Newnes - New South Wales
The main ruins are located about 2km beyond the Newnes Hotel and on the opposite side of the river. The river crossing is located 200m past the old hotel, but this crossing is only suitable for 4-wheel drive vehicles. The only other alternative is to walk. Do not cross the river after heavy rain or when the river is in flood.
A parking area and gate mark the start of the works area. The ruins are best explored on foot and a map of the works area is helpful. (A brochure with map is sold at the Newnes Kiosk.) However, a self-guided walk has been marked out and interpretive signs at some of the more important features will assist if you don't have a map. The ruins are located on several levels and parts are overgrown. Besides the marked trail, there are numerous other tracks through the works site so that access is generally quite good.
Newnes was established about 1906 for the purpose of mining and processing oil-shale. The industry continued here intermittently until the 1930s, when the works were transferred to Glen Davis, on the other side of the mountain to the north of Newnes.
While very little is left of the town of Newnes, there are extensive ruins of the refinery and associated plant, mostly retaining walls and other brick structures. The main works site covers an area of riverbank and adjacent talus slopes extending for about 1km along the Wolgan River. These ruins can be explored by the present day visitor. The entire ruins area lies within Wollemi National Park and is maintained by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
A parking area and gate mark the start of the works area. The ruins are best explored on foot and a map of the works area is helpful. (A brochure with map is sold at the Newnes Kiosk.) However, a self-
Newnes was established about 1906 for the purpose of mining and processing oil-
While very little is left of the town of Newnes, there are extensive ruins of the refinery and associated plant, mostly retaining walls and other brick structures. The main works site covers an area of riverbank and adjacent talus slopes extending for about 1km along the Wolgan River. These ruins can be explored by the present day visitor. The entire ruins area lies within Wollemi National Park and is maintained by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Photos Courtesy Scott Westlake Photography
Historic Town
The Coke Ovens
The coke ovens are a unique set of ‘bee hive’ kilns built before 1907 and used until 1911. Coke was used to fuel the Newnes Boiler Plant and Shale Retorts. It was also exported to the Lithgow Iron Works and the Cobar Copper Smelter via the onsite Railway line.
The visible ovens are the inner shell of the original rectangular bench. There are over 90 ovens that are visible in the area.
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The Paraffin Sheds
The shale oil was processed into products including paraffin for candles, crude oil, kerosene, blue oil and lubricating oil.
One of the largest relics is a five-room complex where paraffin was produced. The heavy oil was cooled to form solid paraffin, filtered and pressed into cakes.
These cakes were then treated in a sweating plant and refinery, and finally made into candles.
Shale Retorts
Railway Service Pit
Distillation Benches
The remains of four distillation benches can be seen on the site. Crude oil was heated to the point of evaporation in stills in order to separate the light naphtha fraction from the heavier green oil.
The light oil was sent to the naphtha refinery, and the heavy oil was washed and piped to the heavy oils and paraffin stills.
The end products included gas oil, lubricating oil, kerosene and other burning oils
Remnants of the Railway Line
