Ardath Colliery

Rosewood History

Maryborough Chronicle, Wide Bay and Burnett Advertiser (Qld.), Monday, 15 December 1930, page 5

HARROWING EXPERIENCE.
IPSWICH, Sunday.

Alexander Lawrie today described his entombment experience at Ardath coal mine yesterday. He said the water was up to his mouth, and he swallowed a small quantity before he was extricated. Lawrie was so convinced of the seriousness of the position that at one stage he was prepared for a terrible end.

Pumping operations, he said, were carried out just in time. He was still very sore today, and suffering severely from shock.

Lawrie was able to speak to his companion McGregor, but he could not see him. “He was on the top side of me,” added Lawrie, “and he was not troubled by water, which seemed to him to rise at such a terrific rate that he did not think there would be the slightest chance of their being rescued alive.”

He called to McGregor that the pumps had ceased working, and that it was all up now, and was met with the reply “while there’s life there’s hope.’”

Just then Lawrie heard the pumps working again. After McGregor had been extricated, Lawrie was able to indicate to his rescuers the direction in which he was lying. In conclusion Lawrie said if it had not been for the timber, which lessened the weight of the fall, both McGregor and himself would have been crushed to death.

MEN BURIED IN MINE TUNNEL Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld. : 1909 – 1954), 15 December 1930 p. 7

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Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld), Saturday, 22 July 1933, page 5

D. Anderson and party, who have been prospecting for some time in the Lanefield district, have struck a seam of coal that is supposed to be the well known Lanefleld seam, and at present they are engaged in driving a tunnel to connect with the seam.

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Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld), Saturday, 22 July 1933, page 5

A new company took over Ardath Colliery at Lanefleld, and in future this place will be known as Westvale No. 4 Colliery.

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The Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld.), Thursday, 21 February 1935, page 1