| 1820 | James Blackman jnr. explored route from Bathurst to the Cudgegong River and present site of Rylstone. |
| 1822 | James Blackman jnr and William 'Ironbark' Lawson trace route from Wallerawang to the Cudgegong near (later) Dabee village. |
| 1800s | Squatters arrive in Rylstone area, shepherds and stock camped on banks of the river, traders then came, Rylstone was formed. They came up through the Capertee (Capitee) Valley and Glen Alice. Large areas of land squatted by Richard Fitzgerald (Dabee), Mrs. (Gov. Lachlan) Macquarie (Windmill Hill), and Edward Cox (Rawdon on north side of Cudgegong River) |
| 1823 | Aboriginal name of area Combamolang |
| 1824 | Soldiers rounded up all Aboriginals living in the valley and took them to Capertee Valley, where they shot them. (Healing the Land, p.61 by J.Monticone) |
| 1827 | Captain William John Dumaresq, on his journey to Bathurst described Dabee (Daby) as an extensive plain for many miles of the richest soil, without a tree. The Cudgegong River runs through the middle of the plain. Beyond Dabee, the next station on the road to the Hunter's River is Bylong (Pylong) on the banks of the creek that runs into the Goulburn River. |
| 1828 | Combamolang spelt as Combimelong |
| 1830s | Rail line surveyed through Capertee, Glen Alice, Dunville Loop, over the range to Olinda, down flats to Rylstone, then to Mudgee. Route not used. |
| 1849 | Combimelong changed to Coombermelon |
| 1852 | John Lloyd arrives at Dabee on October 17 |
| 1855 | Coomber Melon's first recorded land sale - Mr. John Lloyd snr. bought 32 hectares (80 acres) of land at the first ever land sale held in the district. |
| 1860s | Free selection allowed farmers to secure land - sheep, cattle, dairying, wheat, corn and veges etc. came |
| 1870s | Five families in the area, Mr. John Kable, Mr. John Lloyd, John & Joseph Donoghue, Thomas Russell, Mr. Mullens. |
| 1872 | John Lloyd sets up school in slab building, 23 children, 10 cents ea. |
| 1874 | Coombermelon now Coomber Melon |
| 1874 Nov 1 | John Lloyd's Coomber Provincial School approved. |
| 1874 | Rail route Wallerawang Gwabegar Branch rail line explored. pass north of Pipers Flat, over Cherry Tree Hill, within a mile of Keenan's Swamp at Ilford, through Aarons Pass, then following the general route taken by road to Mudgee. |
| 1876 | Another rail survey to reduce grades and earthworks. Rylstone may miss out. Rouse, Buchanan and Hurley, MPs, pressed for a decision in favour of new route, coming behind Ilford and through Rylstone. |
| 1882 | Two rail tenders, one to Capertee and one to Mudgee. Captertee section completed in 1882. |
| 1884 | Stage two of the railway went through Coomber Melon Mountain area to Rylstone, opened 9th January,1884. Mr. James Angus contractor. |
| 1884 | Mr. R. Highfield completed new rubble stone school building. It was used until 1924 when present residence for the Primary School headmaster was built as a school. |
| 1888 | Gov. sets an area apart as a camping ground on December 15. Mostly because of the new school, established since 1872, surrounding farms and the rail gave promise of a village forming. (Kandos) |
| 1910 | Coal first mined by Mr. W. McKay of Rylstone at Coomber Mountain. |
| 1910 | Marble Mining by Harold Clarendon Rylstone Jackson of Rylstone out towards Carwell Creek. Marble railed to Sydney and used for facing many city buildings. |
| 1912 | Limestone lease to A. Holland |
| 1912 April 25 | Albert Andrew Holland, son of George Albert Holland, owner of the Globe Hotel in Rylstone, granted first mining lease for limestone, taking it over from Harold Jackson, who used to mine marble. |
| 1912 September | Cement Works envisaged.
Mr. Frank Oakden, General Manager of Melburn Lime and Cement Co in New Zealand since its inception 26/7/1888 appointed by government to assess Rylstone-Clandulla site for cement manufacture. Deposits of material the best in the state. |
| 1912 October | Honourable King O'Malley, Minister for Home Affairs advised sending an officer from the Commonwealth Department with a view to utilising Rylstone district cement for Federal purposes.
It is safe to say, during the year prior to the outbreak of the war, the local market value of German cement sold in Australia was approximately $500,000 (250,000 pounds). This competition was entirely eliminated with the establishment of the Kandos cement company.’
from History of Kandos By BA Fleming
In the Prospectus issued by the Company, Dr. R. Logan Janicke, LLD M Inst. M.M. the well known Geological and Mining authority, calculates the life of the Company's Limestone Quarries at over 120 years, and of the coal in one seam (there being two other seams above the existing tunnel) at over 250 years.
In addition, the surrounding belt of country is known to contain extensive deposits of valuable minerals, and this fact, together with a large available supply of cheap coal, bids fair to make the district one of the most important manufacturing centres in Australia.
The Mudgee line is well known for its large business enterprises among which may be mentioned the following:-
Commonwealth Cement Company's Works at Portland
Goodlet & Smith's (Cement Makers of Granville) Quarries at Excelsior
Coal Mines at Cullen Bullen
Coal Mines at Ben Bullen
Commonwealth Shale & Oil Company's mines at Torbane
Freezing Works at Rylstone
Cheese Factory at Bylong
Lithgow Commonwealth Small Arms Factory
Hosking Iron Works
Glen Davis Shale Works |
| 1912 November | Messrs. Holland and McDonald brought Dr. Janicke, one of Krupp's Directors, to view coal mining and mineral development possibilities. Mr. Holland was an active promoter of mining in the district.
Mr. Holland applied for a lease of 277 hectares on Coomber Coal Mine to mine for coal over 20 years.
Mr. J. Erle Herrman, the original leasee, objected via Mr. G. Hammond Hassey. The Crown terminated Mr. Herrman's lease, because of nonfulfilment of labour conditions stipulated by the Mineral Lease and the Mining Act. They notified in the Government Gazette the lease ceased on 11/11 at 11am. (note the irony of the time [Remembrance Day is 11/11])
from History of Kandos by BA Fleming
Mr. Holland pegged out the lease in his name on 11/11 at 11am and was therefore entitled to the lease. He was granted the lease for 20 years.
Mr. Holland then sought leases 43, 304 and 1008 in the Parish of Wells, which were held for the purpose of procuring limestone. He applied for suspension of labour conditions.
Mr. Colin Edward Douglas Rogers, financier of Sydney, (and others) held an option over the leases in question. They had sent 1.3 tonnes of material to Krupp Ltd. in Germany. Dr. R. Logan Janicke was completing the report on the area. They also held options on the coal lease that Holland had just won. They needed 6 months to get their affairs in order. The warden awarded that suspension be granted from that day.
Albert Holland continued to acquire leases for mining purposes over 1912 and 1913. |
| 1913 May | NSW Cement Lime & Coal Co Ltd registered |
| 1913 | Land purchased for works and town |
| 1913 February 20 | coal leases taken up by the NSW Cement, Lime and Coal Co. Ltd.
Mr. DJ Davies appointed Colliery Manager. |
| 1913 | NSW Cement, Lime and Coal Co Ltd registered as a public company.
Chairman James Angus, GM Frank Oakden, Directors EH Buchanan, LJ Davids, CA Jacques, GRW McDonald MLA, and CED Rogers. Secretary CC Campbell. New Zealander Vilhelm Albert Langevad, Civil Engineer at the Adelaide Tramway Institute, a friend of Frank Oakden laid out and established a cement works.
'C' CC Campbell, Secretary
'A' J.Angus, Chairman of the Board
'N' AT Noyes, Construction Engineer of Noyes Bros.
'D' GRW McDonald, MLA, Director
'O' F.Oakden, General Manager
'S' AC Stephen, of Stephen, Jaques & Stephen, Solicitors
This name thought up by the daughter of James Angus.(What happened to Holland?)
A horse and single furrow plough were used to mark out the location of each of the proposed streets. A fire was lit at the end of each street under the mountain so the horse and plough could be lined up to go in the right direction. |
