Kerles Siding

[admin]

Type : Siding
Line : North Coast Line
Distance from Sydney : 381.00km (approx)
Opened : 1st November 1915
Closed : 23 September 1947
Status : Closed
Name meaning : After the name of the company that operated the quarry
Notes: A siding that served the limestone quarry, the quarry is now a lake. Urban legend holds that the quarry rapidly flooded and that there is machiner still at the bottom. There's no historical evidence that such an event occurred. The lake is, however, populated by very large eels (though not perhaps big enough to take a human as another Taree urban legend claims). For many years the lake was used for swimming, however this no long occurs.

[admin]

Rock stamper at the quarry, circa 1921

[admin]

THE CHATHAM LIMESTONE INDUSTRY.
During an interview with Mr.H.W.Kerle, at the Chatham limestone quarries on Thursday last, our representative elicited a good deal of interesting information regarding the development of the industry. Operations were commenced at Chatham in May 1905 and up to the present 25.000 tons of stone have been shipped to Newcastle. Forty-five loads were shipped by the Kincumber and Corra Lynn during the four months ending 30 April last - 12 being shipped in January, 12 in February, 9 in March, and 12 in April —representing a total output of 6,645 tons of stone for the four months. At present 25 men are employed on the works, and on an average 75 tons are taken out daily.
The rates of pay vary from 6/6 to 11/- per day, and average 1 /- a day better than those given in the Lithgow district. Night work is paid for at overtime rates. All the local labour available is employed. The stone taken from this quarry is of a better quality than that to be got up the river — being 97.25 per cent of pure lime. The depth of the quarry is now 75 feet, and in order to cope with the soakage of water therein, Mr. Kerle has purchased a Worthington pump of 7600 gallons per hour capacity. This pump will be placed on the works ln a few days.
Mr. Kerle informed our representative that an immense quantity of stone could be got at the Woolla, but the cost of haulage would be prohibitive, as the stone has to he worked at a very low cost to compete with other districts. The land where Mr. Kerle is operating had been passed over on two occasions previous to his commencing work, those who inspected it thinking that the deposit consisted only of "floating'" boulders.
The stone was found by Mr. Kerle to be solid at a depth of 40ft. Speaking of the proposed deviation, Mr. Kerle pointed out the road which he proposes to make in lieu of the one now in use. Levels have already been taken, and show that the grade on the present road is about 4ft. steeper than on the proposed road, though the latter 1.5 chains longer. Mr. Kerle intends placing a plan and sections of the present road and the deviation before the Shire Council, to prove that the deviation is a better grade. In estimating that 200,000 tons of stone can be got beneath the road by going to a depth of 80 feet, the fact has to be taken into consideration that one-third of this being mullock, goes to waste, and would require to be deposited on Mrs. Wells' property.
The stone under the road would therefore be of little use to anyone else, as there is no land available for the disposal of the mullock. Some twenty holes have been sunk on the northern side of the property, and at each one the limestone has been found to be less than 2 feet from the surface — covering an area of about 3 acres of proved ground. In reference to the deposit of limestone at Wingham, which was worked for some time, Mr. Kerle said that the cartage of the stone was the drawback, and a trouble that would very soon be apparent as far as the roads were concerned, as the stone had to be carted some distance to the wharf on the Government road. Since beguiling work at Chatham 11,658 trucks, carrying approximately 2.5 tons each, have been dispatched from the quarry to the wharf on the tramline. Had the haulage been carried on upon the roads, they would probably not be in the excellent state of repair they are now. Should the work progress favourably, Mr. Kerle proposes to build lime-kilns and burn all the small stone taken from the quarry, so that local demands maybe supplied.
If the deviation in the road, at present receiving the consideration of the Shire Council, be granted, the alterations to be made will cost fully £200. The Manning River Limestone and S.S. Co. have decided to purchase a vessel of 250 tons capacity and place her in the trade instead of the Kincumber. The new boat will have accommodation for about 20 passengers, with a speed of about 10 knots. It will be seen, therefore, that not only has the industry given employment to a large number of men, but has also been the means of bringing an extra steamer to the river, and opening up a rapidly increasing trade with Newcastle, with consequent benefit to the district. The value of the property from which the stone is taken has been increased many times over.
Some doubt now exists as to whether the Shire Council has power to grant the deviation in the road asked for by Mr. Kerle. Although the road must be maintained by the Council, it is classed as a " national" work, with supervision by the Government officer.