Historical Australian Towns: Glen Davis, NSW: Ruins in The Capertee Valley,

Glen Davis is an almost abandoned shale mining town located 70 kilometres north of Lithgow in the Capertee Valley, NSW.

Today the abandoned village is located in Wollemi National Park and can be visited by tourists.

The Wiradjuri People (variety of spellings)

Wiradjuri is derived from wirraay, meaning "no" or "not", with the comitative suffix -dhuurray or -juuray, meaning "having".

Aboriginal people were hunters and gatherers, which required complex knowledge, skills, and practices that are fundamental to religious beliefs and rituals.

Norman Tindale wrote that Wiradjuri was one of several terms coined, later after the 1890s.

The Wiradjuri are the people of the three rivers (bila), and their country (nguram-bang) is the second largest in Australia.

These rivers are Macquarie River (Wambuul), Lachan River (Galari), and Murrumbidgee River (Marrambidya).

Tree Carvings and Ground Drawings at Bora Camp, Mathews, R. H. - File:Notes on the Aborigines of New South Wales, 1907

The Goanna (Gugaa) is the major totem of the Wiradjuri people. Ordinary totems inherited matrilineally (from mother) were called djindji translated as "meat".

Clever men were experts in stories and spiritual beliefs relating to Baime (important creator being). Clevermen were similar to shamans, using songs, quartz crystals and emu feathers in rain-making rituals. Clever people could also travel to the sky to release the rain (Berndt 1947).

Wiradjuri clevermen used human hair cords to extract poison or to kill. Clevermen were guided and protected by their totem.

The powerful Rainbow serpent (Wawi) is often seen as the creator God. The rainbow serpent is the rainbow itself and is said to inhabit particular waterholes and rivers. Quartz crystal and certain seashells are also associated with the Rainbow Serpent, as the refraction of light creates a rainbow.

The Rainbow Serpent came from under the ground, creating mountains and valleys as it pushed upward. Thunder and lightning are said to occur when the Rainbow Serpent is angry.

Aboriginal people

Wiradjuri people wore Possum skin cloaks for warmth and used them as baby carriers. The cloaks were made from many possum pelts sewn together with kangaroo sinew. They were often etched with mussel shells, possum jawbones or kangaroo incisor teeth.

The Wiradjuri were known for their use of carved trees marking the burial site of notable men of the tribe.

Wiradjuri and British people became involved clashes as they had different ideas of what constituted property.

1820s

From 1820s, European settlers began farming and agriculture in the Capertree Valley.

1860s

Around 1865, oil shale was first discovered in the northern side of the Capertee Valley by local farmer, Mr. B.R. McLean.

1880s

The first mining tunnel was established in 1881.

1890s

The first shale oil lease was granted in 1891 to MPI Mining Development.

1930s

A report in 1934 by the Newnes Investigation Committee investigated ways to decrease the number of unemployed miners in the region.

The Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, on 28 May 1936, invited offers for developing the oil industry in the Glen Davis area.

National Oil Proprietary Limited was created with financial support from the Commonwealth and New South Wales governments, with Glen Davis chosen as the site.

Construction of the shale oil works started in 1938.

DIGGING THE FOUNDATION (Glen Davis, NSW) for ihe workshops in January, 1939, turning the first sods in the building of an industry and a town. Glen Davis today has a £25,000 modern hotel with hot and cold water, a shopping centre, a picture show, sports oval. Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931 - 1954), Sunday 4 August 1940

ELECTRIC DRILLS dig out the shale. The 4ft. seam at Glen Davis is twice as thick as it is over the mountain at Newnes, NSW. Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1931 - 1954), Sunday 4 August 1940

The Processing Plant began in 1938, but there was no housing or facilities availible, so in the early days, many built their own hosing from hessian and whatever they could find. This is why an area of Glen Davis was known as “Bag Town”.

A town of 2000 people began to develop around the mine.

Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW : 1890 - 1954), Monday 2 October 1939

A general view of the modern plant in the course of construction at the Glen Davis, NSW, shale mine. Central Queensland Herald (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1930 - 1956), Thursday 14 December 1939

A section of the old oil plant at Newnes being demolished following the decision to transfer the oil-from-shale activities to Glen Davis. Central Queensland Herald (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1930 - 1956), Thursday 14 December 1939

A TRUCKLOAD OF SHALE leaving the mine for the dump. at Glen Davis, NSW, Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), Saturday 23 December 1939

ONE OF THE MOST MODERN CRACKING PLANTS, Glen Davis, NSW, The world is being built at the works. This plant is used in one of the final refining products. Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), Saturday 23 December 1939

THE LOADING OF SHALE UNDER-GROUND. Glen Davis, NSW. A truckload about to be drawnout of the mine by the electric haulage plant. Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), Saturday 23 December 1939

'PETROL FROM SHALE—PLANT GROWS AT GLEN DAVIS (N.S.W.) The Australasian (Melbourne) Sat 23 Dec 1939

1940s and WWII

During WWII, the shortage of petrol led to the Government reviving oil shale mining and treatment in 1940.

Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954), Thursday 29 August 1940

The school opened in January 1940.

Sir George Davis (left) and Premier Mair (right, visiting Glen Davis in July 1940) aboard an electric locomotive, with mine adit at rear. Sydney Morning Herald 6 July 1940

This is the present town of Glen Davis, NSW.-One of the many camp streets where workmen are living. Central Queensland Herald (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1930 - 1956), Thursday 21 March 1940

Selling a town.-The business sites of the new oil town of Glen Davis, NSW, were sold in a day at the weekend. The auctioneer's tent-the site of the Post Office-with the main business centre on tbe left Central Queensland Herald (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1930 - 1956), Thursday 21 March 1940

The primitive housing conditions of some of the workers employed at the shale oil works of National Oil Pty Ltd. at Glen Davis are shown in this series of pictures. Above: An employee and his wife taking their baby for a walk past some of the huts in which the workers live, Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Wednesday 16 October 1940

A domestic scene at Glen Davis, NSW, outside a large tent which served as a home for a family. All water is carried from stand pipes, which are 200 yards from some of the homes. Although the company has provided married quarters, they are inadequate, and many workers have built iron or hessian shacks. Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Wednesday 16 October 1940

There was a post office, a bank and a police station. The town had a doctor, a pharmacist, three churches, a community centre, golf course, bowling green, children's playground and tennis court.

There were also, two general stores; a pharmacy; a garage; a "saloon" (a bar separate from the hotel); a barber shop; and the hotel. There was also a motion-picture theatre in the 'Bag Town' section.

Glen Davis Ambulance station, NSW

All Conveniences Model Town at Glen Davis Golf, Swimming, Bowls A GOLF course, swimming pool bowling, green, tennis, courts and the most modern miners' bath-house in Australia are among the many amenities which are being built at Glen Davis for the use of the workers who will operate the shale oil deposits there early next year.Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW : 1890 - 1954), Thursday 4 January 1940

Lithgow Mercury (NSW : 1898 - 1954), Monday 21 July 1941

Warrool St, Glen Davis, 1941, LNSW

Canobolis Street, Glen Davis, NSW, 1941, SLNSW

Miners camp, Glen Davis, NSW, SLNSW

School at Glen Davis, NSW, SLNSW

Land (Sydney, NSW : 1911 - 1954), Wednesday 12 September 1945

A section of the shale oil plant at Glen Davis, in Now South Wales. When the giant new plant is completed this year, Glen Davis will be producing 10,000,000 gallons of oil annually.Land (Sydney, NSW : 1911 - 1954), Wednesday 12 September 1945

Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW : 1888 - 1954), Tuesday 16 October 1945

Mudgee Guardian and North-Western Representative (NSW : 1890 - 1954), Thursday 27 June 1946

In 1947, Glen Davis had a population of about 1,600.

There were issues between communist-inspired and non-communist trade union leadership at the mine. Particularly, the enforcement of the "darg"—a work quota, by communist-led miners. Other miners believed that this resulted in the low production rate of oil shale. Others denied the "darg" existed.

GROUP OF POLISH MIGRANTS— TYPES WHO HAVE GONE TO GLEN DAVIS, NSW. Lithgow Mercury (NSW : 1898 - 1954), Monday 30 August 1948

Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Saturday 4 September 1948

Lithgow Mercury (NSW : 1898 - 1954), Monday 23 August 1948

Junior Debs, presented to Miss Marjorie Jackson at the recent ball at Glen Davis, NSW. Names from left to right, Shirley Windle, Miss .Jackson and Judy Hail. Lithgow Mercury (NSW : 1898 - 1954), Wednesday 6 July 1949

1950s

CAPERTEE IN FLOOD. In today's mist and rain men struggle against rushing floodwaters of the C'apertee River to clear a bridge about eight miles from Glen Davis Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954), Tuesday 7 February 1950

Road traffic at this point was cut off during the flood at Glen Davis, NSW. Between, the partly submerged signpost on the left and the electric light pole on the right, thebridge was 15 feet under water. Northern Star (Lismore, NSW : 1876 - 1954), Thursday 9 February 1950

Glen Davis, NSW, 1950, LS

In December 1950, it was decided to close the operation. For those who had built or bought houses near the mine, this was a catastrophe.

Northern Star (Lismore, NSW : 1876 - 1954), Tuesday 9 January 1951

Employees of the Glen Davis oil plant, which is to be closed, chalked up this comment on part of the distillery. Sydney, Wednesday IN addition to industrial action threatened yesterday by miners throughout New South Wales, the N.S.W. Government itself may take legal action to prevent the Federal Government closing down Glen Davis plant.Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Thursday 11 January 1951

ACTORS' VISIT TO GLEN DAVIS NEW THEATRE PLAYERS in front of the Glen Davis refinery, NSW, before presenting The Candy Store to the stay-in miners. Tribune (Sydney, NSW : 1939 - 1991), Wednesday 2 July 1952

FIFTY men are staging a "stay down' strike in a shale mini' at Glen Davis (near Llthgow, N.S.W.).Eighteen men began the strike, which is a protest against the Federal Government's decision to close the mine and dismantle the plant. The men went underground after 30 other men had been dis-missed. Picture shows some of the men playing cards in a small section of the mine, about a milefrom the main tunnel mouth, about 1000 feet below the surface. Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld. : 1907 - 1954), Friday 6 June 1952

Shale-oil workers at Glen Davis, NSW, last night coming to the pit-head of the mine in which they had been holding a "stay-down" strike for the last 26 days.Sunday Herald (Sydney, NSW : 1949 - 1953), Sunday 29 June 1952

The operation closed down in 1952 due to high costs and the small output.

Tribune (Sydney, NSW : 1939 - 1991), Wednesday 4 June 1952

The two women, inseparable friends from childhood, have astounded local townspeople bythe ease with which they find they way about the valley streets and homes. Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954), Saturday 7 February 1953