Book explores our mining past

Barry McGowan

UNSW Press

THIS book seems somewhat timely, with many of us captivated by recent mining disasters, brought into our homes courtesy of the media. First it was Beaconsfield, then Chile, and the Pike River mine collapse in New Zealand, where 29 miners perished.

But today’s mines are very different from those that were cut into the country over a century ago. Back then “... the environmental consequences of mining were rarely considered...the prospect of immediate and outrageous wealth was paramount.”

Dust and Dreams is a historical account of the mining communities in southeast NSW. It traces the gold, silver, lead and copper rushes that occurred across the region, and looks at the movement of the miners through areas such as Braidwood, the Southern Tablelands, Captains Flat, Cowra, and the Brindabella region.

But this book doesn’t focus on the mining industry per se. This book is instead about people, looking closely at the town, camps and societies that developed around and because of the mines. The book delves into the social structure of the communities, peeling away at the social fabric of the day.

Written by a historian and heritage “consultant” specialising in mining history and heritage, the book also looks at the history and heritage of the Chinese people in Australia in some detail- a topic that goes hand in hand with that of the early miners.

The importance that the mining industry has played and continues to play in the formation of Australia’s culture and wealth is multilayered, and this book brings a local flavour to its investigation. It considers closely, the various townships that depended upon the success of the mines and also documents their decline.

Historians are like detectives, and McGowan turns his investigation into rich reflections from the former gold, silver, copper and lead mining communities that once existed across our region. It is an interesting read - particularly given that we live amongst the legacy of these early settlers.