UPDATES AND EVENTS
Daylight Saving Hours
Our Sunday Hours have been extended for Daylight Saving, and they are now 10 am - 3 pm from the first weekend of October to the last weekend in March. The clock and our hours go back on the first Sunday in April, 2026
Christmas Raffle
The Christmas Raffle starts on Wednesday, 1st October and will be drawn on Tuesday, 9th December, for our huge Christmas Raffle. We have 4 Big Prizes. We would like to thank our many supporters and members for their donations to this raffle, which offers great prizes for Christmas.
Bunnings Barbeque
Cessnock - Saturday, 18th October.
Come and buy a Sausage Sanga, and say Good Day. You can meet some of our members, check out our membership forms online, and become a member too.
Fundraising 2025 has seen us trying different events and we wish to thank everyone for your support.
Fundraising 2026 planning is underway. So watch this space.
Trivia Night Report
This was a fun night filled with lots of laughter. We have been asked when the next one will be, so that is in 2026 planning. We hope to see you all again.
We wish to thank members of the public who donated wonderful prizes.
Silent Auction – Chateau Elan Hunter Valley.
Ice Box Abermain for sliding a gold Coin to a Bottle - Jim Beam Bourbon
For other Prizes. Bernard Griffin, Sharon Dyson-Smith, Christine
Generous Donation by the Retired Mineworkers' Association
On behalf of the Coalfields Local History Association we would like to thank the RMA State council for its generous donation of $1000. The cheque was presented to our organisation on Friday 14 February 2025 at the Federation building in Aberdare. It was presented to us by District President Darren Watson and District Secretary Daryl Haile. It was accepted on our behalf by Lynette Hamer and President Kim Weller.
The funds will go toward the purchase of glass cabinets to protect some of our valuable display items. The first room to have the cabinets installed will be the Edgeworth David mining room.
FUNDRAISER UPDATE
21 NOVEMBER 2024
Our fundraising has reached $3,811 towards our $5,500.
Special thanks to our Patrons: Clayton Barr, Meryl Swanson, also Brad Brown, Cessnock Labour Party and Bernard Griffin.
Our thanks to Coles, Kurri Kurri and their employers for their support in allowing us to sell our tickets on a regular basis.
We also wish to thank the members of the Public who are supporting our raffles at Coles, Kurri Kurri. We only have a few more Raffles before our Christmas draw on December 17th. The First Prize is a Chiropractic Package valued at over $300 plus $50 Coles vouchers will be awarded to each of the winners of prizes 2 to 5.
LAUNCH OF OUR FUNDRAISER
On Tuesday 11 June 2024, our wonderful Patron, Clayton Barr MP for Cessnock, opened our appeal for funds to update our display cabinets. Our thanks to Clayton for his kind donation and his interest in and support of our efforts.
This photo is courtesy of Clayton.
Bellbird Mine Disaster Centenary
Edited Extract from the Media Release from Coal Services Pty Limited
Friday, 1 September 2023 marked 100 years since the 1923 Hetton Coal Company Ltd Bellbird Mine Disaster (Disaster) that resulted in the death of 21 miners.
This Disaster was the catalyst for the Bill to establish a mines rescue service which was tabled in the NSW Parliament in 1924 and the Mines Rescue Act 1925. The first NSW Mines Rescue station was established at Abermain in 1926.
Coal Services (Mines Rescue) and the Mining and Energy Union (MEU), together with the Coalfields Local Historical Association, hosted an event to commemorate the centenary of the Disaster.
The ceremony took place at 11 am on Friday, 1 September 2023, at the Bellbird Miners Memorial Park (506 Wollombi Road, Bellbird NSW 2325) and was a great success.