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History News | Hunter Valley News

History

News

BHP centenary of steel: Forged by fire  Two careers in steel, decades apart  Its been 24 years since what many consider the unthinkable, actually happened BHP steelworks closed its operations in Newcastle.  Take a look back through the Australian Community Media archives and the photos that are now part of the Hunter's history. In other news:

1914: The other BHP launch, John Darling, seen here in 1914 as the first blast furnace at Newcastle Steelworks was being built.

1915: Newcastle BHP workers open  the No.1 blast furnace on April 9.

1915: Guests at the official opening on June 2, also present were BHP's General Manager G.D Delprat and the Governor General Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson.

1920: Rollers in pulpit controlling Bloom Mill.

1935: Staff at Newcastle's BHP Steelworks. The photo was loaned by Mrs Jan Collins, whose mother, Esme Moodie, is third from the right in the front row.

Men leaving Newcastle BHP steelworks during WWII.

1938: Pouring hot metal into an open hearth furnace. 

1955: BHP head office under water following floods.

Photo taken by Charles Collins who was BHPs photographer and safety officer and were exhibited at the Lake Macquarie Art Gallery. Picture: Courtesy of Lake Macquarie Art Gallery

1982: The Shortland Laboratory where scientists conducted experiments.

2009: James Liddell who worked at BHP for over 40 years. This picture was taken in 1972. Picture: Darren Pateman

Laboratory technician Kerri Evans tests aluminium content.

1999: John O'Donoghue with BHP in the background.

1999: The closure of BHP. Picture: Ryan Osland

1999: Newlyweds Jason and Renae Jenkins at BHP. Picture: Ian Kirkwood

1998: An aerial view of the BHP site before the closure.

October 1, 1999: The front page of the Newcastle Herald marking the paper celebrating 150 years in print.

2002: Renae and Jason Jenkins, pictured three years after the closure of BHP. Picture: Peter Stoop

An aerial image of part of the old BHP site.

2003: A blast furnace comes down. Picture: Darren Pateman

2003: A blast furnace comes down. Picture: Ron Bell

2002: A collapsed building at the demolition site. Picture: Darren Pateman

2004: BHP fifth year reunion, Newcastle former General Manger John Risby in the Conference Room where he was first employed as a trainee. Picture: Ruth Hartmann

2004: An aerial shot of the cleared BHP site. Picture: Stefan Moore

2007: Looking up Selwyn St Mayfield towards BHP. Picture: Ryan Osland

Mayfield BHP site after it was dismantled.

2009: Aerial of the old BHP site at Port Waratah. Picture: Peter Stoop

2009: Ten year reunion of BHP workers at Muster point. Image shows John Rees, David Radcliffe and Rodney Lamb at the Muster Point sculpture. Picture: Darren Pateman

"Muster Point" a sculpture on the former BHP site. Picture: Marina Neil

BHP 1914 A view across the site in May 1914, taken from the blast furnace stoves Portion of No 1 blast furnace is shown on the right.

 BHP 1915 L R Ore Bridges, Blast Furnace, Blower House, Open Hearth and Pig Mill, Soaking Pits and Bloom and Rail Mill at right.  

 BHP 1917 A Panoramic view of the site in 1917.  From left to right No.1 Blast Furnace ,the Open Hearth Building , the Bloom Mill, and the newly commissioned Steel Foundary. 

 BHP 1949 Aerial BHP Steel works Newcastle BHP wharf with ships. 

 BHP a 100 ton ladle of molten steel being lifted from the open hearth furnace casting side by overhead crane  over to a line of ingot moulds 1940. 

 BHP across the Hunter from Stockton, August 16, 1996.

 BHP aerial image of part of the old BHP site 2010.  

BHP Aerial photo of the Hunter River Remediation Project  HRRP  at the former BHP Newcastle Steelworks site 2010.

BHP Aerial photo of the old BHP site at Port Waratah.  August 13, 2009.

 BHP Blast Furnace closed down during coal strike June 1949.

 BHP Blast furnace comes down at BHP 4 10 2003

 BHP Bloom Mill showing steel Bloom in process of rolling. 

BHP collapse of building in demolition site at BHP Newcastle site 2005. 

 BHP controlled collapse of the bos basic oxygen steelmaking building at BHP Newcastle Steelworks  on Saturday June 14, 2003.  

 BHP employees taken as the last shift walked out in on September 30, 1999. 

 BHP final blast furnace demolition December 9,  2003.

 BHP general view of blast furnaces taken during WWII.

 BHP General view of Cold Rolling  Strip Mill January 10, 1942.

BHP installation of the furnace support ring castings on to the base foundation. February 16 1960. 

 BHP James Liddell Image taken in 1972 on a fabricating department workbench.

Last day of work at the BHP Newcastle Steel Works. 1500 workers walk out the main gates for the last time on September 30, 1999. 

 BHP looking up Selwyn St Mayfield towards BHP. April 2l 2007

Mick Kelly and wife NIcki, of Medowie, at the BHP reunion, September 30, 2000. 

BHP MISS AUSTRALIA VISITS BHP  1920 Miss Australia Miss Beryl Mills visits the BHP Newcastle steelworks. 

 BHP Muster Point artwork out the front of BHP. September  27  2000

 BHP Newcastle   Construction of the administration building 1920. 

 BHP Newcastle  guests at opening ceremony luncheon 1915. 

BHP NEWCASTLE 1920 Rollers in pulpit controlling Bloom Mill.

 BHP NEWCASTLE BHP BLOOM MILL SHEARS 1915

 BHP NEWCASTLE BHP BUNDLING FISHPLATES 1920

 BHP NEWCASTLE BHP Pouring hot metal into open hearth furnace September 1938.

<a href="http://www.theherald.com.au/story/3118531/bhp-centenary-of-steel-forged-by-fire/?cs=303" target="_blank">BHP centenary of steel: Forged by fire </a>

<a href="http://www.theherald.com.au/story/3118346/two-careers-in-steel-decades-apart/?cs=305" target="_blank">Two careers in steel, decades apart </a>

Its been 24 years since what many consider the unthinkable, actually happened BHP steelworks closed its operations in Newcastle.

Take a look back through the Australian Community Media archives and the photos that are now part of the Hunter's history.

Video

Simon McCarthy

Muswellbrook drugs bust nets $1.5m worth of cannabis

The teen was refused bail to appear at a children's court on Thursday July 25.

Police seized five sets of car keys that were allegedly stolen.

Teen charged over multiple break-ins, theft of cars in the Hunter Region

Louise Nichols

Chryse Levick (left) with her crew at the Civic Centre hanging 529 artworks ready for opening night this Friday of the 2024 Singleton Art Prize.

Civic Centre transformed for the 2024 Singleton Art Prize - opens Friday night

Peter Dutton and Barnaby Joyce meet with workers at Muswellbrook Steel Supplies yesterday. Pictures by Matthew Kelly

Peter Dutton and Barnaby Joyce sell nuclear in Muswellbrook.

Dutton spruiks Coalition's nuclear vision in visit to Muswellbrook

Dave Hayne in action in the V8 Dirt Modifieds competition. Picture Shaq’s Speedway pics 

Speedway success for rookie V8 Dirt Modifieds competitor Dave Hayne

Richard Marshall in his consulting room at Singleton Heights Medical Practice. Picture Louise Nichols

Singleton's Richard Marshall to retire from general practice in August