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the tragic results of which attracted
Australia-wide attention. Mining operations at Barclay's and the rest of Mount Coolon goldfield are also significant as they are associated with important aspects of Queensland industrial relations history, with a six-month strike in 1935 revealing many of the difficulties and tensions associated with isolated mining operations in semi-arid regions.
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claims to form the Native Bear lease, which was the most valuable section of the gold lode. That same year
Barclay erected another 15 head of stamps, two Cornish boilers, machinery, an assay plant and smelting furnace and a 23-metre (75 ft) chimney made out of 200,000 local bricks at his Police Creek battery. Barclay had begun operating a
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At Mount Coolon in 1935, a six-month industrial conflict occurred which marks an important milestone in
Queensland's industrial relations history. Analysis of the events leading up to and during this strike ably reveals many of the difficulties and tensions associated with isolated mining operations
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The slow development of the Mount Coolon goldfield was attributed to the absence of a custom battery, so in 1924 an Empire ball mill was erected on a site near the Mount Coolon battery on Police Creek, while
Barclay installed a powerful gas suction engine early in the year to replace the steam power
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been initiated by local action in April 1935, without any reference to the union organisation or leadership at either the district or state level. The trouble was exacerbated by the oppressive living conditions of this semi-arid region, compounded by the severe drought during the summer of 1934-35.
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In 1921 over 2,100 ounces (60,000 g) of gold were produced and by 1922 there were 12 adjacent leases on the Mount Coolon lode. However most of the gold came from
Barclay's Native Bear lease and kept the battery operating on two shifts per day, crushing from 7 to 8 long tons (7.1 to 8.1 t)
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The battery is associated with the isolated mining community of Mount Coolon and several important historical events in
Queensland's history. Mount Coolon is well known for a multiple murder-suicide in 1918, following a claim-jumping incident leading to a mining court case and unsuccessful appeal,
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This strike was to acquire all the hallmarks of a bitter and drawn our industrial action in which rank and file unionists were pitted against not only the mine's management, but also other workers, and more particularly their own union - Australian
Workers' Union (AWU). This industrial action had
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James
Barclay mined gold, at what became the Native Bear lease, from 1914 when he constructed a 5 head battery on the present site at Police Creek, 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) from the mine. In 1917, the Sydney lease owners Hooke and Sutherland erected 10 stamps nearby, and Barclay consolidated
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In the late 1930s the Mount Coolon goldfield was also significant as a profitable concern for its parent company, Gold Mines of
Australia, which in turn, was the catalyst for the early growth of the mining giant, Western Mining Corporation. However, by 1941 those operators left on the field had
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Seething at the perceived injustice of
Thompson's action, and the court's subsequent dismissal of an appeal, Coolon armed himself, shot Thompson and one of his workers and later two other hands at the Sydney battery before turning the gun on himself. That he made a will that same morning, and
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folklore as a result of the multiple murder-suicide that took place in November 1918. This incident generated Australia-wide attention and notoriety, as the calculated shooting cost the lives of five men. The offender, Thomas Coolon, had lost his gold mining claim following an application for
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Barclay's Battery is located within the Mount Coolon goldfield. The remaining structures and features demonstrate the evolution of the gold-mining industry in north Queensland, including the growth, upgrading of operations, and subsequent company takeovers often associated with early mining
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of a 10 head stamp battery, two mortar boxes, gas producer, two-cylinder gas engine (partly demolished), one-cylinder Crossley engine, ball mill and a steel vat. Timber, stone and concrete foundations of the cyanide plant are located south of the mill, closer to the Mount Coolon Hotel.
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By June 1932 Mount Coolon Gold Mines had taken over all the batteries and mines on the lode and built a new dam (the existing one) on Police Creek. Mr Cec Hammond, a teamster carting lime and wood to the company's plant, lived in the cottage near the weir.
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per shift. Barclay's battery output for 1921 was 2,546 long tons (2,587 t) of stone crushed yielding 1,707 ounces (48,400 g) of gold and 400 long tons (410 t) of tailings cyanided yielding 425 ounces (12,000 g), the total valued at over
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In 1932 Mount Coolon had the highest gold production in Queensland and the Mount Coolon Gold Mines No Liability Company, who had bought out Barclay, had erected a large reduction and cyaniding plant 2.3 kilometres (1.4 mi) south of the town.
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The battery site comprises a brick chimney, ball mill, stamp mill remains, and rare cross compound gas engine which demonstrate some of the machinery functions of mining operations that were carried out at Mount Coolon.
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from Yacamunda station, discovered gold there in 1913. Thomas Coolon was the first to peg a claim in 1914, but other claims were quickly taken up, including one of the most active prospectors, James Barclay.
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The place extends from the northern perimeter of Mount Coolon township, northeast along Police Creek to include the weir and the former Hammond house. The mill site includes a square brick
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arranged for Barclay to provide for his wife before taking his own life, conferred on the murders an aura of tragedy in which newspaper feature writers revelled for over fifty years.
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351:(AWU) and employers; collaboration among mining companies; and the alignment of ideological forces in the Queensland labour movement in the 1930s.
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mounting block/stand, residential accommodation - housing, chimney/chimney stack, weir, vat, machinery/plant/equipment - mining/mineral processing
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The dispute, which involved only some one hundred employees, also throws a glimmer of light on management tactics; relations between the
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plant to run all his plant and equipment. The Sydney battery was still operating on Police Creek, making a total of three working mills.
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The place has a strong or special association with a particular community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.
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In 1947 prospecting recommenced for alluvial gold and bismuth, and alluvial gold was treated in new plant installed by L.F. White.
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Doug Hunt, "Industrial Conflict at Mount Coolon, 1935", in B.J. Dalton, ed., Lectures on North Queensland History No.5,
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A township called Koala (now Mount Coolon) was surveyed on Police Creek in 1917. Mount Coolon is largely remembered in
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One-cylinder gas engine with flywheel - Crossley Brothers Limited Manchester (cylinder block removed)
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forfeiture by an individual named Thompson, which was then upheld by the mining warden's court.
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The place demonstrates rare, uncommon or endangered aspects of Queensland's cultural heritage.
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endeavours, through to the eventual decline of operations at this isolated location in 1941.
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The place is important in demonstrating the evolution or pattern of Queensland's history.
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Mount Coolon is situated approximately 130 kilometres (81 mi) south-west of
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on 8 October 2014). The geo-coordinates were originally computed from the
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Two-cylinder cross compound gas engine and flywheel (not intact)
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disposed of most of their machinery and abandoned their leases.
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7000. In 1922 Barclay erected another 10 head of stamps.
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on 17 May 2004 having satisfied the following criteria.
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Mortar box - Hudson Brothers Engineers Clyde N.S.W. 1897
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This Knowledge (XXG) article was originally based on
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130:Barclay's Battery, Mount Coolon Gold Mines Battery
374:Barclay's Battery and Mill, Mount Coolon, 1932
299:Barclay's Native Bear Mine, Mount Coolon, 1932
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283:, and 200 kilometres (120 mi) north of
206:Location of Barclay's Battery in Queensland
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586:"Queensland heritage register boundaries"
597:licence (accessed on 5 September 2014,
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568:"The Queensland heritage register"
509:"Barclay's Battery (entry 602242)"
164:1914-1941, 1918, 1935 (historical)
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656:1914 establishments in Australia
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517:. Queensland Heritage Council
234:Barclay's Battery (Australia)
631:Queensland Heritage Register
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423:Queensland Heritage Register
269:Queensland Heritage Register
120:Queensland Heritage Register
390:The machinery consists of:
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651:Surface mines in Australia
35:Chimney, Barclay's Battery
349:Australian Workers' Union
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101:1914 - 1919 (World War I)
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646:Gold mines in Queensland
344:in semi-arid Australia.
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255:at Collinsville road,
209:Show map of Queensland
169:Significant components
618:at Wikimedia Commons
601:on 15 October 2014).
537:James Cook University
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251:is a heritage-listed
237:Show map of Australia
661:Mining in Queensland
82:21.3836°S 147.3415°E
591:State of Queensland
573:State of Queensland
548:Hunt, op.cit., p.36
287:. Luke Reynolds, a
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44:Collinsville road,
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162:1914-1932 (fabric)
159:Significant period
151:Reference no.
87:-21.3836; 147.3415
636:Whitsunday Region
616:Barclay's Battery
614:Media related to
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46:Mount Coolon
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556:Attribution
384:foundations
382:, concrete
366:Description
146:17 May 2004
109:1914 - 1932
85: /
73:147°20′29″E
61:Coordinates
56:, Australia
625:Categories
456:References
265:Queensland
143:Designated
70:21°23′01″S
54:Queensland
409:Ball mill
308:by 1918.
599:archived
581:archived
521:1 August
289:jackeroo
285:Clermont
41:Location
380:chimney
275:History
593:under
575:under
154:602242
106:Built
523:2014
135:Type
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326:£
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