| Site Name: | Corrimal Coke Works |
| Address: | Railway Street Corrimal |
| GPS Coordinates: | H 307281 E 6194234 HSL 14.0 Metres |
| Site Access: | Plant closed. Site not accessible |
(Courtesy Daryl Jones, www.ozaerial.com.au)
A First for the Illawarra
In 1902 the Southern Coal Company, operators of the Corrimal colliery, changed their company name to Corrimal-Balgownie Collieries Ltd. In 1911 the Company commenced the construction of the Corrimal Coke Works plant, consisting of 40 very modern beehive ovens.The plant was opened in 1912 following the closure of the Australian Coke Making Plant at Unanderra in 1912. These ovens were the first in Illawarra to recover waste heat gas from the ovens to supply a power generating plant. The 400 kW capacity of the power plant was arranged to supply 250 kW to the colliery and 150 kW to the Coke Plant.
Early Street Lighting and Plant Upgrade
In the period 1918 to the 1960s the plant provided the power for over 400 street lamps by arrangement with the North Illawarra Local Government Council. In 1930 an additional eight ovens were added, and in 1932 a 1000kW turbo alternator and steam boiler plant was installed.
New Ovens and Power Plant
In 1959 construction commenced on a completely new Coke Ovens battery (C2) comprising 32 ovens of similar type to the original C1 ovens but with a 50% increase in capacity, adjacent to C1. The C2 battery of ovens was commissioned in 1962. The batteries were fed from Corrimal Colliery via a coal preparation plant, the coal being delivered on a private rail line.
In 1960 a Bellis and Morcom 2000kw turbo alternator along with two Thompson steam boilers was installed in a new and enlarged power house building. Other modification to the plant at that time included steel storage bins.
Australian Iron & Steel
In 1964 Australian Iron and Steel purchased both the Corrimal Colliery and Coke Plant. In 1967 the power house generating equipment and associated plant was put up for sale and ceased operations in 1968 with the boilers and stack removed. AIS continued to operate the coke plant until 1969 when it was sold to the Bellambi Coal and Coke Company…
Bellambi Coal & Coke
Throughout the 1970s the Bellambi Coal and Coke Company expended large sums of money on the installation of pollution reduction equipment that included amongst other features smokeless oven charging.
In 1980 the Bellambi Coal and Coke Company was taken over by the Australian Coal and Coke Company. In 1984 the Illawarra Coke Ltd. a subsidiary of the Kembla Coal and Coke Company, and owners of the Coacliff Coke works purchased the Corrimal plant. Modifications were made at the plant and these included the replacement of the brick stack on the original (C1) battery with a metal stack.
Joining with Coalcliff Cokeworks
In 1996 both the Corrimal and Coalcliff coke plants were purchased by the ICC Holdings Pty Ltd Company from the Illawarra Coke Company Ltd, the owner operators of both these plants. Major modifications were made directed towards addressing environmental and improvements in operational efficiencies.
(Courtesy of the Mineral Heritage Committee Collection)
(Courtesy of the Mineral Heritage Committee Collection)
One Million Tonnes to Overseas
In June 2010 a major milestone was reached when the one millionth tonne of coke was delivered to an overseas customer by the Company. Sadly the Corrimal Coke Plant closed in 2014, following the closure of the Coalcliff plant in 2013, after operational lives of one hundred years and ninety nine years respectively.
TIMELINE
A Timeline – Corrimal Cokeworks Plant
1888
Southern Coal Company (SCC) opens Aust. Coke Making Co. plant at Unanderra
1902a
Corrimal Balgownie Company formed by joining the Corrimal Colliery & the SCC
1914b
SCC closes Aust. Coke Making Co. plant at Unanderra
1912
40 waste heat recovery Ovens (C1) erected, with power generation plant.
1918
Electricity supplied to Nth Illawarra Council for street lighting
1932
1000 Kw Turboalternator & steam boiler installed
1975 (Nov)
Second battery of 32 Ovens (C2) erected, having 50% increased capacity over C1
1960
2000 Kw Turbo Alternator & steam boilers installed, product bin modifications
1964
Australian Iron & Steel (AIS) purchases Corrimal Colliery and Cokeworks
1968
Electric power generation plant shut down and sold
1969
Cokeworks plant purchased by the Bellambi Coal & Coke Company (BCCC)
1970+
Pollution reduction and smokeless oven charging plant installed
1980
Plant taken over from BCCC by the Australian Coal & Coke Company (ACCC).
1984
Illawarra Coke Co. a subsidiary of Kembla Coal and Coke (KCC) purchases the plant.
1996a
Both Corrimal and Coalcliff plants purchased by ICC Holdings Pty. Ltd
1996b
Major improvements to both plants in both environmental and operational areas.
2010
The one millionth tonne of coke delivered to an overseas customer
2013
Coalcliff plant closes after 98 years of service.
2014
Corrimal plant closes.
Source
Wollongong University Archives: D275 Illawarra Coke Company (11032015).