Scots in Australia---'Joadja Creek'

**1938 Observer** · 30th June 2010, 23:14

This is part of the foreword from Leonie Knapman's book -----

JOADJA CREEK The shale oil town & its people.

1870--1911.
Published by Hale & Iremonger Pty Limited,GPO Box 2552,Sydney,NSW.

National Library of Australia Catalogue Card no. and

ISBN 0 86806 312 6
published 1988
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Joadja Creek and its thriving oil shale industry of 100 years ago is one such chapter. Little remains of this oil mining town in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales to remind us of its contribution to Australia from 1880 to 1900. Joadja Creek was a unique community of miners and their families from Scotland, whose decendants are now spread widely throughout Australia.-.................................................. ....
My wife and I and my daughter visited Joadja Creek on what was its last open day, (back about 1988), there were busloads of visitors (the tourist coaches had to negotiate a very narrow and winding road down into the valley). It turned out to be a fortunate visit for us as the various relatives and decendants of the pioneering families had large marquees set up with a range of photographs and information on the history of the site and the families who had lived and worked there.

There were still some substantial structures remaining, and the outer walls and parts of homes where the miners had dwelt.

Some places had quite an eerie feel, you could almost sense the presence of those early Scottish miners and their families.

The final part of the days outing was quite moving; as the sun was going down over the hills, a lone piper appeared on the hill and played a lament, a touching and fitting end in memory of those who had come out to settle in far off land, and a tribute to their hardiness in coping with extremes of climate and building a town from virgin bush.

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Here is a link to some of the Scottish families-----you may recognise someone
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From Joadja Creek Births and Family Records 1879-1908
(Compiled by R. N. Russell from raw data supplied by Leonie Knapman*)

http://www.robertnrussell.com/Joadja%20Fathers.html

Further to the above, here are some links to photographs of JOADJA

Joadja Cemetery - Joadja

http://www.hawkesbury.net.au/cemeter.../joac_view.jpg

Road to Joadja
Joadja, near Mittagong, NSW
Joadja has rarely been open to visitors. This is what happened when for one day it was.

www.pbase.com/lambsfeathers/image/25952865

Not quite the actual link,but,when it comes up just go down to bottom of frame and you will see previous/next just click on those and you should see a range of photographs.

**1938 Observer** · 30th June 2010, 23:21

The above story possibly reflects the skills and training many of those pioneering Scots received in their old homeland.......you can read about that in one article entitled Welcome to the "Shale Villages" Project.
which is the "Vanished Scotland" thread.

**Dian Montgomerie** · 6th October 2011, 02:07

I visited Joadja Creek several years ago when we were living in Australia and took several photographs. It was a haunting place. I have the book, which is now not available, but, with the renewed interest in obtaining oil from shale, it should be reprinted. The list of miners probably includes one of my ancestors: William Montgomerie from Kilwinning. I asked about the name when I was there but do not think I had the added place name. I was unable to add any information for Leonie Chapman's files. William and his wife Mary are buried in Joadja cemetery but nothing is known about them as people. It is a fascinating story!