Rosewood History

The Rosemount Colliery

 Queensland Times (Ipswich), Saturday 10 March 1934, page 13

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Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld), Monday, 21 May 1934, page 6

New tunnels are being driven at Glencoe and Rosemount collieries, and it Is expected in both cases that the coal will be reached in a few days.

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Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld), Monday, 28 March1938, page 1

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Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld), Friday, 8 April 1938, page 12

Rosemount Colliery Pty, Ltd., and H. W. Richardson asked for urgent attention to the section of road, branchIng from Mt Walker-road, leading to O’Shea’s gate, between the properties of Armstrong and Wendt. The road was practically impassable in wet weather. Its rough state had caused broken springs and damage to trucks, cars, and lorries; and the company had been obliged to lay oi men from work in wet weather. The company enclosed £5 towards the cost of repairs. Cr. Yarrow said that recently 14 of the miners had been held up. The Chairman: We must spend an amount at least equal to that donated. The matter was left in divisional members’ hands, who are to have the work done.

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Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld),  Saturday, 30 April 1938, page 3

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Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld), Tuesday, 23 February 1943, page 2

ROSEMOUNT No. 4 COLLIERY TROUBLE.
Mr. J. Pocock, Assistant Check Inspector, yesterday morning visited Rosemount No. 4 Colliery, Rosewood district, and as the ventilation fan had not been working for two hours before the men started work as provided for in the Act, he instructed the men to go home. Arrangements have since been made by the company to make alterations which will enable the management to start the fan at the proper time, and it is expected that the men will be at work today. Rosemount is a small pit, and the loss of production was not serious.

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Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld), Friday, 15 July 1938, page 5

ROAD ROAD TO COLLIERY. Rosemount Colliery Pty. Ltd. asked if the council was prepared to grade and metal the road between O’Shea’s gate and the colliery as in wet weather the road became untrafficable. If the council decided that the work was not able to be done immediately, the company sought permission to metal the route with material from the mine dump. It was decided that permission be given the company to metal the route with material from the mine dump.

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Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld.), Friday, 14 February 1947, page 5

PRESENTATION TO RETIRING ROSEWOOD MINE DEPUTY ROSEWOOD.
A pleasant function took place recently at the pithead of the Rosemount Colliery at the cessation of work, when a presentation was made to Mr. Jas. Gunthorpe, sen., who is retiring under the miners’ pension scheme. The management of the colliery and members of the Queensland Colliery Employees’ Union assembled to make the presentation to an employee who is held in high esteem. 

Mr. Reg. Burgess spoke feelingly of Mr. Gunthorpe’s services to the miners in his capacity as deputy. His remarks were supported by several other speakers. Mr. Burgess asked Mr. C. J. Richardson, manager of the colliery, to make the presentation to Mr. Gunthorpe. Mr. Richardson thanked Mr. Gunthorpe for his loyal and trust worthy services. He presented Mr. Gunthorpe with a smoker’s stand and squatter’s chair, and a set of salad servers and jam spoons to Mrs. Gunthorpe. He wished the guest of honour and his wife a long and happy retirement. Mr. Gunthorpe responded. 

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Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld.), Wednesday 11 July 1951, page 2

OBJECT TO MINING UNDER ROSEWOOD
Mining operations under the Rosewood township could cause subsidences later, and about 90 residents and landholders in the area had lodged objections with the Mining Warden’s Court against the granting of a lease to a company to carry out the mining, it was stated at a meeting of Parliamentary, Moreton Shire Council, Rosewood Progress Associotion, and Rosewood A.L.P. branch delegates in Ipswich yesterday. 

An application by the Rosemount Colliery has been made to the Court for a lease to mine coal on the western side of John-street, between Lanefleld road and the Rosewood railway station, and the hearing will commence tomorrow. 

The meeting decided to await Court developments before taking any action. 

The Moreton Shire Council Chairman (Cr. A. W. Johnston) presided over the meeting attended by Messrs. I. Marsden, J. Donald, and A. G. Muller, M.L.A., Cr. N. Rackley (Moreton Shire Council), Messrs. M. Carmody and A. E. Smith (Progress Association), and J. Madden and W. Johnson (Rosewood A.LP.)

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Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld), Friday, 13 July 1951, page 7

In the Mining Warden’s Court yesterday: Acting Warden (Mr. C. Innes)
When the application for a mining lease by Rosemount Collieries Pty. Ltd. (No. 317) was mentioned, Mr. T. H. E. Palmer (Messrs. Hargreaves and Palmer) stated he was appearing for certain Rosewood townspeople who were objecting. Mr. H. V. Gibbs (Messrs. Walker ard Walker) said he would lodge a formal objection on behalf of the Moreton Shire Council, and Mr. Joins Casey stated he would appear for the applicants. Mr. Innes adjourned the hearing to August 14. 

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Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld), Wednesday 15 August 1951, page 2

OBJECTIONS TO MINING IN ROSEWOOD TOWNSHIP
A witness claimed in the Mining Warden’s Court yesterday that there was not one building in Rosewood that had not shifted its position. 

The Mining Warden, Mr. J. H. Fowler, S.M., was hearing an application by Rosemount Collieries Pty. Ltd. for coal mining lease No. 317, comprising 464 acres at Rosewood, including portion of the township.

After a lengthy hearing the matter was adjourned until September 12. The application was opposed by J. M. Bruce, A. J. Loveday, and W. M. Ruhno, also 50 property owners and 89 residents of Rosewood. 

Mr. John Casey (Messrs. Casey and Williams) appeared on behalf of the applicant company, and Mr. T. H. E. Palmer (Messrs. Hargreaves and Palmer) represented the objectors.

Before any evidence was taken, Mr. Palmer told the Warden that he proposed to object to the granting of the lease on the grounds that the formalities of the Act had not been complied with so far as the giving of notices to registered property owners and occupiers was concerned. “If my contention is correct I cannot see how this application can be proceeded,” said Mr. Palmer. 

Mr. Fowler stated that the matter was one for Ministerial action. He said he would hear all evidence and the objection. and the whole matter would be submitted to the Minister. 

Vivien Norman Lionel Walker, mining engineer, and superintendent of the applicant company, stated in evidence that the company had been mining on part of the land in the application. He said the coal seam at present being worked was dipping towards the railway station at a faster rate than the surface contour. 

SAFE MINING DEPTH
Witness said a safe depth for mining in these lands would depend on the system of working being adopted. “Where the surface has to be protected, as in areas which are heavily bullt on, pillars are left in and not extracted at any time, so that the surface is protected always. All world authorities are agreed that as little as 5 per cent of coal left in suitable pillars will prevent subsidence.” 

Witness. quoted the areas of Bundamba, Ebbw Vale and Woodend Pocket as examples of complete undermining. “The pillars in these places were not extracted-at least not in their entirety-and subsidence has not occurred, nor is it ever likely,” he said. “I would say that a safe mining depth in the case of this application would be 60ft. Quite a large percentage of work in the Rosewcod area has been done at 60tt. or even less.” 

Replying to Mr. Palmer. witness said a fault existed in portion 357B of the application. He told Mr. Palmer that the company did not consider it necessary to put any more bores down in the township. “It would be most difficult and probably would cause considerable nuisance to attempt to put a bore down in the town areas” he added. 

“My company is prepared to take the risk of Rosemount No. 4 seam and the underlying one being in a workable section in that portion. Otherwise it will not be worked,” witness stated. He said that by the time the workings reached the vicinity of the railway station the depth would be nearer to 200ft., if the present rate of dip remains constant. As far as it Is known we have no reason as yet to think that this dip rate will after.” 

Mr. Palmer: Did you read the Powell-Duffryn report in relation to the Rosewood township? 

Witness: It is some time since I read the report and I do not remember the Rosewood township being mentioned. My only reaction to the report in connection with the Walloon series was that they obviously had not taken the trouble to collect sufficient information about the area or they would not have made the recommendations they did. 

If, as it does, the report states it does not consider there is any coal under the Rosewood township, would you say that was an ill founded statement? – No. I would say it discloses a deplorable lack of knowledge of the district. 

Witness told Mr. Palmer that above Rosemount No. 4 seam there was a big percentage of sandstone with very little shoal. The Walloon series of sandstone was known as “soft” sandstone. He said the effect of exposing soft standstone to air meant that it would disintegrate to a large extent, provided it was broken across the grain and not exposed in planes. It would only disintegrate if broken across the grain.

TOP SEAM FIRST.
Witness said it was not correct to say his company contemplated working one seam, Rosemount No. 4. He said it was good mining practice to work the top seam first. As far as he was concerned Rosemount No. 4 was the first workable seam. 

He said he had no knowledge of underground water in the Rosewood township area other than that gained in the present mining operations. As far as he knew there was no place in Rosewood where, with electric power available as it was today, any quantity of water could not be handled.

Asked if at 120ft. any underground water for the township would be endangered, witness said that any water supply for the township of Rosewood would not be dependant on eater at 120ft. They would have to go much deeper. 

Witness said he did not know that 50 per cent of coal had to be left under the Bundamba racecourse and school reserves. In his opinion a lot of coal would be lost which could be be quite safely extracted.

He said there had bree no subsidences at Bundamba from mining causes. He said a tunnel had not fallen in at the New Ebbw Vale mine some time ago. 

Asked what percentage of coal he thought should he let in pillars under the Rosewood township, he said about 33½%, which was a little more than was left under the Bundamba village. 

Percy Ernest Freeman, Albert-street, Rosewood, gave evidence that he was employed as a pit head man. He had worked on the coal for 12 months with Caledonian Colleries at Walloon, and 4½ years at Lanefield No. 5. He had extracted stone and found that when it was exposed to air for three weeks it crumbled.

PILLAR EXTRACTION
While extracting pillars under a creek one of the pillars fell and cracked through to the surface, flooding the pit. Explosions shook the ground very nuch. The pit was three quarters of a mile from the nearest house in Rosewood. 

He continued that every so often the horse roads in George Freeman’s property had to have the roof brushed to give the ponies sufficient room. This was necqssary because the weight of the strata pushed the timber into the floor. 

Under cross-examination by Mr. Casey witness said the stone he saw crunmbling on the surface was exposed to the sun and weather. He said the surface over the horse roads could be seen very plainly in wet weather. 

Michael Joseph Carmody, of Albert-street, Rosewood, cattle dealer, gave evidence that he had a well 25ft. deep. The water was supplied from a spring 12ft. from the surface. He used the water for his horses and cows, and in a very dry spell he had used it for the household. Other people also had used the water from the well. 

Witnesse said he considered his well an asset. “In fact, I could not place any value on it,” he added. 

He said on the property next door water was struck at 16ft., but in going for a greater supply the water was lost. He said the soil in Rosewood was of a crumbly nature and if a bore was put down past the spring the soil would not retain the water.

Witness said that there was not one building in Rosewood that had not shifted its position. He said he was very feartul that mining operations would endanger his water supply. 

Mr. Palmer said that he had two further witnesses but one was suffering from mumps and the other had influenza. 

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Queensland Times (Ipswich, Qld. , Thursday 13 September 1951, page 3

Witness Claims “SUBSIDENCE FOLLOWS ALL MINING AT ROSEWOOD”
A witnesss in the Warden’s Court yesterday morning told Mr. J. H. Fowler, S.M., that wherever mining was carried out in the Rosewood district, subsidence occurred. He was Norman Henry Bade, who has been a second class mine manager for 17 years.

After hearing all evidence regarding an application by Rosemount Collieries Pty. Ltd., for a coal mining lease in the town area of Rosewood., Mr. Fowler said his report and recommendations would be forwarded to the Minister.

 Mr. J. Casey (Messrs. Casey and Wllliams) appeared for the applicant company, Mr. T. H. Palmer (Messrs. Hargreaves and Palmer) for the objectors, and Mr. H. V. Gibbs (Messrs. Walker and Walker) for the Moreton Shire Council. 

John Alexander Buchanan, a civil engineer, residing in Brisbane, gave evidence in support of the Moreton Shire Council’s objection. He said that his firm had carried out drainage construction for the council at Rosewood. The firm had been instructed to prepare a full drainage scheme for the township, and this would involve both surface and underground drainage. 

A preliminary report on the water supply for Rosewood was also being prepared, and it was the council’s intention to install a full water supply system. 

“Subsidence of the soil would cause cracking and possibly choking of the pipes, and consequently any underground drainage or sewerage scheme would be disrupted,” said Mr. Buchanan. 

HEALTH HAZARD.
“This cracking could cauae the underground system to become blocked,” continued the witness. “The water would thus be forced to the surface, and apart from any damage that would be caused to property, this would cause a definite health hazard.” 

Mr. Casey: Your evidence has been directed to the consequence of subsidence should it occur? 

Witness: Yes. 

Did you know that the applicant company has been mining in Rosewood for many years, and no subsidence has occured? – No, I did not know that. 

Witness told Mr. Palmer that he had inspected the drain which his firm had construced Iin 1948 quite recently. He had noticed there were a few small cracks in it. 

Mr. Palmer: Can you account for these cracks in the drain? 

Witness: Yes-the answer lies in tht nature of soil in which the drain is constructed. It is black clay. 

Arthur Edward Smith, of Albert-street, said he had lived in this district for 34 years, and was now Secretary of the Rosewood District Progress Association. 

FALLS OCCURRED.
Witness said he had been a coal miner for about 12 years. At the moment he was working at Lanefield No. 5 Colliery. He said that recently he had been taking out portion of the pillars of the old Excelsior workings. He added there had been some falls in these old workings. 

“Size of the pillars varied,” he said, “but they were approximately 20yds by 25yds. The method used was the bord and pillar system. The height of the seam varies from 4t. to 5ft. 3in. 

Mr. Casey: Following the falls you mentioned was there any subsidence noticeable on the surface? 

Witness: I haven’t inspected the surface in that particular place. 

Norman Henry Bade, of Walloon-road, Rosewood, stated that he had been a second-class mine manager for 17 years. He had been engaged in the mining industry 31 years. “My last employment in the. Rosewood district was at Laneflield Colliery,” he said. He had been manager of Lanefield new tunnel for 12 years. 

PHOTOGRAPHS TENDERED
“Lane’s property was worked by Lanefield new tunnel at a depth of about 150ft. There was a subsidence in Lane’s property following these mining operations.” 

Mr. Palmer tendered a photograph. Witness said that the property shown in the photograph was Lane’s property. It showed some depressions in the surface. 

Witness said he was well acquainted with the surface of Lane’s property. The depression had not been there before mining operations. “All the pillars in this area were not extracted,” he added. 

“The picture shows the site of two bore holes.” said witness. “You can see the piping coming up out of each hole. Pillars were not extracted under these bore holes. Thee surface round the bore holes was affected by the depression.” 

Mr. Casey: These photographs that have been tendered do not concern any part of the property, the subject of this application, do they? 

Witness: No. 

Does subsidence occur in all mining in the Rosewood district? – Yes.

And the effects in all cases are visible on the surface? – Yes. 

Does the surface drop everywhere there is mining in Rosewood? – Yes. 

With or without pillar extraction? – Yes. 

Witness told Mr. Casey that there was about a 75 per cent. extraction of pillars at Lanefield. “Some of the pillars are totally extracted,” he said. Others have been left intact.” 

Mr. Casey: If the pillars are left intact on a scientifically arranged basis, the surface can be rendered safe? 

Witness: No-I am referring to the Rosewood district. 

“LACK OF KNOWLEDGE”
Vivian Norman Lionel Walker, who had already given evidence, said that the evidence Mr. Bade had given was due to lack of knowledge and experience of the Walloon series generally. “These series cover almost half of the State of Queensland,” he added. 

“Many thousands of square miles of them are as yet untapped, and all the Walloon series are subject to the same characteristics. This is applicable in the Darling Downs, Tannymorel and Injune as well as Rosewood. 

Witness said the Walloon series was composed of soft sandstone. “This inevitably leads to subsidence where workings are conducted at a very shallow depth and neglected, or alternatively, pillar extraction in some form is carried out. 

“There is one mine in Rosewood at present where pillar extraction has been carried out and there is no evidence on the surface,” stated witness. “The whole question is one of height of seam, amount of coal extracted, and the crushing stress of the coal. 

“The Darling Downs district reacts in a precisely similar manner,” witness continued, but if it was the wish of those concerned to protect any, or all of the surface, this can be done by following the correct mining method with relation to depth, &c. 

“In all my experience of mining, I have never known of subsidence to occur at the surface unless a place was worked at too shallow a depth, or alternatively some extraction of pillars has taken place.” 

Mr. Gibbs: Have you any idea of the depth of seams under Rosewood township? 

Witness: From indications the seams will be from 150ft. to 200ft. from the surface. 

Mr. Palmer: What mine was it where pillars were extracted and there was no indication on the surface? – Smithfield No. 2 Colliery, western section. 

Mr. Palmer and Mr. Casey then addressed the Court. 

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Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld), Wednesday, 21 November 1951, page 5

Rosewood Mining Safeguards
The Mines Department has taken action to prevent threatened subsidences in Rosewood township by coal mining. The Mines Minister (Mr. Power) yesterday announced approval of a mining lease to Rosemount Collieries Pty. Ltd. – subject to stringent conditions. The company was refused permission to mine in the business section of the town or in any part of the lease within 75 feet of the surface. (The lease covers a residential area where some freeholders have bought land to a depth of 75 feet.) The conditions also provide for strong linings under the residential area and where coal is mined under a road.

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