Old Sydney Town:
tower mill
:
- Replica mill, in a now closed historical theme park
When the theme park was open, the mill was workable, producing flour which was made into bread by the village baker.
A note from the property owners at the beginning of 2009 reported that the internals of the mill are still in good condition,
however, the sails have been removed and the tail is evidently well past its use by date.
The owners are apparently keen to see that the mill is preserved in the long run either in situ or elsewhere.
Built in the 1820's with convict labour, this is a significant historical building on many levels.
Converted to a signal station in 1861.
Signboard
says:
Brisbane City Council - The Old Windmill
The Old Windmill later referred to as The Observatory, was built by convict labour in 1829.
It is one of the oldest buildings existent in Brisbane at the present time.
Built to act as a windmill it was fitted with heavy sails but, due to a mechanical defect the sails did not
operate so convicts were used to grind the maize meal of the settlement by means of a treadmill.
The treadmill was erected outside the walls of the tower a shaft connecting it with the cog wheels that
turned the millstones in the tower. The treadmill was used from 1829 to 1937 when Andrew Petrie arrived as
foreman of works and effected the necessary repairs to the windmill.
In 1841 it was the scene of the execution of two aboriginal murderers, the projecting arms of the windmill
being used as a gallows.
In 1855 the old windmill was the location of Brisbane's first museum either in the tower on in rooms of the
signal station that was attached to it and in 1864 it came into use by the Govenment as a signal station.
The tower was also used as a lookout by the fire brigade.
A flagstaff was erected on the summit and once a month the Red Ensign was flown announcing the arrival of
overseas steamers at any of the adjoining colonies with the English mails when advised by telgraph.
After federation, it was taken over by the Commonwealth Government as an observatory. It was never used as
such but for many years the time ball at the summit of the tower was dropped by electrical means regularly
every day at one o'clock.
In 1922 the land on which it stands was vested in the Brisbane City Council.
An experimental television station was established in the windmill in 1935 bt Dr Val McDowall and Thomas M B Elliott.
The first actual television broadcast in Queensland was broadcast from this tower.
Preserved as a memorial of the pioneering days of South Australia
This windmill was built by F R Nixon in 1842
who sold it to Walter Paterson in 1844. It was
worked by him until 1853, when it was sold to
F W Wittwer. It ceased operations in 1864
and was donated to the public in 1928 by
A E Braendler.
Tablet presented by Walter Paterson's grandchildren
A stone Mill built by Porter Helmore in 1851 on sandhills near the Inman River.
The machinery and cogs were made of wood. It was wrecked by a cyclone and closed down in 1853.
The shell of the Old Mill still stands and is one of the few remaining old wind mills in South Australia.
Porter Helmore built the mill on sand hills near the Inman River.
The machinery, cogs etc were made of wood. Wrecked by cyclone and closed down in 1853.
It was the first mill in the south. Farmers used to camp in the paddocks waiting for a breeze.
Police survey of 1854 revealed one steam and one wind mill at Encounter Bay.
This and Mount Barker Mill are the only wind mills currently known in South Australia.
From the Western Australian Register of Heritage Places:
The Old Mill and Cottage are situated on an historic landmark on the South Perth Foreshore of the Swan River.
The windmill was built in 1837 over a foundation stone laid by Governor
Stirling in 1835. Poorly sited and inefficient, it ceased to operate in 1859. In 1959
it was restored and made complete with parts from Chapman's Mill, Wonnerup.
The buildings are now used as a public museum for relics from the State's early
history.
Big Windmill Motor Lodge:
smock mill
:
- houses the motel restaurant
Construction started in 1972, but paused in 1974 when Mr De Keever, architect and owner of the motel, fell to his death whilst
building the mill. Work started again in 1977, and officially opened in 1982.
On behalf of the Dutch settlers of Penguin on the first day of October 1988 as a gift in the Australian Bicentennial Year.
The Mill is dedicated to the memory of Janneti Tjaers who was the wife of Abel Tasman.
Signboard
says:
This windmill is a Bicentennial Gift from the Dutch community to the people of Penguin in appreciation of the
warm welcome extended to those migrants who settled here. 2 January 1988.
From the Heritage Council of Western Australia listing:
A wooden windmill about 20m high having a very authentic appearance.
It is set amongst a large number of trees. It was built by a Dutch coach maker as a residence in 1970,
although it was always intended it would be the focus of a business. It is still used as a residence and is
the focus of a plant nursery, one of the first modern nurseries in the Jandakot area.
SIR W. DENISON'S VISIT TO NORFOLK ISLAND
...
One of the watercourses which discharges itself at the settlement has been dammed up for the purpose of forming a millpond; and a water-mill has been erected with all the machinery required to grind corn. A windmill also has been erected on a point of land near the sea, where it has the full benefit of the breeze; so that in case of accident to the dam or to the machinery to the watermill, or to a failure of the water in the dry season, the means of preparing flour from grain would be still available.
A photo of Russell Grimwade's country property Westerfield, at Baxter, dated 18/1/1925 shows
a tall "Dutch" windmill shaped structure, which was apparently used to generate electricity
which was stored in batteries held in the base of the mill.
Information provided by Anne Doughty, Luna Park Historian/Librarian, Feb 2009.
In 1935 the mock Windmill was an original feature at Luna Park, where initially ice creams were sold.
Later this was changed to a Chip Bar.
I have a copy of the Autumn 1984 issue of "This Australia" magazine but note that the photo on the cover was not taken in 1984.
The photo was most likely taken approx in the mid 1970's before the Ghost Train Fire.
Luna Park closed the day after the Ghost Train Fire on 9 June 1979 and the site remained vacant for some time.
An auction was held on site on 31 May - 1 June 1981 and photos taken at this time show the windmill still standing.
However on 3 June 1981 new operators entered the site and dismantled and removed many of the old attractions.
I think that the windmill was most likely demolished at this stage.
(I do not know whether any parts of this was salvaged or not).
New building work began soon after and the park reopened on 29 April 1982.
Photos of the whole park I have seen dated early April 1982 show that the windmill is no longer on site.
It was not until 1994 when the NSW Govt undertook a major refurbishment at Luna Park that the lighthouse was
installed on the site. It was placed in the same positon that the windmill had been to attract attention to the
point where the axis of the Midway shifted.
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