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Dobson State Coal Mine
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DescriptionView over buildings in central (or administrative) work area - several coal miners (and other mine workers) are in sight in the foreground of the image.
The Dobson mine was opened in 1919, and closed in 1968. Nine men were killed in an explosion at the mine in 1926.
Bev Huston
Dad (Frank Martin) was an Electrician at Dobson with Charlie Reid and Bob Dickson. He too always held the opinion that the closure of Dobson was political; that "the coal seam ran from Kaiata to Otira. Extract from family papers follow - quote - - his phenomenal memory! - - Dobson Mine. - my comment about storm water flowing across the road by the former Dobson Mine site; was enough to kick off the story about the culvert and the time Dobson went on fire, when he was one of the electricians.
(By the way, within hours of the Dobson fire being reported he was first down the drive with the telephone cables for the Mines Rescue team to set up communications. His comment about that was "The rats were coming out and I was going down; if there is a hell, I think that's what it would be like. “) To extinguish the Dobson underground fire, water had to pumped from the Grey River up to the mine; there were no heavy cables in NZ long enough to string from the Mine's power supply, across the main highway then above the height of the train traffic to the River's edge. Dad obviously got frustrated at the lack of progress after a few days, and suggested that the cable be fed through the culvert out to the pump at the river's edge. Continual attempts to feed the cable failed- the Grey was in flood, the culvert was full. And Quote “I got them to send two blokes down to the culvert exit to catch me, had a thick leader rope to the cables tied around me and I shot down the (flooded) culvert with the power cable, so that sorted that out. “ Unquote. Obviously no one knew he couldn't swim had he been flung out into the flooded Grey River. That was our Dad.
Map[1] External LinkTe PapaContributorHeather Newby
The Dobson mine was opened in 1919, and closed in 1968. Nine men were killed in an explosion at the mine in 1926.
Bev Huston
Dad (Frank Martin) was an Electrician at Dobson with Charlie Reid and Bob Dickson. He too always held the opinion that the closure of Dobson was political; that "the coal seam ran from Kaiata to Otira. Extract from family papers follow - quote - - his phenomenal memory! - - Dobson Mine. - my comment about storm water flowing across the road by the former Dobson Mine site; was enough to kick off the story about the culvert and the time Dobson went on fire, when he was one of the electricians.
(By the way, within hours of the Dobson fire being reported he was first down the drive with the telephone cables for the Mines Rescue team to set up communications. His comment about that was "The rats were coming out and I was going down; if there is a hell, I think that's what it would be like. “) To extinguish the Dobson underground fire, water had to pumped from the Grey River up to the mine; there were no heavy cables in NZ long enough to string from the Mine's power supply, across the main highway then above the height of the train traffic to the River's edge. Dad obviously got frustrated at the lack of progress after a few days, and suggested that the cable be fed through the culvert out to the pump at the river's edge. Continual attempts to feed the cable failed- the Grey was in flood, the culvert was full. And Quote “I got them to send two blokes down to the culvert exit to catch me, had a thick leader rope to the cables tied around me and I shot down the (flooded) culvert with the power cable, so that sorted that out. “ Unquote. Obviously no one knew he couldn't swim had he been flung out into the flooded Grey River. That was our Dad.
Map[1] External LinkTe PapaContributorHeather Newby
Shown in this image
Location (city or town)DobsonOrganisation (eg business)Dobson State Coal Mine
Category Information
Category TagCoal Mining
From Facebook
Date Created28th March 2021CommentsVern Pattinson
Great place to live
Grant Thornley
Yes Vern,why don't we all go back there better than living in the city.
Vern Pattinson
Grant Thornley family here and grandkids
Rosemary Gattsche
Just had a conversation with my father the other night - he worked in the Dobson mine till it closed. He is Lyall Blance. Can anyone tell me why the mine was closed. Dad has had a stroke and he can't remember why it closed.
Jillene Magee
Rosemary Gattsche my husbands father Jack Magee worked in the Dobson Mine, so John (my hubby) thinks it maybe because the coal face was right under the Grey River, and was dripping water in that shaft, so it might have been a safety measure.
Mary Fenemor
Rosemary GattscheYour Cousin Ron, remembers that the Mine caught fire, so they flooded it ,to put the fire Out , then it never got reopened.
Bill Stephenson
Rosemary Gattsche Hi Rosemary, they had large stockpiles of coal at Dobson and Wallsend and was having trouble selling it plus the cost of producing it was also high.
Cathy Howat
Bill Stephenson My dad told me that by 1968 Dobson was mined out of economically accessible coal
Alison Hibbs
I remember u Rosemary. U were the little girl. Lived behind us at Stillwater. Ord’s
Heather Newby
Author
Admin
Rosemary Gattsche they lost their big contract to Auckland Gas works. Kapuni natural gas was the death of Dobson.
James Newby
Mary Fenemor yes it was flooded after a fire and the miners( including my father) went to work at Strongman until it was reopened,
Rosemary Gattsche
Alison Hibbs yes I remember your family. Your mum was such a lovely lady
Vera White
Awe so sorry to here Lyall has had a stroke I believe the Dobson mine was opened in 1919 and closed in 1968 9 men were killed 1926 I think it was political love you V
Graeme Anderson
My uncle Ian Bryce worked there in the 60's.
Les Lindbom
I can be corrected at anytime here.
The Minster of mines at the time Mr Shand closed the mine,when the mine union thought they had more than the Government
Les Lindbom
More power more power
Dave Steers
Best place ever to grow up.
Colman Creagh
great memories. i worked there till it closed
Bill Stephenson
Colman Creagh All the old names are coming out now Colman
Thelma Coutts
There you are Debbie. They have kindly supplied dates of the explosion and closing of the Dobson mine.
Heather Reid
Charles Reid was electrician there
Kevin Barron
My Wife Glenys Colins father work in the mine Ted Colins was a deputy, Glenys went down the mine with her father on a Sunday two or three times think checking for gas she always said the mine bumps used to frighten he
Howard Topp
Grandad worked there from 1928. Found a photo of him on this site several years ago.
Colin Pattinson
Yes Heather and a bloody good guy was Charlie Reid do anything for anyone
Bernie Bell
Cant trust that Googy Mcgill Jock.
John White
Bernie Bell
Top Bloke.
Bev Huston
Dad (Frank Martin) was an Electrician at Dobson with Charlie Reid and Bob Dickson. He too always held the opinion that the closure of Dobson was political; that "the coal seam ran from Kaiata to Otira. Extract from family papers follow - quote - - his phenomenal memory! - - Dobson Mine. - my comment about storm water flowing across the road by the former Dobson Mine site; was enough to kick off the story about the culvert and the time Dobson went on fire, when he was one of the electricians.
(By the way, within hours of the Dobson fire being reported he was first down the drive with the telephone cables for the Mines Rescue team to set up communications. His comment about that was "The rats were coming out and I was going down; if there is a hell, I think that's what it would be like. “) To extinguish the Dobson underground fire, water had to pumped from the Grey River up to the mine; there were no heavy cables in NZ long enough to string from the Mine's power supply, across the main highway then above the height of the train traffic to the River's edge. Dad obviously got frustrated at the lack of progress after a few days, and suggested that the cable be fed through the culvert out to the pump at the river's edge. Continual attempts to feed the cable failed- the Grey was in flood, the culvert was full. And Quote “I got them to send two blokes down to the culvert exit to catch me, had a thick leader rope to the cables tied around me and I shot down the (flooded) culvert with the power cable, so that sorted that out. “ Unquote. Obviously no one knew he couldn't swim had he been flung out into the flooded Grey River. That was our Dad.
Great place to live
Grant Thornley
Yes Vern,why don't we all go back there better than living in the city.
Vern Pattinson
Grant Thornley family here and grandkids
Rosemary Gattsche
Just had a conversation with my father the other night - he worked in the Dobson mine till it closed. He is Lyall Blance. Can anyone tell me why the mine was closed. Dad has had a stroke and he can't remember why it closed.
Jillene Magee
Rosemary Gattsche my husbands father Jack Magee worked in the Dobson Mine, so John (my hubby) thinks it maybe because the coal face was right under the Grey River, and was dripping water in that shaft, so it might have been a safety measure.
Mary Fenemor
Rosemary GattscheYour Cousin Ron, remembers that the Mine caught fire, so they flooded it ,to put the fire Out , then it never got reopened.
Bill Stephenson
Rosemary Gattsche Hi Rosemary, they had large stockpiles of coal at Dobson and Wallsend and was having trouble selling it plus the cost of producing it was also high.
Cathy Howat
Bill Stephenson My dad told me that by 1968 Dobson was mined out of economically accessible coal
Alison Hibbs
I remember u Rosemary. U were the little girl. Lived behind us at Stillwater. Ord’s
Heather Newby
Author
Admin
Rosemary Gattsche they lost their big contract to Auckland Gas works. Kapuni natural gas was the death of Dobson.
James Newby
Mary Fenemor yes it was flooded after a fire and the miners( including my father) went to work at Strongman until it was reopened,
Rosemary Gattsche
Alison Hibbs yes I remember your family. Your mum was such a lovely lady
Vera White
Awe so sorry to here Lyall has had a stroke I believe the Dobson mine was opened in 1919 and closed in 1968 9 men were killed 1926 I think it was political love you V
Graeme Anderson
My uncle Ian Bryce worked there in the 60's.
Les Lindbom
I can be corrected at anytime here.
The Minster of mines at the time Mr Shand closed the mine,when the mine union thought they had more than the Government
Les Lindbom
More power more power
Dave Steers
Best place ever to grow up.
Colman Creagh
great memories. i worked there till it closed
Bill Stephenson
Colman Creagh All the old names are coming out now Colman
Thelma Coutts
There you are Debbie. They have kindly supplied dates of the explosion and closing of the Dobson mine.
Heather Reid
Charles Reid was electrician there
Kevin Barron
My Wife Glenys Colins father work in the mine Ted Colins was a deputy, Glenys went down the mine with her father on a Sunday two or three times think checking for gas she always said the mine bumps used to frighten he
Howard Topp
Grandad worked there from 1928. Found a photo of him on this site several years ago.
Colin Pattinson
Yes Heather and a bloody good guy was Charlie Reid do anything for anyone
Bernie Bell
Cant trust that Googy Mcgill Jock.
John White
Bernie Bell
Top Bloke.
Bev Huston
Dad (Frank Martin) was an Electrician at Dobson with Charlie Reid and Bob Dickson. He too always held the opinion that the closure of Dobson was political; that "the coal seam ran from Kaiata to Otira. Extract from family papers follow - quote - - his phenomenal memory! - - Dobson Mine. - my comment about storm water flowing across the road by the former Dobson Mine site; was enough to kick off the story about the culvert and the time Dobson went on fire, when he was one of the electricians.
(By the way, within hours of the Dobson fire being reported he was first down the drive with the telephone cables for the Mines Rescue team to set up communications. His comment about that was "The rats were coming out and I was going down; if there is a hell, I think that's what it would be like. “) To extinguish the Dobson underground fire, water had to pumped from the Grey River up to the mine; there were no heavy cables in NZ long enough to string from the Mine's power supply, across the main highway then above the height of the train traffic to the River's edge. Dad obviously got frustrated at the lack of progress after a few days, and suggested that the cable be fed through the culvert out to the pump at the river's edge. Continual attempts to feed the cable failed- the Grey was in flood, the culvert was full. And Quote “I got them to send two blokes down to the culvert exit to catch me, had a thick leader rope to the cables tied around me and I shot down the (flooded) culvert with the power cable, so that sorted that out. “ Unquote. Obviously no one knew he couldn't swim had he been flung out into the flooded Grey River. That was our Dad.
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West Coast New Zealand History (10th Jun 2021). Dobson State Coal Mine. In Website West Coast New Zealand History. Retrieved 4th Apr 2026 12:05, from https://westcoast.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/29165