Raffan's Mill and Brick Bottle Kilns facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Raffan's Mill and Brick Bottle Kilns |
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Remains of 19th century Raffan's Mill
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| Location | Carlton Road, Portland, City of Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia |
| Built | 1884–1895 |
| Owner | Boral Limited |
| Official name: Raffan's Mill and Brick Bottle Kilns Precinct; Portland Cement Works Site; Williwa Street Portland; | |
| Type | State heritage (complex / group) |
| Designated | 3 August 2012 |
| Reference no. | 1738 |
| Type | Kiln Lime |
| Category | Manufacturing and Processing |
| Builders | George Raffan and Alexander Currie |
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Raffan's Mill and Brick Bottle Kilns are old buildings and structures in Portland, New South Wales, Australia. They were built between 1884 and 1895 by George Raffan and Alexander Currie. This site is very important because it shows how the cement industry started in Australia. Today, it is protected as a heritage site. It is owned by Boral Limited.
Contents
Exploring the History of Raffan's Mill
Aboriginal Connections to the Land
Aboriginal people have lived in the Blue Mountains area for at least 12,000 years. The land around Portland was home to the Wiradjuri people. Early European settlers arrived after 1813. They sometimes met with Aboriginal people.
Jack Reed, who grew up in Portland in the 1930s, remembered hunting with two Aboriginal men. They often visited rock engravings. These men hunted with spears and boomerangs. They sometimes camped near the Portland Golf Course dam. Groups of Aboriginal people also held special gatherings called corroborees for the town's people.
There are 19 known Aboriginal sites near Portland. These include rock shelters and places with old stone tools. No Aboriginal sites have been found directly at the Portland Cement Works.
How Cement Making Began in Australia
In 1824, "Portland Cement" was invented in England. It was named after a pale grey rock. This type of cement is made by heating limestone and clay or shale to very high temperatures. The heated mix, called clinker, is then ground into cement. Portland Cement was a much better building material.
The first experiments with Portland Cement in New South Wales happened in 1884. This was at the Portland site by the Cullen Bullen Lime & Cement Company. In 1863, Thomas Murray first used the Portland site to get lime. Later, in the 1880s, Alexander Currie and George Raffan bought the land. They formed the Cullen Bullen Lime & Marble Works.
By 1889, their company became the Cullen Bullen Lime & Cement Company. They started making Portland cement called "Kangaroo" brand. The cement quality varied, and production stopped in 1895. The only parts left from this time are two bottle kilns and the old brick building known as 'Raffan's Mill'.
After the company failed, George Raffan and his brother John took over. They opened the Ivanhoe Lime and Cement Works & Colliery. This also failed in 1898. In 1899, Dr. August Scheidel bought the land. He was a very important person in Australia's modern cement industry. He built a new, successful cement plant.
The early cement plants used eight bottle-shaped kilns. These kilns were hand-packed with limestone, shale, and wood. They were fired at high temperatures. The resulting clinker was then ground into cement. Two of these old bottle kilns and Raffan's Mill still stand today. They show how the cement industry began in New South Wales.
Key Moments in the Site's History
- 12,000 BC onwards: Aboriginal people lived in this region.
- 1863: Thomas Murray started using the site for lime production.
- 1882: Alexander Currie and George Raffan became owners of the land.
- 1889-1895: The Cullen Bullen Lime & Cement Company made "Kangaroo" brand cement. Raffan's Mill and the two bottle kilns were built during this time.
- 1895: The Cullen Bullen Lime & Cement Company closed. George and John Raffan took over.
- 1899: Dr. August Scheidel bought the site. He helped build a new, successful cement plant.
- 1900: The Commonwealth Portland Cement Company (CPCC) was formed. New works began.
- 1902-1991: The site was a very successful lime and cement production plant.
- 1992: Boral took over Blue Circle Southern Cement.
- 1998: Boral closed the limestone quarries. They started taking apart the plant.
What Raffan's Mill and Kilns Look Like
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There are two brick Bottle Kilns left today. They were built around 1889. These kilns are very rare. They are about 14 meters (46 feet) tall and 5 meters (16 feet) wide. They are made of bricks with metal bands to hold them together.
Close to the kilns is 'Raffan's Mill', also built around 1889. This is a small, old brick building. It still has its original grinding machinery inside. The mill is about 15.5 meters (51 feet) long and 12.7 meters (42 feet) wide. Its walls are thick brick.
Inside the mill, you can see large wooden gear wheels. These wheels powered four grinding mills. The mills used large granite stones to grind the cement clinker. This machinery was connected to a steam engine, which is no longer there.
These buildings and machines are important historical reminders. They show the very beginning of the cement industry in New South Wales.
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Condition of the Historic Site
The grinding machinery in Raffan's Mill is in good shape. However, it is exposed to the weather. The wooden gears need protection from the elements.
Both brick bottle kilns show signs of age and weather. One kiln is in good condition. The other has lost some bricks from its top. Cracks are visible, and small plants are growing from the upper parts.
Even though some parts of the original complex are gone, the mill and kilns are still mostly complete. Their connection to each other and the surrounding area is clear. To protect them, plants growing on them should be removed.
Why Raffan's Mill is a Heritage Site
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Raffan's Mill and Brick Bottle Kilns are very important to New South Wales' history. They are rare examples of a 19th-century lime and cement factory. Their story is linked to the start of Portland town. They also show the beginning of a century of cement production there.
The site was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on August 3, 2012.
Showing History and Progress
Raffan's Mill and the Brick Bottle Kilns are important because they show the first commercial production of Portland cement. The early companies here helped the town of Portland grow.
Connections to Important People
The site is important locally because of its links to George and John Raffan. They were early leaders in making Portland Cement in New South Wales.
Unique Design and Technical Skill
The two bottle-shaped brick kilns are special because of their unique look. They are great examples of 19th-century kilns. They are also a picturesque reminder of the first attempts to bring the cement industry to the town.
Learning from the Past
Raffan's Mill and Brick Bottle Kilns are important for their technical value. They are rare examples of old lime and cement production methods. Studying them through archaeology could teach us more about the early cement industry.
Rare and Special Features
The two Bottle Kilns and Raffan's Mill are extremely rare. They are still standing and show 19th-century industrial technology. It is unusual to find such an old industrial site that clearly shows how it used raw materials from the land. The mill machinery still has wooden pegs as teeth in its wheels, which is also very rare.
This site is even more special because the Portland Cement Works continued to operate nearby for many years. This shows the link between the old and new ways of making cement.
A Great Example of Industrial History
Raffan's Mill and the Bottle Brick Kilns are excellent examples of 19th-century lime and cement making. They are important reminders of an industry that helped a rural town grow. They also paved the way for a much larger cement factory that ran for most of the 20th century.
