
Photo: Wonthaggi Historical Society
THE view of white-capped breakers rolling to the shore at Kilcunda is one of Bass Coast’s most iconic coastal scenes. That view has had a hold on me since I was a child in the back seat of the family car, returning from trips to Melbourne.
The great pile of grey rubble on the left in the foreground was always there too. From early on I knew that unnatural hill was a mullock heap, waste from an old coal mine, but what did that mean? What was it doing there?
I never thought to have a closer look until recently while stopped for roadworks outside Kilcunda I noticed the sign marked ‘Mitchell Mine Historic Reserve’. I made a quick turn left and parked at the top of the hill near the rail trail.
A faded interpretive sign outside the fence showed a plan of ‘Mitchell’s Black Coal Mine’ including the mine shaft, brace and railway siding where coal was loaded for transport to Melbourne from 1913.
I walked over to where remnants of concrete foundations and rusty relics of the old boilers lay neglected among thorny weeds. Weather-worn, green 1990s-style post-and-rail signs showed the location of the former chimney anchor block, compressor wheel, winch house and chimney stack, and the mine office site where managers had enjoyed a fine view of Bass Strait.
Coal was found on cliffs east of Shelley Beach at Kilcunda in 1865. The Cape Paterson coalfields, the first and only commercial coal mines in the fledgling Colony of Victoria, had recently closed and the government needed another local source of coal to reduce dependence on expensive NSW coal.
A £1000 reward had enticed private companies to invest in the Cape Paterson coalfields so in 1870, the government offered £5,000 for delivery of the first 5,000 tons of coal to Melbourne. The Western Port Coal Company commenced mining at Kilcunda soon after.

By 1874 the Western Port Coal Company had three shafts in operation but with £27,000 already spent, including an overdraft of £12,000 which had to be repaid, it was necessary to raise more capital.
Early the following year, the principal proprietors Messrs. Latham and Watson prepared a prospectus, chartered the steamer Williams and invited potential investors to personally inspect the mine. The visit was reported in the Age newspaper, 23 April 1875 and prints of three wood engravings that illustrated the journey were published by Ebenezer and David Syme on 17 May 1875.
The company’s prospectus listed sales, expenses and assets including the mine, jetty, tramway, weighbridges, offices, smithies, carpenter’s shops, miners’ huts, stables, trucks, horses and drays. The coal taken out was said to be compact, of well-defined texture and of good quality and firms using the coal attested to its excellence as a fuel. The prospectus also highlighted the £5,000 government bonus for delivery of the first 5,000 tons of coal to Melbourne, of which the company had already delivered 2,879 tons.
After the mine had been inspected and the prospectus discussed, the party returned to Griffiths Point, arriving about 5pm. But with the late hour, the tide dropping and the wind on the rise, the Captain decided it unwise to depart and the Williams lay at anchor all night.
The tables were ‘well provided and diligently attended’ and as there were insufficient bunks for everyone, the gentlemen spent the night ‘pleasantly’ by sharing renditions of ‘popular operas and songs of the day’ or playing whist, crib and other games. One of the gentlemen generated much amusement by exploding dynamite under the water.
Upon reaching Sandridge about 3.30 pm the next day, a toast was made to Mr Watson and Mr Latham and prominent Melbournian Mr A. K. Smith praised the prospects of the mine and the resources of the ‘Cape Patterson coal basin’ in general.
It is unclear if the mine inspection raised any capital as three years later mining operations were suspended due to financial difficulties, including non-payment of the £5,000 government bonus. Mining resumed the following year after additional capital was found and the tramway was upgraded with steel rails loaned by the Victorian Railways.
In 1883 the Western Port Coal Company ceased operations having delivered 15,000 tons of coal to Melbourne and despite repeated requests and litigation, the £5,000 government reward was apparently never paid.

Along the narrow path near the steam winch something glistens in the sun. I bend down and lift a sliver of shiny black coal with my fingertips. Coal runs so deep in the story of Bass Coast that you only have to scratch the surface to find it.