The Wee MacGregor Rail Line.
From the last adventure at the Rosebud Mine the rail head at Ballara was made by the Wee MacGregor Rail Line.
This engineering construction feat was incredibly consideration it was at the era of World War 1 age, around the 1915 time. Machinery was not that good compared to today's equipment, the area is virgin country access to the area is bush and mountainous, getting to the area was a major feat.
This is an exert of the above sign to make reading easier.
Ore Transfer Stage
The concrete and stone ore transfer stage ahead, represents one of the unique engineering solutions of the Wee MacGrgeor Rail Line.
It is the only remaining example of a period grade separated loading facility in Queensland.
Copper ore was tranported by the smaller 2 foot gauge train from the Wee MacGregor Mine further north.
The small hopper wagons would then empty into the larger hopper wagons below on the 3 foot 6 inch line.
The ore would then be transported by the larger train to the smelters of Kuridala to the south.
The 2 foot gauge line carried 50 tons of ore per day in 3 train loads to Ballara from the mines.
During World War 1, around 300 tonnes of ore was transported from Ballara each week.
The engine hauling on the smaller 2 foot gauge line is a Krauss 0-6-0 and was imported into Australia from Germany in 1910.
At the closure of mining operations in the early 1920's, the small steam locomotive was sold to the Kalamia sugar mill near Ayr.
The remains of the engine now reside in the marshes of Plantation Creek near Ayr after being abandoned from being used as a water pump.
This is rugged country, well the next stage of that railway is called by the sign the Tramway Formation.
To make it easier to read the exert of the sign I re typed this information.
Tramway Formation
The 2 foot gauge tramway formation traverses steep rocky terrain and represents outstanding example of the pioneering efforts of mining companies in the district during the early twentienth century.
The total length of the tramway formation is approximately 6.1 km, and comprises of deep rocky cuttings and dry stone wall protected embankments.
The tramway was constructed in early 1914 and was transporting ore by May 1915. The line was dismantled in 1921 following the closure of the Wee MacGregor Mine.
Along with the numerous culverts and one tunnel, a total of eight bridges are included in the formation and the remains of the bridges are evident today.
Over 40 embankments and cuttings
were constructed by manual labour in reponse to the varying terrain, and the result is a formation gradient optimal to narrow gauge train operations.
Today, in some areas, the formation is traversed by modern graded roadways. However, the majority of the formation remains in reasonable condition.
Well up from the sign after traveling over gravel roads we ended up at the Hightville Cemetery which has become a memorial of the pioneers who gave their lives in history to the success of the mines operation.
Only one grave was named with a head stone, that was Thomas Tame, there are many graves identified by stone heaps. A sign by the government has identified other pioneers in this cemetery.
Now after leaving the cemetery we drive up a gravel road to what was the existing township of Hightville as it rested on a high ridge.
The township rested on a hill, only concrete slabs remains from the old town. This town was relocated eventually, and renamed Ballara.
Back in time it looked different with houses, pub, railway tunnels and copper mine. Early pictures of the area on the sign shows what it looked like.
The Hightville sign information board has interesting information of this area. I took an exert from this information board for easier reading.
HIGHTVILLE
The discovery of the MacGregor one body was credited to Jack White in 1904, A Victorian buyer, James Peberdy bought a parcel of 7 leases, the Balaclava, Sabastapol, Greater Esmond Inkerman, Grand Central Wallaroo and Wee MacGregor in 1905.
James Peberdy then created the MacGregor, Cloncurry Copper Mines Company.
A company store was Set up on the lease, managed by the mine accountant, Frank Knox.
A small calico house on a wooden frame was built for the storekeeper, Reg Gyton, W Hinkle, of Cloncury built for James Peberdy and his sister, a large highset wooden home, overtooking Wallaroo Mine.
A haphazard collection of tents galvanized iron and bough sheds appeared along the track connecting the leases. On an elevated area south of the leáses, John Frost built the MacGregor Hotel in1909.
Towards the end of 1910, ore reserves were confimed finance raised and deliberations began as to whether
to build a smelter at the site or build a private rail line to transport the ore to the smelters at Friezland.
During this time, Hampden and Mount Eliot mining companies were both trying to increase their ore reseves. The rich MacGregor ore had not gone unnoticed
and both groups approached the lease holder, James Peberdy In 1913, Peberdy's MacGregor Mining Company passed into the hands of the Hampden Mining.
Company and Thomas Warnick took over management of the company.
Hightville was surveyed in 1913 by the govemment surveyor E. Dighton, and was so named for it's location upon the high ridges. The MacGregor Hotel was taken, Over by Pierce Edwards.
Wiliam Jones was postmaster and had a store from 1913 to 1916. The blacksmith from 1911 to 1912 was Wiliam Denison.
The few familes in the town were those of the mine managers and publicans Until it burned down in 1914, the MacGregor Hotel passed through the hands of Dora Power, Mrs O'Toole, and Jim Commerford.
The miners than waited for the arrival of the Cosmopolitan Hotel which was being moved from Ravenswood.
The Cosmopolitan was dragged to the area in time to hear that Hightville was not a suitable location for a rail teminus.
A request for another townsite was made and a govemment sunveyor was recalled. As soon as the last peg was driven in December 1914, the exodus from Hightville to the new town of Ballara began.
The company store and the post office remained at Hightville. While the town was being relocated, the company 2 gauge rail line and tunnel began construction, and the govemment 3'6" gauge line approached Ballara from the MecGregor Junction just south of Malbon.
The 3 shafts of Wallaroo, Grand Central and Wee MacGregor had wooden head frames erected. The steam winders and boilers arrived were installed and tested.
In July 1915, the mines were ready for production and the rail had amved at Ballara. A Krausse 0-6.0 1 locomotve with 50 tons of ore headed east for the
first time from the mine to the rail terminus at Ballara.
It stopped on the elevated ore ramp and tipped the ore from the small 5 ton wagons into the larger 20 ton wagons on the 36" government line below.
The pilot trip of ore to the smelters at Kuridala ran without incident and so began the mining operations.
On two occasions, the Hightville School and the Wallaroo Mine headframe were condemned because of termites, and a fire in the winderhouse of the MacGregor shaft
compounded the problems when the winding engine was damaged beyond repair.
An urgent telegram was sent to Earle Huntley at Kundala, telling of the double failure. The answer was prompt "Close wallaroo, transport winder engine to MacGregor, resume production" The Wee MacGreg as considered the plumb' of the field.
The mine had two shafts with three drives of over 6000 feet, providing ore from 3 to 18% copper. Monthly ore receipts of over 200 tons were not uncommon.
In November 1918, the Great war that supported the mineral field throughout it's early prosperous years, came to an end, and the price of copper dropped below production costs.
Two weeks after the signing of the armistice, the Hampden Mining Company smelters were shut down for their annual maintenance, and this closure saw the end of production for the MacGregor mine area.
During the three years of operation (July 1915 to November 1918), the area produced more than 44,000 tons of copper ore.
Well you can see that the township of Hightville was relocated to a new position and called Ballara.
As we will be visiting the Hightville Tunnel and the MacGregor Mine, I will discuss this in the next blog. Hope you are enjoying the history of this area I am finding it very interesting.
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