Lake Macquarie History

Mining Memorial Charlestown

December 1972 marked the completion of the Rotary Park sculpture commemorating the mining venture that led to the early settlement of Charlestown. The sculpture, at the intersection of the Pacific Highway and Dudley Road turn-off, was designed and sculpted by Charlestown resident, Peter Boyd.

photo: charlestown mining memorial

The work, carried out over several months, involved two Forty four gallon drums of clay, the final sculpture cast in dark and light marble from the original clay mould. Having worked as a miner all his life, Mr Tom Boyd, Peters father, proved a suitable model for the sculpture which captures the back breaking work involved in working at the coalface.The sculptured figure of a miner bears a remarkable likeness to Mr. Tom Boyd. The sculpted figure of a miner butts up against a three-metre tall shaft headframe wheel, rescued from the Raspberry Gully coalmine site. The plaque beside the sculpture reads, "Dedicated to the coal mining pioneers who in the year 1873 started the first mining venture which led to the formation of Charlestown in 1876. The poppet head was salvaged from the last remains of the Waratah Colliery which was situated in Raspberry Gully from 1873 - 1961."

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