At 09:46 AM 3/20/2007 +1100, you wrote: >Dear John, >Are you aware of the extensive research done by Jack Delaney on the history >of the mines south of maitland in the Hunter Valley? >His work includes about 500 taped interviews (tapes indexed, summarised and >searchable online). >If you are not aware of this, let me know. It is an excellent resource. Also >good for family tree researchers should their rel have worked in these mines. >The tapes digress to most aspects of the history of the Cessnock, Kurri Kurri >area. Hi John, Thanks, and yes that is EXCELLENT if it is the CD that I have bought (from Newcastle Museum) and it has a great deal of information about the mines from west of Cessnock (Millfield) through Kurri Kurri towards Maitland, all mines that worked the Greta Coal Measures. There is only one still working nowadays, west of Cessnock and now owned by China. >The Sir Edgeworth David Museum at Kurri Kurri is also a wealth of information, >particularly as it now holds all of Jim Comerford's records recently published >a book on coal mining in the Hunter Valley. Very difficult to get to from Sydney and has been closed every time I have happened to pass by it. Does it have email, as I'd like to buy it's book if I can. Similarly there are said to be some ?small ?museums or interest centres (at least a couple?) around the Lakes area too. I've often been told that but once again they are difficult to find on internet, if they still exist. One (coal museum) that used to exist was at Freeman's Waterhole and that is definitely closed and derelict now. I tried at length to find out from the Council who owns it or is connected with it, but with no luck .. and the locals there didn't know either. I also tried the local mining union as best I could, but they had no suggestions other than the museum at Kurri Kurri .. which I guess I will get to see some time sooner or later. If you or anyone have any literature REFERENCES that you could send me I'm always greatful to get those. I have some already. All I get I will eventually put up as webpage .. and should do that probably this year sometime as I probably have a page or two of coal mining history references already. If something is an actual reference that a librarian can work off then I have more that a fair chance of getting it in for a time to my local library on interlibrary loan and being able to see it. Actually 'getting' to the areas takes a little more doing, and a fair bit of petrol. Plus once they get through with "rehabilitation" you are flat out even finding where mines used to be very often (there is often simply just nothing at all left to actually see). One place I have already started to put compiled history up about is the Swansea or Wallarah Peninsula area: http://www.lachlanhunter.deadsetfreestuff.com/JB/Swansea-CHB.htm I am also interested in coal mining overseas too but that's a different story, e.g. Russia or the Ukraine: http://www.lachlanhunter.deadsetfreestuff.com/JB/Donbass/index.htm As can be seen for more 'locally', a principal interest is in tracing "petrified forests". There are likely two or three horizons of these in the coal measures across the Lakes region. The occur on the western margin (e.g. Fennel Bay) and also, as seen in the 'Swansea-CHB.htm' abovementioned, there are good occurrences along the coast from Swansea south. In that connection I'm interested to know of any occurrences of silicified wood. I've heard some big pieces have been found somewhere near Freeman's Waterhole but I don't have details. Regards, John Byrnes (Geologist)

Hi John Just logged on and haven't had time to check my records yet, I will get back to the list with what information I have on your requests. MargaretB Lake Macquarie NSW Australia