Blair Athol No 4 Coal Mine, Mount Victoria
The Blair Athol No. 4 Coal Mine was a coal mining operation located in Mount Victoria, New South Wales, Australia. It was the fourth mine owned by the Blair Athol Coal & Timber Company, a company with links to the Blair Athol coal mine in Queensland.
History
The mine was established in 1920 and operated until 1923, a relatively short lifespan of just three years. The mine adit (horizontal entrance tunnel) runs downwards at an angle of approximately 15 degrees for a distance of 300 meters, with the last 100 meters being flooded.
The 1.5-meter-high coal seam was approached from the south side, as this provided easier access to the railway for transportation. There were plans to construct a branch railway line directly to the mine, but it is unclear if this was ever realized.
Coal haulage techniques employed at the Blair Athol No. 4 Mine were similar to those used at the Port Kembla mines. The remains of concrete foundations along the track leading to the mine suggest the use of motors for a haulage railway system.
Present Day
Today, the mine adit is open to the public and serves as a popular adventure destination for visitors to the Blue Mountains National Park. Scuba divers have explored the flooded section of the mine and reported the presence of several mine skips (carts used for hauling coal) near the end of the tunnel.
The track leading to the mine was once part of the haulage system, and remnants of the mining infrastructure, such as the concrete foundations for motors, can still be observed along the way. The mine itself is a testament to the region’s rich coal mining history and provides an opportunity for visitors to experience a piece of Australia’s industrial heritage firsthand.
