintenance men have been instructed to caution the offenders at first, but if the act' is committed a second time, the Shire will take other steps. Lithgow Mercury 16 th February 1928, p. 3 records, Work has been completed on the Wolgan pass. There are many newspaper references to the Wolgan Road and it is hard to determine which section of the Wolgan road they are referring to. The old road via Donkey Steps of which the cadastral easement is shown on the current Cullen Bullen and Ben Bullen Topographic Maps went down Donkey Steps (that is to the east of the current road) across Wolgan River and through the property Wolgah owned by Ian Coates. Continued north and on the eastern side of the Wolgan River. A section of the road went through Frederick and William Lamb s property most likely it is here that there was a Half -Way House up to seven years ago the remains of stone work from an old building existed. The road than continued through what is the Emirates property (that is behind or eastern side of Donkey Mountain). This road, was the access to the first property in the Wolgan Valley, William Walkers 1000ac. The road than criss-crossed the Wolgan River 2

3 below Carne Creek junction. An early Survey Plan C dated February 1867 shows a reserved road one chain wide in this area. The road joined the present road on the northern side of the property Koopartoo. The sections of this closed road near the base of Wolgan Gap have, and are slowly being purchased by Ian Coates and adjoining property owners. We know that in 1874 there was also the road in the current location of Wolgan Road in the valley as the Survey Plan which shows Jacks Camp has a road joining these two roads with text on the southern end reading, from the Gap and the northern end, down Wolgan where the road crosses Wolgan River the text reads, Crossing place. The current road into the valley from Wolgan Gap is shown on the Parish of Wolgan 1 st edition, 1884, and Parish of Cox 1 st edition, Both editions show just a marked track from the top to the base of Wolgan Gap and the main road as per Donkey Steps. Stockman s Huts The hut located below Wolgan Gap at the base of the hill and the hut just off Wolgan Road opposite the cattle yards and close to the Wolgan cemetery were both built by Ray Fitzpatrick Ref: Ian Coates, Wolgan Valley, telephone correspondence May Extract from Carne s Geological map of the Capertee and Wolgan Valleys showing the location of Lambs Tunnel kerosene shale mine. Photo: Brian Fox. 3

4 Lambs Tunnel On the north side of the Wolgan Valley, opposite Donkey Mountain, William Lamb ( ) discovered loose kerosene shale c1885. Ref: Carne, Joseph. The Kerosene Shale Deposits of NSW, 1903, p Ignatius Wall took out a Mineral Lease 24th July 1906 for the purpose of Shale and Coal. The Mining survey was completed 10th December 1908 which shows Lambs Tunnel at the southern part of the 640ac lease. The plan also has the sum recorded of 87. Ref: Plan of Portion MP 44, Parish of Goollooinboin and Wolgan, County of Cook. S1891. A number of the Lamb family members held land in the Wolgan area - Frederick, William and Albert Lamb. Ref: Survey Plan 495, 518, 612, 1856 and Albert Lamb occupation was listed as, Miner. Note: Ignatius Wall of which Walls Cave, Blackheath is named after him, held a number of mining leases one such was on Narrow Neck, Katoomba. Ref: Keats, Michael & Fox, Brian. The Passes of Narrow Neck, 2008, p. 71. Lambs Tunnel is located below Collett Gap and above the Wolgan Road on private property. Ben Bullen Topographic Map Extract from Survey Plan for Lambs Tunnel, S1891. Prepared by Brian Fox. Track Notes Walk 1. At 0855 we parked on the Wolgan Road at GR and faced a wet and rather miserable set of weather conditions. Our objective, Lambs Tunnel was about 700m away so no packs were carried. We made up for this by layers of weather proofing and set out across Barton Creek and began climbing a spur. The remains of an old road, possibly a dray road to the former mine was found at GR

5 Yuri at the stockyards on the Wolgan Road. The stock yards where we parked were originally constructed by Bert Bird (Danny Whitty's grandfather). The steel cable was placed much later. The cable came from the Marion Dragline which operated at the open cut coal mine at Lidsdale, (that is seen when you go down the hill on the way towards Wolgan past all the houses and at the bottom of the hill on the left was the coal mine.) The Marion Dragline (photo attached as example) operated from c1947. The cables had to be changed periodically. Photo: Brian Fox. 5

6 At 0921the extensive research done by Brian Fox and Stephen Imrie paid off. We stood at the crumbling entrance to the former mine, GR at an elevation of 740m. Some tome was spent searching for artefacts but there was nothing except a stacked wall of kerosene shale seconds and a few pieces of reasonable quality ore. After photos we returned to the vehicles, Total distance 2.35km, total ascents 140m. Denise at Lambs Tunnel entrance. Photo: Brian Fox. Kerosene Shale outside Lambs Tunnel. Photo: Brian Fox. 6

7 Background Notes Walk 2 - the settlement of Wolgan Public School Approved 20 th September Ref: Gazette Misc. Government Gazette; Public School Teachers, Provisional School Wolgan, Emily Thurstone. Ref: Evening News (Sydney) 20 th December 1882, p. 4. Dedicated Crown Lands for Wolgan Public School, 2ac. Presbyterian Church and manse Ref: Empire (Sydney) 3 rd June 1874, p. 3. Australian Town and Country Journal 6 th June 1874, p. 36. Trustees for Presbyterian Church and manse, Henry Williams, Thomas Walker and Charles Thomson. Ref: Sydney morning Herald 23 rd May 1877, p. 7. Three grave sites, a women and a child which is buried alongside the headstone, no markings. The headstone for Christiana Nicol Williams, reads. Sacred to the Memory of Christiana Nicol Williams who was born July and died November , Thou I walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death I will fear no evil for thou art with me. Death Notice: Christiana Williams wife of Henry Williams, November 12, 1879 at Warren Vale, Wolgan, aged 37. Ref: Australian Town and Country Journal 6 th December 1879, p. 41. Parish Map of Wolgan 5 th edition, 1930 records in pencil. Dispersal of Cemetery and reserves LB Land Board 1958, file No Survey Plan details provided by both Stephen Imrie and Brian Fox. 7

8 Declare that land at Wolgan Valley, Presbytery of Bathurst contained in Crown Grant Vol. 459; Fol. 127 & 128. Portion 9/73 & 10/73 area 2 roods is no longer required by the congregation for any activity and approve the sale of the whole of the land. Ref: Ferguson Memorial Library, archives of the Presbyterian Church correspondence 9 th May Part of correspondence states there never was a church building nor any record of Presbyterian preaching only dedication of the land. Trustees were appointed for the Presbyterian portion of the cemetery. The Land Board file quoted above indicated that there was no definite record of any Presbyterian burial at Wolgan in church records. The authority by the Presbyterian NSW General Assembly was given to dispose of the land in Correspondence with Ian Coates is that Ian mentioned the church is right of the headstone and remains of stone work and heavy iron, (this conflicts with the information above, maybe it was from the school?) The Sydney Morning Herald 12 th November 1881, p. 6, col. 2; records in reference to the school just completed at Lidsdale, Dr. Steel afterwards addressed the teachers, with whom were the teachers of the Wolgan school, fifteen miles distant. In the afternoon, Further telephone call to Ian Coates 18 th June 2016 on the subject, Ian recalls as a child the church was still standing and seeing an old photo of the building. The school re recalls was some 400m away. Note: Wolgan Public School, Newnes was in operation when the Oil Shale Industry was up and running. Ref: Mudgee Guardian, 1 st August 1907, p. 22, The Wolgan Public School has an enrolment of 52 scholars. 27 th February 1908, p. 6, There are now over 100 pupils attending Wolgan Public School. Further note. I think there is confusion with the school at Newnes with the planned school for Wolgan, MK Track Notes Walk 2 A hurried morning tea under the tail gates of the relocated vehicles at GR was all over by A walk of less than 300m had us at the forlorn and lonely grave site of Christiana Nichol Williams, GR Post the walk Brian spoke with Danny Whitty re this grave stone Danny s take on the Wolgan cemetery is that there were 5 burials, he recalls other family members also saying there were five. He mentioned on hearsay only that one or two of the headstones were taken to make grinding wheels because of the fine grained sandstone. I have heard similar tales about stolen headstones from the old Cullen Bullen cemetery. He did not recall any building at the site, but I said there is circumstantial evidence by way of a depression in the ground of a former building. 8

9 The lonely grave of Christiana Nichol Williams at Wolgan. Photo: Brian Fox. 9

10 The only evidence (circumstantial) of the former Presbyterian Church site at Wolgan. Photo: Brian Fox. Background Notes walk 3. Jacks Camp is a locality name near the Wolgan River and Wolgan Road, about 7km north of Wolgan Gap. Accessed via Wolgan Road. Originally Jacks Camp was set aside as a Water Reserve No. 22, of 25 acres. It was notified in the NSW Government Gazette on 19 th January The reserve was revoked on the 12 th April The Survey Plan, , Parish of Wolgan, dated 1874, shows the text, Crossing place (across a swamp) and the words, Jack s Camp. Named after the adjacent property owner, Jack Lamb. Ref: Joe Bird (who owned land in this vicinity), oral account to Brian Fox, 15 th June A number of the Lamb family members held land in this area - Frederick, William and Albert Lamb. Ref: Survey Plan 495, 518, 612, 1856 and Cullen Bullen Topo Map, GR Lambs Half Way House This referred to a house for lodging and meals between Lidsdale and Newnes. James Hart and Daniel O'Halloran got drunk at the Newnes Hotel and after an argument walked about a quarter of a mile from the pub and had a fight. Hart ended up kicking O'Halloran so severely that he ended up in Lithgow Hospital where he died. The police found and arrested Hart at the Lamb s Halfway House in the Wolgan Valley. Ref: Lithgow Mercury (NSW) 28 th October 1907, p. 2. SMH 29 th October 1907, p. 5, col

11 Survey Plan for Jack Camp. Prepared by Brian Fox 11

12 Topographic map showing the location of Jacks Camp. Prepared by Brian Fox. Lambs Half Way House This referred to a house for lodging and meals between Lidsdale and Newnes James Hart and Daniel O'Halloran got drunk at the Newnes Hotel and after an argument walked about a quarter of a mile from the pub and had a fight. Hart ended up kicking O'Halloran so severely that he ended up in Lithgow Hospital where he died. The police found and arrested Hart at the Lamb s Halfway House in the Wolgan Valley. Ref: Lithgow Mercury (NSW) 28 th October 1907, p. 2. SMH 29 th October 1907, p. 5, col. 5. At the foot of the Gap a creek is crossed, and here the road bears away from the rock heights, and runs more through the centre of the valley. At Lamb's Halfway House we had dinner. Standing on the long verandah covered with trailing roses and honeysuckle, one caught a glimpse of "Wolgan Castle" a natural castle of opal-tinted sand-stone, reminding one of pictures of Scottish castles Passing "Wolgan Station," the road for a distance is quite red, and in winding round the foot of the "Donkey Hill," the river comes into view. Ref: Lithgow Mercury (NSW) 24 th February 1908, p. 1. Mudgee Guardian 12 th March 1908, p. 22. Telephone call to Ian Coates 18 th June 2016 (Ian lives in the Wolgan Valley, so does his brother Doug and their grandfather Jack Winchester also owned property) Ian had not heard of Lambs Half Way House but recalls there was an old stone house on what was called Lambs Flat (midway between Jacks Camp and the Emirates) The stone work was removed about 7-8 years ago. The road from Wolgan Gap via Donkey Steps which was officially 12

13 closed in 1926 was on the eastern side of the Wolgan River which would have been the access to Lambs Half Way House. Portion 22 with the red dot Jacks Camp 19 th January We are advised that nothing remains at the site. Research and map preparation by Brian Fox. Names of Lamb family living at Wolgan as per early newspapers, William died 1895 farmer in Wolgan Valley. Ref, The Australian Star 11 th March 1895, p. 1. Parish map and Survey Plans relating to the Lamb family Survey Plan C surveyed 1873 shows Albert Lamb, improvements 10 pounds, (this amount would indicate a building was on the land. The land was purchased 27 th September 1872 also in the name of William Lamb. This was the earliest 2 portions of 40ac each in this area (south east of Walkers 1000ac property) in the Wolgan Valley. Survey Plan C surveyed 1874 shows Frederick Lamb, improvements 5 pounds. A hut is shown on this plan. 13

14 Survey Plan C dated 1876 shows Albert Lamb (Minor) he would have been 16 years old. Albert Lamb died 30 th October 1934, aged 77 father William, mother Eliza. Albert married Hannah and their children were Roy, Ernest, John, Stanley, May and Florence. Albert s occupation recorded as, Miner (Lambs Tunnel?) Ref: Lithgow Mercury (NSW) 31 st October 1934, p. 1. Lithgow Mercury (NSW) 13 th December 1934, p. 3. John Joshua Lamb died 28 th March 1933, aged 84, born c1849.father John, mother Charlotte William Lamb died 19 th August 1936, aged 84 born c1852. father John, mother Charlotte Married Emma Lamb died 10 th February 1938 aged 69 born c1868 father James, mother Mary Ann George B Lamb died 14 th May father John, mother Charlotte. Track Notes We discovered that we did not have permission to visit either Jacks Camp or Lambs Half Way House site. Both these are on private land. Given the adverse conditions it was decided to cut further walking and return home. Compiler s Note The very detailed research included in this report is the diligent work of Brian Fox. Input has also been received from Stephen Imrie and John Fox. Michael Keats for The Bush Club Inc., 24 th June 2016 BCSNW Lambs Tunnel more Track Notes /MK 14

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