ROSEBERY WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT …epa.tas.gov.au/documents/taswater, rosebery wwtp - appendix r... · Rosebery Waste Water Treatment Plant Historic Heritage Desktop Assessment

ROSEBERY WASTE WATER TREATMENTPLANT

Historic Heritage Desktop Assessment

Final Report prepared forCradle Mountain Water

AT014127 March 2013

Rosebery Waste Water Treatment PlantHistoric Heritage Desktop Assessment

27 March 2013i

TABLE OF CONTENTSTABLE OF CONTENTS...................................................................................................... I

1.0 INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................... 1

1.1 CLIENT AND PROJECT DETAILS.................................................................................................................11.2 AUTHORSHIP ......................................................................................................................................... 21.3 LIMITATIONS AND CONSTRAINTS ............................................................................................................ 21.4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................................... 2

2.0 HISTORIC HERITAGE ASSESSMENT ........................................................................3

2.1 DESKTOP REVIEW OF REGISTERED AND LISTED HERITAGE PLACES .......................................................... 32.1.1 World/National/Commonwealth Heritage Lists ...................................................................... 32.1.2 Tasmanian Heritage Register .................................................................................................... 32.1.3 West Coast Planning Scheme...................................................................................................... 32.1.4 Register of the National Estate................................................................................................... 42.1.5 Tasmanian Historic Places Inventory ....................................................................................... 4

3.0 HISTORICAL OVERVIEW ..........................................................................................5

3.1 INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................53.2 THE DEVELOPMENT OF MINING IN THE ROSEBERY AREA .......................................................................53.3 MINING INTERESTS RELATED TO THE STUDY AREA ............................................................................... 63.4 THE ELECTROLYTIC ZINC COMPANY OF AUSTRALIA AND THE GROWTH OF ROSEBERY............................ 83.5 EVOLVING TRANSPORT ROUTES ...........................................................................................................10

3.5.1 The Mole Creek Pack Track........................................................................................................103.5.2 The Emu Bay Railway ............................................................................................................... 11

4.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................... 13

4.1 THE POTENTIAL FOR SITES OF HISTORIC CULTURAL HERITAGE SIGNIFICANCE.....................................134.2 MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES .................................................................................................................13

5.0 REFERENCES........................................................................................................... 14

5.1 SECONDARY REFERENCES .....................................................................................................................145.1.1 Published & Unpublished Materials ..........................................................................................145.1.2 Newspapers.................................................................................................................................14

5.2 PRIMARY REFERENCES .........................................................................................................................145.2.1 Archives Office of Tasmania ......................................................................................................145.2.2 Images & Plans ...........................................................................................................................145.2.3 Personal Communications.........................................................................................................15


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1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Client and project detailsCradle Mountain Water proposes to construct a new Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) on thewestern outskirts of Rosebery on the west coast of Tasmania. A Development Proposal andEnvironmental Management Plan (DPEMP) is being prepared to provide details of the development,and to understand potential environmental, social, health and economic effects of the proposal. ADPEMP also requires consideration of potential effects of a proposal on cultural heritage sites andareas. Heritage Tasmania, DPIPWE has recommended that an investigation be made of potentialhistoric heritage issues in accordance with the methods outlined in their Predevelopment AssessmentGuidelines.1

Acting on Heritage Tasmania’s advice, Austral Tasmania Pty Ltd has been commissioned by CradleMountain Water to prepare an historic heritage desktop study for the project. The purposes of theseinvestigations is to identify statutory heritage requirements; analyse the historical development of thearea; and to highlight areas of potential interest which may warrant further assessment or activemanagement.

The location of the proposed WWTP, the outfall pipeline leading to the Stitt River and the rising mainconstitute the study areas for this assessment (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Study areas (base plan provided by Cradle Mountain Water).

1 Email, Damien Blackwell (EPA Division) to David Krushka (Cradle Mountain Water), 12 February 2013


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1.2 AuthorshipThis report was prepared by David Parham and James Puustinen (Austral Tasmania).

1.3 Limitations and constraintsThis assessment is limited to consideration of historic heritage values. The assessment of Aboriginalcultural values and social values is beyond the scope of this study. Any requirements for Aboriginalheritage value assessments should be separately addressed through consultation with AboriginalHeritage Tasmania, DPIPWE.

As part of the research carried out for this report a range of documentary (including primary andsecondary) sources were consulted. The results and judgements contained in this report areconstrained by the limitations inherent in overview type, desktop assessments; primarily theaccessibility of historical information. All maps are oriented with north at the top of the page unlessotherwise assigned. No field survey has been undertaken as part of this project.

Whilst every effort has been made to gain insight to the historic character of the subject study area,Austral Tasmania Pty Ltd cannot be held accountable for errors or omissions arising from suchconstraining factors.

This product incorporates data that is copyright owned by the Crown in Right of Tasmania. The datahas been used in the product with the permission of the Crown in Right of Tasmania. The Crown inRight of Tasmania and its employees and agents:

(a) give no warranty regarding the data’s accuracy, completeness, currency or suitability forany particular purpose; and

(b) do not accept liability, howsoever arising, including but not limited to negligence, for anyloss resulting from the use of or reliance upon the data.

1.4 AcknowledgementsThe assistance of the following people and organizations is gratefully acknowledged:

Mr David Krushka, Cradle Mountain Water;

Ms Ester Guerzoni, Heritage Tasmania;

Ms Melinda Clarke, Heritage Tasmania;

Mr Mike Nash, Parks and Wildlife Service; and

Staff of the Tasmanian Archives and Heritage Office.


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2.0 HISTORIC HERITAGE ASSESSMENT

2.1 Desktop review of registered and listed heritage placesBoth Federal and State Acts of Parliament may have a bearing on the management of cultural heritagewithin or adjacent to the study areas. Key legislation is summarised below. The summary is intendedas a guide only and should be confirmed with the administering agency and, where necessary,specialist legal opinion.

2.1.1 World/National/Commonwealth Heritage Lists

A new national heritage system commenced on 1 January 2004. This established a framework for theidentification, protection and care of places of significance to the nation and/or Commonwealth. Entryin the National and/or Commonwealth Heritage Lists triggers statutory processes under the termsand provisions of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).Actions which will or may have a significant impact upon the recognised values of a listed place arerequired to be referred to the Australian Government Minister, after which a judgement will be madeas to whether the proposed action will require formal assessment and approval. The EPBC Act alsoprovides for consideration of actions that may occur outside of a listed place and that may have asignificant impact upon national heritage values, or actions taken on Commonwealth land or byCommonwealth agencies that are likely to have a significant impact on the environment (anywhere).Listing occurs by nomination, which may be made by anyone at any time.

As at March 2013, there are no places within the study areas or broader surrounds that have beenincluded in, or nominated to the World, National or Commonwealth heritage lists.

2.1.2 Tasmanian Heritage Register

Entry in the Tasmanian Heritage Register (THR) triggers statutory processes under the terms andprovisions of the Historic Cultural Heritage Act 1995. Places are eligible for entry to the Registerprovided they satisfy at least one of seven criteria. Anyone (including the Tasmanian HeritageCouncil) may nominate a place for entry to the Register at any time. Under Section 32 (1) of the Act, aperson must not carry out any works in relation to a Registered place or a place within a Heritage Areawhich may affect the historical cultural significance of the place unless the works are approved by theTasmanian Heritage Council. The Heritage Council may only approve works that are likely to destroyor reduce the significance of a Registered place if satisfied there is no prudent and feasible alternativeto carrying out the works. The Act also provides the Heritage Council or Minister with scope to protectthe heritage values of (both Registered and unregistered places) through provisional listing and issueof Stop Work Orders.

In 2009 Heritage Tasmania released pre-development assessment guidelines. Although non-statutory, these guidelines are designed to provide guidance to both public and private developers inthe identification and management of historic heritage values.2 This report has been preparedcognisant of this guideline.

As at February 2013, there are no places within the study areas that have been included in, ornominated to the THR. A single nomination exists for ‘Innes Track’, which terminates in Rosebery.3

The provisions of the Historic Cultural Heritage Act 1995 do not apply to places nominated to theTasmanian Heritage Register.

2.1.3 West Coast Planning Scheme

The West Coast Planning Scheme establishes a Heritage Code with the intent of protecting items ofheritage significance in the planning scheme area.4 The provisions of the Code apply to developmentof places included in Table 19.1 (Items and Places of Heritage Significance), or development

2 Heritage Tasmania, November 2009, Pre-development assessment guidelines3 Email, Melinda Clarke (Heritage Tasmania) to James Puustinen (Austral Tasmania), 26 February 2013; Tasmanian HeritageRegister, Innes Track, 82204 WCPS, cl.19.1.1.


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immediately adjacent to places included in Table 19.1. There are no places within the study area, orimmediately adjacent, included in Table 19.1.

2.1.4 Register of the National Estate

The Register of the National Estate (RNE) was established in 1976 as a list of natural, Indigenous andhistoric heritage places throughout Australia, with limited statutory mechanisms relating to actionstaken by the Commonwealth. As of February 2007, the RNE ceased to be an active register, withplaces no longer able to added or removed and the expectation that the States and Territories wouldconsider places included on the RNE for management under relevant State legislation. The RNEceased to exist as a statutory register on 19 February 2012 and references to the RNE were removedfrom the EPBC Act. The RNE continues to exist as a non-statutory information source. Coincidencewith other heritage lists and registers (including the THR and planning scheme heritage schedules) isnot uncommon.

A number of places in the locality have been included in the RNE for the natural or geoheritage values.Innes Track has also been included in the RNE for its historic heritage values, however the extent ofthe listing does not extend to the study areas.5

2.1.5 Tasmanian Historic Places Inventory

The Tasmanian Historic Places Inventory (THPI) is currently managed by the Historic HeritageSection of Parks and Wildlife Service, Tasmania. It is a non-statutory database, however, coincidencewith other heritage lists and registers (including the RNE, THR and planning scheme heritageschedules) is not uncommon. Where an activity will potentially impact upon identified cultural values,specialist advice should be sought to allow these impacts to be evaluated as part of the historicheritage assessment process.

The following three THPI places are located in the broader Rosebery area:

THPI 8014.027: Tas Metals Extraction Co;

THPI 8014.023: EZ Aerial Cableway; and

THPI 8014.028: Timber Tramway.

None of these three places have relevance to the study areas.

5 Register of the National Estate, Innes Track, Overland Trk, Cradle Valley, TAS, Australia, 103781


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3.0 HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

3.1 IntroductionThe study areas under investigation are located on the western outskirts of Rosebery. Situated onTasmania’s remote west coast, use and development of locality began during the late-nineteenthcentury. The purpose of this historical overview is to identify the key historical themes, phases orevents related to the study areas, which in turn can assist in identifying potential heritage places. Thekey historical themes relevant to the study areas include:

1. The Development of Mining in the Rosebery Area;

2. Mining Interests Related to the Study Area;

3. The Electrolytic Zinc Company of Australia and the growth of Rosebery; and

4. Evolving Transport Routes: the Mole Creek Pack Track and the Emu Bay Railway.

The following provides a summary of historical information relevant to these key themes.

3.2 The Development of Mining in the Rosebery AreaTin was first discovered in Tasmania in 1871 at Mount Bischoff, Waratah. This discovery was offundamental importance to the future of Tasmania, with Haygarth describing it as the ‘cradle of theTasmanian mining industry’, resulting in widespread prospecting of the west coast and economicgrowth and prosperity for the colony.6

Following the establishment of mines at Mount Bischoff, prospectors pushed to the south, discoveringthe Mount Heemskirk field in 1876. Other major west coast fields were later developed, includingMount Balfour (1884), Renison Bell (1890) and Mount Cleveland (1891).7

Intensive prospecting and the pegging out of claims in the Rosebery - Mount Read areas coincidedwith these developments of the early 1890s. The first major discovery in the Rosebery area was madeby Thomas McDonald in 1893 who discovered gold in Rosebery Creek. Deposits of zinc-lead sulphidewere also found. In response to these finds, McDonald floated the Rosebery Prospecting Associationand in 1894 the main Rosebery zinc and lead ore body was discovered, leading to the town’s futureprosperity.

The pace of early development was, however, slow. In 1898, Rosebery was described as a bush campwith a corded main street (Figure 2).

6 Haygarth, N, Cubit, S (ed.), A Peopled Frontier: The European Heritage of the Tarkine Area, Circular Head Council:Smithton, 2008, p.177 Dickens, G, ‘Tin Mining’, in Alexander, A, (ed.), The Companion to Tasmanian History, Centre for Tasmanian HistoricalStudies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, 2005


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Figure 2: Rosebery in 1905, looking south-east towards Mount Murchison (TAHO, The Weekly Courier, 3 June1905, p.17. Reproduced with Permission).

The key impediment to the development of mining in Rosebery was the very nature of its complex ore.The Rosebery ore had a high zinc content, which at the time was an unwanted waste product. Indeed,Rosebery miners were penalised by some of the smelters for the treatment costs associated withseparating the lead from the zinc. The stimulus for limited production did not begin until theestablishment of the Zeehan Smelters and the construction of the Emu Bay Railway linking Burnie toZeehan.8

Although the Zeehan Smelters were able to establish a market for the ore and the railway provided ameans of transport, the difficulty in separating lead from zinc hampered operations to the extent thatproduction on the Rosebery fields ended in 1913. Taken over by the Mount Lyell Mining and RailwayCompany in 1917, little work was carried out until the merger of Mount Lyell and the Electrolytic ZincCompany of Australia in 1920.9

3.3 Mining Interests Related to the Study AreaConsistent with development elsewhere in Rosebery, interest in the land now comprising the studyarea began during the early 1890s and was related to its mineral potential. The location of theproposed WWTP has its origins in a square, 40 acre (i.e., approx. 16.2 hectare) mineral lease, firstissued in late 1894. The lease was taken up by prospectors Stephen Karlson and Henry Cox in searchof silver and copper.10 The Stitt River crossed the lease in the north. By the end of the century, thelease area had been crossed by the Emu Bay Railway line on its way to the Rosebery Railway Stationlocated further to the south (Figure 3).

8 Dickens, G, ‘The Mines of Western Tasmania’, in Australian Mining History Association Annual Conference 20109 TAHO, NS3753/1/85, Pamphlet - Mining, smelting, railways of the Rosebery region by Ian Stewart, Risdon Works, EZ, p.610 TAHO, MIN83/1/10, Mineral Application Register, 127/93M


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Figure 3: Detail from 1915 Mining District Chart with the lease area highlighted red, then registered as3909/M. This lease area now coincides with the proposed location of the WWTP. The locations of the Stitt

River and railway line are also indicated (Plate XXII, Mineral Chart of the Rosebery Mining District, in Hills, L, The zinc-lead sulphide deposits of the Read-Rosebery district. Part II Rosebery Group, MRT Report GSB23, 1915. Chart sourced from

Mineral Resources Tasmania, © State of Tasmania).

Over the period 1894-1909, a series of four leases were issued for this 40 acre parcel (Table 1). Withperhaps only one exception in c.1897, it would appear that these leases were speculative in nature,taken up in the hope of rich mineral resources, aspirations that do not appear to have been realised.Registered for a variety of commodities such as silver and copper, silver-lead, or just ‘minerals’, itwould appear that little, if any work actually took place on the lease area, save perhaps some smallscale testing. Some of these leases were allowed to lapse in under a year.

Date Lease No. Lease Holder Details

19 November1894

127/93M Stephen Karlson and Henry Cox 40 acre lease taken up for ‘silverand copper’.

Described as being south of, andadjoining, the Mount BlackProspecting Association lease area.

The lease was transferred toRobert Carter 17 August 1897.

Lease void by 20 December 1898.11

11 February1899

3800/93M John Clement Machmichael 40 acre lease taken up for‘minerals’.

11 TAHO, MIN83/1/10, Mineral Application Register, 127/93M

Emu Bay Railway Line

Stitt River


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Date Lease No. Lease Holder Details

Located at Rosebery.


30 April 1906 2251/M John Coleman 40 acre lease taken up for‘minerals’.

Located at Rosebery.


28 December1908

3909/M Thomas Oliver Thomas 40 acre lease taken up for ‘silverlead’.

Located ‘near Rosebery’.

Application withdrawn on 11February 1909.14

Table 1: Summary of Mineral Leases for the study area 1894-1909

The one possible exception to the speculative nature of these lease holdings occurs in 1897 with thedevelopment of the Dalmeny Prospecting Association. In 1897 the Association was floated, seekinginvestors to develop the 195 acres (i.e., approx. 78.9 hectares) leased by the company. Held as fiveseparate parcels, one of these leases was the 40 acre section 127/93M, now proposed as the location ofthe WWTP.

Two reports were published on the prospects of section 127/93M, concluding that the lease containedthe continuation of the Rosebery western lode. An opinion was also sought from Thomas McDonaldwho had made the first major mineral discovery in Rosebery in 1893. McDonald wrote:

In the river, on the northern boundary line, is exposed a metalliferous [sic] belt of one hundred feet wide[i.e., approx. 30.5 m], consisting of bands of cupriferous iron, sulphide, and schist, impregnated withpyrites, quartz, and carbonate of iron, which carries fahl15 ore and copper pyrites. The strike of theformation in the river banks is about 5 degrees west of south, and the underlay of the country and theformation is west.

Picked samples of fahl ore that I have assayed gave 190 oz. [i.e., approx. 5.4 kg], of silver per ton, 2 dwt.of gold, and 3 per cent. of copper. This lode formation is a continuation of the Rosebery western lode,and may yet prove to be the continuation of the Hercules group, which lie some 3½ miles [i.e., approx.5.6 km] due south. So little work, however, has been done on these sections, that it is impossible for meto attempt to make a true estimate of the value of them; but the presence of rich ore in such a strongformation, and the position of them should call for vigorous prospecting.16

Despite such promising reports, and the need for ‘vigorous prospecting’, little, and perhaps nothingamounted. It was reported in 1915 that of the various Dalmeny leases, it was only on one section thatany work had been done. This section, registered as 6936/M was on the Stitt River, but located severalkilometres to the south-east of the WWTP study areas.17

3.4 The Electrolytic Zinc Company of Australia and the growth ofRoseberyThe mineral potential of Rosebery did not begin to be fully developed until taken over by theElectrolytic Zinc Company of Australia (EZ) in 1920. Whereas others had failed to find an economicmeans of treating the complex ores, EZ devoted considerable time and resources to the problem. The

12 TAHO, MIN83/1/14, Mineral Application Register, 3800/93M13 TAHO, MIN83/1/17, Mineral Application Register, 2251/M14 TAHO, MIN83/1/19, Mineral Application Register, 3909/M15 Fahl: a grey crystalline copper-containing mineral, of which tetrahedrite and tennantite are the typical forms.16 Launceston Examiner, Monday 11 October 1897, p.817 Hills, L, The zinc-lead sulphide deposits of the Read-Rosebery district. Part II Rosebery Group, MRT Report GSB23, 1915,p.113


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solution was a selective flotation process to produce a zinc concentrate - a now valuable commodity.The chosen site for the plant was Rosebery.

The decision to focus operations at Rosebery transformed the town, beginning in 1928. In addition toconstructing the mill workshops and offices, EZ installed roads and rail tracks and built housing for asubstantial number of staff; infrastructure that cost the company in excess of £500,000.18

Figure 4: 1931 photograph showing the crushing mill, flotation plant and staff housing in the background(TAHO, The Weekly Courier, 8 July 1931, p.23. Reproduced with Permission).

The urban growth of this period can be seen in developments in the broader locality of the study areas.This includes the football oval off Park Road that dates from the early twentieth century and thesurrounding collection of modest worker housing constructed from the 1930s to mid-twentiethcentury in Hey, Shackle and Hollywood Streets. It was during this period that EZ acquired the mininglease that is now proposed to be developed for the WWTP.19 Again, development of the site for miningpurposes appears unlikely.

Works were also carried out on building an aerial ropeway to transport ore from the Hercules Minesome 7 kilometres away to deliver ore to the new mill. The ropeway was completed in 1930. However,this coincided with the Great Depression. Although the mill, roasting plant at Zeehan and wharfextensions at Burnie were completed, mining production virtually ceased owing to the unfavourableeconomic climate. It was not until 1936 that full production recommenced and the newly finishedconcentrating mill at Rosebery began operating. From Rosebery, this concentrate was firstlytransported by rail to Burnie before shipment to Risdon in Hobart for smelting.20

18 TAHO, NS3753/1/85; The Weekly Courier, 8 July 1931, p.2319 TAHO, NS3753/1/85; Advocate, Wednesday 23 July 1930, p.8; MRT Map 626E, Rosebery District (Area) - Area Geological,Ore Deposits (hand coloured).20 TAHO, NS3753/1/85


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Over the coming decades, EZ enjoyed continued success. By late 1957, the company had built 314houses for its employees, increasing to 591 dwellings by 1985. Mining at Rosebery continues to thisday under the operation of MMG. Having produced copper, gold, lead, zinc and silver, the Roseberymine has generated more wealth than any other mine on the west coast.21

3.5 Evolving Transport RoutesOne of the key impediments to the development of the west coast mining industry was itsinaccessibility. Sea access from Strahan and Trial Harbour was available, but at substantial costs andwith dangerous access. Developing an overland rail route was viewed as the solution to transportingthe heavy equipment and supplies for the mines. A number of proposals were put forward, eachserving the parochial claims of the major population centres: Hobart, Launceston and Burnie.22 Thekey historical developments associated with these initiatives are the Mole Creek Pack Track and theEmu Bay Railway.

3.5.1 The Mole Creek Pack Track

The Mole Creek Pack Track, or Innes Track as it is more commonly known, was cut in the 1890s fromLiena near Mole Creek to the emerging mineral field at Rosebery. The track is 120 kilometres inlength, passing through the Cradle Mountain - Lake St Clair National Park, where sections have beenincorporated into the Overland Track.23

The initial survey of the route was carried out in the summer of 1896-97, headed by Edward GeorgeInnes and a party of four men. With regard to the west coast region, the route travelled between theMackintosh River and the flanks of Mount Farrell. During the course of this survey, Innes discoveredthe rich mineral resources at Mount Farrell, later leading to the establishment of Tullah. Continuingsouth, the route avoided Mount Black by travelling between the Pieman River and the mountainbefore reaching its end point at the Stitt River Bridge at Rosebery.24

Having surveyed the route, work on its formation was carried out by the Public Works Departmentover two summers in 1898 and 1899. As commonly occurred, works began simultaneously at bothends of the track with construction crews starting out from both Liena and Rosebery. At the western,Rosebery end, the works were supervised by a number of individuals including Messrs. Coleman, Kingand Ellis.

With the completion of the Emu Bay Railway extension to Zeehan, plans to develop the track as arailway were dropped. Nonetheless, the track continued to be used as an alternative land route byminers and drovers travelling to the west coast. During the first decades of the twentieth century, theroute from the west was used by hunting parties accessing the Barn Bluff area. The tourism potentialof the track was also recognised at an early date, with the Public Works Department clearing and re-pegged 34 miles (i.e., approx. 54.7 km) of track between Lake Will and Tullah in 1922.25

The formation of the track varied along its extent; in hilly country the track was heavily benched,whilst on the open plains, the line was simply marked with pegs or timber along its edge. Brown’srecent work has revealed that most of the track still exists or can be found, providing reliableinformation on its construction methods. This work has also found differences in constructionmethods along the track. For example, at the western end, works carried out during the first summerresulted in a well-graded track that was passable by a dray or cart. However, less money was availableby the second year, resulting in trackwork of a lesser quality which progressively became narrowerand steeper in grade.26

Terminating at the former location of the Stitt River Bridge, the Mole Creek Pack Track would notappear to have relevance to the proposed WWTP.

21 Dickens, G, ‘The Mines of Western Tasmania’22 Lambert, G, ‘Innes Track - Liena to Rosebery’, in The Tasmanian Tramp. Journal of the Hobart Walking Club, No. 22,March 1976, pp.55-5623 Brown, P, ‘The Track is Their Story: Reading the People’, in Australian Mining History Association Annual Conference 2010,pp.1-224 Brown, op. cit.; Lambert, op. cit., pp.55-5725 Brown, op. cit., pp.3-4; Register of the National Estate, Innes Track, Overland Trk, Cradle Valley, TAS, Australia, 103781;TAHO, PWD1/1/242: 22/7-5 & 22/12-8 Innes Track 1897, C Whitham to Mr Emmett, 15 March 192026 Brown, op. cit., pp.3-4


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3.5.2 The Emu Bay Railway

Until the construction of passable roads, the west coasts railways provided the only reliable transportnetwork for the region. The Emu Bay Railway had its origins in a horse drawn timber tramwayconstructed between 1875-78 by the Van Diemen’s Land Company to haul alluvial tin from MountBischoff at Waratah to the wharf at Burnie.27

The Emu Bay Railway was floated as a company in 1897, with the aim of constructing a line fromGuildford east of Waratah, and continuing on to Mount Lyell via Rosebery. Construction began in1897, and at its peak, some 700 labourers were employed on the arduous tasks. Crossing mountains,deep gorges and numerous large and small rivers, the most difficult sections were constructing thethree large bridges to cross the Pieman, Stitt and Ring Rivers, as well as cutting the Argent Tunnel(Figure 5).

Figure 5: Early twentieth century photograph of the Stitt River railway bridge at Rosebery (TAHO, NS241/1/32,Stitt River Bridge, Emu Bay Railway - Spurling Photo. Reproduced with Permission).

The Pieman River Bridge proved a particular challenge. With the lack of an Australian steel industry,the 45 metre long superstructure was shipped from England to Burnie, before being transported to thecrossing in sections. Pack horses were used to transport the cement for the piers and abutments.Between the Boco Plains and Rosebery, the steepness of the country was too much for horses andbullocks. Instead, men were used to haul the logs to the line.28

The line from Guildford to Zeehan was completed in three years, and served the communities ofZeehan, Dundas, Rosebery and Mount Bischoff, with a spur line at Tullah. The initial plan of

27 TAHO, NS3753/1/8528 Haygarth, N, Cubit, S (ed.), op. cit., p.65; TAHO, NS3753/1/73, Pamphlet - The Rosebery Mine Tasmania, Risdon Works, EZ


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extending the railway as far south as Mount Lyell was dropped. Enjoying initial success, the railwayprovided both freight and passenger services to the isolated communities (Figure 6).

Figure 6: 1917 photograph showing the Rosebery Siding with Mount Black in the background (TAHO, TheWeekly Courier, 9 August 1917, p.17. Reproduced with Permission).

By the early 1920s though, the demand for had fallen with the mineral fields of Zeehan and Dundasvirtually ceasing production, a circumstance that hit the Railway Company hard and was exacerbatedby the advent of the Great Depression. The fortunes of the Company did not improve until EZ’s majorinvestments in Rosebery, with the zinc concentrate transported by rail to Burnie before shipment toHobart. Mid to late twentieth century expansion in west coast mining also assisted the fortunes of therailway.29

Services to Zeehan ended in 1975, with Rosebery then becoming the line’s southern terminus - asituation that only lasted five years. With plans to increase west coast production from the early 1970s,in 1967, the Emu Bay Railway Company was purchased by EZ. Expansion of the railway followed, andin 1969 a new line was constructed linking Rosebery with Melba Flats. Until the completion of theMurchison Highway in 1963, the railway was the only transport link to the north of the state.30

Although the proposed WWTP infrastructure will cross the Emu Bay Railway line, historic heritageissues are unlikely to arise as a result of this coincidence.

29 TAHO, NS3753/1/73,30 TAHO, NS3753/1/85; TAHO, NS3753/1/73, p.4


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4.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

4.1 The Potential for Sites of Historic Cultural Heritage SignificancePart of Austral Tasmania’s commission has been to advise on the need for further assessment or fieldsurvey. Through historical research an attempt has been made to identify the key historical themes,phases or events related to the study areas, which in turn can assist in identifying potential heritageplaces.

The key historical themes or phases of development within the locality relate to mining developmentand the evolution of transport.

Although mining interests in the study areas began during the late-nineteenth century, it wouldappear that these early leases were speculative in nature. As such, it is unlikely that any substantialmining development took place on the site, save perhaps some small scale testing. The potential forsignificant mining related sites to be located at the location of the proposed WWTP is thereforeassessed as being low.

The development of transport routes to Rosebery has also played an important role in the history ofdevelopment. Two particular aspects have been considered, the Mole Creek Pack Track (or InnesTrack as it is more commonly known), and secondly, the Emu Bay Railway. Neither of these places orfeatures are likely to be impacted by the proposed WWTP from an historic heritage perspective.

In conclusion, the risk of significant historic heritage sites or values being relevant to the proposedWWTP is assessed as being low to negligible. No further action is considered warranted at this stage,subject to notification procedures being put in place in the unlikely event significant heritage sites arediscovered during the construction phase (see recommendation 2 below).

4.2 Management Guidelines1. Statutory Heritage Consultation:

No statutory historic heritage approvals are currently required for the proposed WWTP ateither national, state or local levels. As part of the DPEMP process, consultation with HeritageTasmania, DPIPWE is recommended to seek endorsement of the following recommendationand to ensure that any additional matters requiring attention are disclosed as early as possible(and can be factored into the heritage assessment and advisory processes).

2. Dealing With Unanticipated Discoveries:

Although every attempt has been made through research to locate sites of potential historicheritage significance within the study areas, it is possible, though unlikely, that currentlyunknown significant historic heritage sites may be located during construction of the WWTP.

Should such sites be discovered during the construction phase, works should cease until thesite has been assessed by an appropriately qualified heritage practitioner and a managementstrategy developed. Both Heritage Tasmania and West Coast Council should be notified of anyunanticipated discoveries. Similar actions are advocated in Heritage Tasmania’s Pre-development Assessment Guidelines.31

31 Heritage Tasmania, November 2009, Pre-development assessment guidelines, p.1


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5.0 REFERENCES

5.1 Secondary References5.1.1 Published & Unpublished Materials

Brown, P, ‘The Track is Their Story: Reading the People’, in Australian Mining History AssociationAnnual Conference 2010

Dickens, G, ‘The Mines of Western Tasmania’, in Australian Mining History Association AnnualConference 2010

Dickens, G, ‘Tin Mining’, in Alexander, A, (ed.), The Companion to Tasmanian History, Centre forTasmanian Historical Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, 2005

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

Haygarth, N, Cubit, S (ed.), A Peopled Frontier: The European Heritage of the Tarkine Area, CircularHead Council: Smithton, 2008

Heritage Tasmania, November 2009, Pre-development assessment guidelines

Hills, L, The zinc-lead sulphide deposits of the Read-Rosebery district. Part II Rosebery Group, MRTReport GSB23, 1915

Historic Cultural Heritage Act 1995

Lambert, G, ‘Innes Track - Liena to Rosebery’, in The Tasmanian Tramp. Journal of the HobartWalking Club, No. 22, March 1976

Register of the National Estate, Innes Track, Overland Trk, Cradle Valley, TAS, Australia, 103781

TAHO, NS3753/1/73, Pamphlet - The Rosebery Mine Tasmania, Risdon Works, EZ

TAHO, NS3753/1/85, Pamphlet - Mining, smelting, railways of the Rosebery region by Ian Stewart,Risdon Works, EZ

Tasmanian Heritage Register, Innes Track, 8220

West Coast Planning Scheme

5.1.2 Newspapers

Advocate, Wednesday 23 July 1930, p.8

Launceston Examiner, Monday 11 October 1897, p.8

The Weekly Courier, 8 July 1931, p.23

5.2 Primary References5.2.1 Archives Office of Tasmania

TAHO, MIN83/1/10, Mineral Application Register, 127/93M

TAHO, MIN83/1/14, Mineral Application Register, 3800/93M

TAHO, MIN83/1/17, Mineral Application Register, 2251/M

TAHO, MIN83/1/19, Mineral Application Register, 3909/M

TAHO, PWD1/1/242: 22/7-5 & 22/12-8 Innes Track 1897, C Whitham to Mr Emmett, 15 March 1920

5.2.2 Images & Plans

c.1900, TAHO, NS241/1/32, Stitt River Bridge, Emu Bay Railway - Spurling Photo

1905, TAHO, The Weekly Courier, 3 June 1905, p.17


27 March 201315

1915, Plate XXII, Mineral Chart of the Rosebery Mining District, in Hills, L, The zinc-lead sulphidedeposits of the Read-Rosebery district. Part II Rosebery Group, MRT Report GSB23, 1915

1917, TAHO, The Weekly Courier, 9 August 1917, p.17

1931, TAHO, The Weekly Courier, 8 July 1931, p.23

1932, MRT Map 626E, Rosebery District (Area) - Area Geological, Ore Deposits (hand coloured)

5.2.3 Personal Communications

Email, Damien Blackwell (EPA Division) to David Krushka (Cradle Mountain Water), 12 February2013

Documents

ROSEBERY WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT …epa.tas.gov.au/documents/taswater, rosebery wwtp - appendix r... · Rosebery Waste Water Treatment Plant Historic Heritage Desktop Assessment