Wedderburn Charcoal Pits

Did you know that charcoal was once used to run cars instead of petrol? During World War II, petrol rationing forced many people to find alternative methods of running vehicles. The rationing meant business people with trucks were particularly affected. Campbelltown did not escape this problem, so some Wedderburn orchardists set up a charcoal production business on the opposite side of the road from the school and across the creek. Four pits were dug in the bush. The pit method required a large pit to be dug in the ground and lined with bricks or sheet iron to prevent the charcoal becoming contaminated, and then a small amount of kindling wood was placed in the bottom for lighting purposes after the pit had been stacked with the timber to be carbonized. 

The orchadists used hardwood from the Wedderburn bush for the pits. Once produced, the charcoal was stored and transported in disused grain stacks, with a sack of charcoal weighing about 18 kg. The charcoal was used by those who had fitted a charcoal gas producing unit to their vehicle. The charcoal was placed in a box at the rear which in turn produced gas power to the vehicle. Their are however many stories of poor performances using charcoal, particularly a loss of power.

Pits like these would have been used across Sydney, but most would have since been lost. The pits at Wedderburn still exist owing to their remote location and the stone lining which has helped to keep them from caving in. Only three of the four pits exist.

The Hawkes family with their charcoal burning vehicle at Leumeah around 1941

Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

HOLMES, Marie 2012

A Scapbook of History: Stories of the Macarthur District

Campbelltown: Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society

A Local Treasure

Edward John McBarron, born in 1918 at Albion Park, was a well-known Campbelltown figure for many years. As a Veterinary Science student he graduated from Sydney University in 1942. Whilst studying at University, he had been obliged to collect 100 botanical specimens, but continued to collect long after 100. His collection grew to over 15,000 specimens, now a vital part of the National Herbarium.
Eddie, as he was known, became an Inspector of stock at Holbrook and Albury before his appointment in 1953 as a Veterinary Research Officer at Glenfield Veterinary Research Station. This began his long association with the Campbelltown area.
Eddie published many papers and books throughout his life, ranging from veterinary papers on metabolic disorders in cattle to books on the botany and history of Campbelltown. 36 veterinary publications included subjects such as poisonous plants, water-borne bacteria and endangered species. Over 40 publications on local history and flora mainly concentrated on the Campbelltown area.
As a member of the Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society Eddie helped to label and restore exhibits in the Stables Museum at Glenalvon. He was made a Life Member of the society in 1995.

Eddie married Olive Gadd in 1946 and had four children, two boys and two girls. His other interests included the search for the perfect home brew, buying and tinkering with rarely seen makes of cars, and learning foreign languages, particularly French. 

Edward John McBarron (Richard Lawrance Collection 

Campbelltown City Library. Copyright Richard Lawrance)

He was nominated by seven organisations from a cross section of interests for an Order of Australia Medal, which was awarded in 1992 for his efforts in conservation, the environment and systematic botany.

Edward John McBarron passed away on 23rd August 1996 leaving a legacy of a wealth of information collected throughout his lifetime and compiled into readily available formats. We are pleased to hold at Campbelltown a number of Eddie’s publications which have greatly enhanced our knowledge of our local history.

Compiled by Claire Lynch from an adaptation of funeral eulogy given by David McBarron

Source

Grist Mills Vol. 9 No. 4 

An Aerial View in 1956

 

This aerial photograph from 1956 demonstrates how much Campbelltown has grown in 65 years. The area shown covers from Kialba Road at the bottom of the picture to Hollylea and the Plough Inn at the top of the image. At the very bottom at the left of the aerial shot is "Kialba" and its surrounding trees. "Kialba" was a large federation-style home located at 29 Kialba Road. The home was built and occupied by Alfred Payten, an architect from the well-known Payten family. It is now vacant land and its palm trees still exist.

In 1956 Kialba Road joined Campbelltown Road. This can be seen in the photograph where it bends to the right and connects with Campbelltown Road. A little further north and Campbelltown Road crosses Bow Bowing Creek. On the banks of the creek at this spot stood the iconic Keighran's Mill. Built in 1855, it was also referred to as Payten's Mill. In later years it had displayed on it's wall an advertisement for Wolfe's Schnapps. The mill was dismantled in 1962. 

Heading further north along Campbelltown Road and on the left is the home "Woodbine". This fine old house could date as early as 1817 and was home to the Payten family from 1873. It was surrounded by magnificent trees such as kurrajongs, acacias, pines and cedars. "Woodbine" was demolished in the 1960s after the land was zoned industrial. What a shame! The site of the house is about where 7 Hollylea Road is today.

The right of the photo shows the growing suburb of Leumeah. The railway lines runs through the middle of the aerial photo between Leumeah and "Woodbine". In 1956 when this photograph was taken, Campbelltown Road was aligned differently. It followed the path of where today's Hollylea Road is located. The two-storey house "Hollylea" and adjacent Plough Inn can be seen on the old alignment of Campbelltown Road at the top of the photo. "Hollylea" was known as The Three Brothers Inn in the early days of the settlement and was owned by Nathaniel Boon.

Written by Andrew Allen

Sources:

ALLEN, Andrew 2018

More than Bricks and Mortar: Remembering Campbelltown's Lost Buildings

Campbelltown: Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society