ALBUM -Dobson, KAIATA and KAIATA PARK - Then and Now.

About this image

DescriptionDobson – a giant of the Brunner coalfield
After a slow start, the Dobson mine became a giant of the coalfields.Development started in earnest late in 1919, but it closed. Work started again in 1925, with 100 men underground and 40 above. In 1930, its best year when it produced 117,386 tons, the mine employed 311 men. However, a fall in demand was just around the corner due to the emerging gas industry. The State took over the Dobson mine on February 22, 1943, and subsidised the operation to keep men in work. In the 24 years under the State, losses were $4.86m ($82m in today’s money 2010). Dumping coal at the mine became common, as the market retracted. At the time of the closure, production was down to 42,685 ton a year.The mine had produced nearly 3 million ton over its life. Water levels were rising in the mine’s final days, and little was done to keep it in check. Two men from the Greymouth Highland Band piped the men through the last day of production, Monday, September 30, 1968.The nearby Wallsend, Paparoa and Blackball mines had already closed.The Dobson mine’s closure meant the Coast was without a mine in Brunner for the first time in 111 years. It had another 12 years of coal left. It took another 14 years to shift all of the huge coal stockpile in the town.Map^[1]ContributorTony Kokshoorn

Shown in this image

Location (city or town)DobsonKAIATAEventDOBSON, KAIATA and KAIATA PARK - Then and Now.

Category Information

Category Tagthen and now

From Facebook

Date Created21st May 2023CommentsVern Pattinson
My home town good old days

Heather Reid
My hometown to

Maree Nolan
Mine as well Vern and Heather x

Heather Newby

Dad worked at Dobson Mine for about 30 years

Vince Reid
I worked there for a while

George Colligan
Love that history magic

Rose Henham
I lived there .Dad work in ,mine

Tina Ross
Our hometown many years ago

Tina Ross
A good read

Robert Fay Lemon Griffin
Great place to be bought up.

John White
Robert Fay Lemon Griffin Yes But Mainly Due To Close Proximity to Taylorville
Maree Nolan
John White John you are funny ..lot of great people did come from there..

John White
Maree Nolan Hi Maree. Yes of course PLUS The best little milk bar at your joint. Hope you are keeping well. Kind Regards. John & Robyn

Pete Mulloy
Agree

Shel Van Dorp
Mike Payn think second house were we lived

David Mulloy
you are rolling with the punches there jock

Maree Nolan
I loved the life we had ..I knew everybody having had the shop ..
Tom Kilkelly
Great area to be bought up in most of my family worked in the mines I didn’t like the idea of being down there

OCR Text Transcription Edit Edit +-Close