Singleton Mining History

Coal mining has been an important industry to the Hunter Valley town of Singleton thanks to the abundance of natural coal reserves in region. These coal reserves have proved essential in the growth and development of Singleton and are contributing to the continued economic growth of the area.

Singleton covers an area of 4,893 square kilometres. The original inhabitants of Singleton were the Indigenous Wonnarua people, however little is known of them due to the lack of records and the impact of European settlement.

It is known that the Wonnarua people were hunters and gatherers who lived off the land. They preferred goanna as their food source, and they also adopted burning-off practices to entice kangaroos to seek out the new shoots in order to kill them.

The first recorded European expedition to Singleton was in 1820 and was led by John Howe. The original European name for the area surrounding Singleton was Saint Patrick’s Plains, which was later shortened to Patrick Plains. This area extended from the foothills of the range between the Hawkesbury and Hunter Rivers to the south, Maitland to the east, and also spread out to the north and west. By the 1840s many settlements and small towns had been established along the riverbanks in the Patrick Plains area. In 1841 the population in the Patrick Plains was recorded at 2659.

The town of Singleton was named after one of the first settlers, Benjamin Singleton, who was a key figure in the establishment and development of the town. Benjamin Singleton accompanied John Howe on the original expedition to the Saint Patrick’s Plains area and through his role in this expedition he received a land-grant of 240 acres. Benjamin Singleton settled on this land and established a residence. The town was officially opened up for settlement in 1823 and the fertile land of the Hunter Valley attracted settlers and pastoralists, with wheat and tobacco some of the earliest commodities. In 1827 Benjamin Singleton established the first inn in the area, called The Barley Mow, which was followed by the establishment of a flour mill in 1829 and a post office. The railway arrived in Singleton in 1863 and assisted in the further development and economic prosperity of the town.

Coal was first discovered in the area in small amounts in the 1850s and the first mine was opened at Rix Creek, approximately 5 kilometres north-west of Singleton, in 1860. By the late 1800s there were approximately 16 mines in the area. [1] By 1890 the population of Singleton had risen to 1790, double the population of 1860. In the area of Patrick Plains the population had grown to 8281. In 1880 three of the major mines were producing 6,573 tonnes of coal, and employed 39 men. [2] Until 1919 coke was made at Rix's Creek for the Cobar copper smelters.

The development of Singleton and the surrounding area continued throughout the twentieth century. Post World War II, the demand for energy and electrical power increased, leading to the development of further coal mines. The use of open cut mining allowed for the extraction of steaming coal in the Singleton area. The population of Singleton in 1947 was 2996. Post World War II, agriculture continued to be a vital source of income, with dairy farming, beef cattle and vegetable production some of the key industries, along with coal mining.

Other important developments include the opening of the Liddell Power station in 1969, and the Bayswater Power Station, which was completed in 1985. In 1975 the municipality of Singleton and the Shire of Patrick Plains amalgamated. In 1976 the population of Singleton reached 12,359. The 1970s and 1980s were an important period in the growth of Singleton’s economy thanks to the further expansion of the mining industry.

In the 2008 Bankwest Quality of Life Survey, Singleton was ranked as the best in the Hunter region, and was positioned at number 147 out of 590 local government areas across Australia. The former Mayor of Singleton, Fred Harvison, is quoted in The Herald as saying, “Five thousand people are employed directly in mining, and for any one miner there are three to four people employed indirectly as a result.” [3]

The coal mining industry plays an important role in Singleton and is actively engaging with local communities through various initiatives. Coal and Allied, for example, in 2008 worked on an archaeological excavation of a site of Aboriginal artefacts at Warkworth Sands, 15 kilometres west of Singleton. This important excavation was conducted in partnership with the Wonnarua Nation and demonstrates the ability of the mining industry to work with communities to achieve positive outcomes.

The population of Singleton and its surrounds in 2006 was 23,005 people. [5] 18.2% of Singleton’s population is employed in the coal mining industry, demonstrating the importance of this industry to the local economy. Other important industries are defence, manufacturing and agriculture.