Balmain Colliery

Balmain Colliery was a coal mine located in Birchgrove in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It produced coal from 1897 until 1931 and natural gas until 1945. It remains the deepest coal mine ever to have been sunk in Australia.LocationThe colliery was located on the northern side of the Balmain Peninsula, on the corner of Birchgrove Road and Water Street, next to Birchgrove Public School.HistoryThe presence of coal was confirmed in 1891 and two shafts, named Birthday and Jubilee, were sunk between 1897 and 1902. The mine produced coal from 1897 until 1931 and natural gas until 1945. The site is now occupied by the Hopetoun Quays residential complex.Mining accidentsThree fatal accidents occurred at the mine claiming 10 lives:On 17 March 1900, six miners were being lowered down the Birthday shaft. At 1,424 feet the bucket they were travelling in caught on a projection, tipped over and five of the six men fell to their death in the shaft. As a result of this accident, the Mining Act was amended to provide guide rails in shafts to prevent bucket swinging or overturning.In 1932, a year after the mine closed, a six inch bore was sunk below the Birthday shaft to pipe natural gas to the surface. During the sinking of the bore, two men were killed when the gas ignited and exploded.During the sealing of the Birthday shaft on 20 April 1945, a rudimentary test was being undertaken which ignited escaping gas and caused an explosion below the seal. The company manager and two men were killed in the accident and another two men injured.