HORSEMILLS / HUMAN POWERED MILLS / TIDEMILLS / WATERMILLS - BATTERIES
WATERMILLS - FLOUR / WATERMILLS - SAWMILLS / WATERMILLS - OTHER
WINDMILLS - FLOUR / WINDMILLS - OTHER

WIND - POWERED FLOUR & GRAIN MILLS IN AUSTRALIA

    Corn and other cereal grain mills have been included in this list.
    The sources of the following material are varied but can be provided upon request.

New South Wales / Norfolk Island / Queensland / South Australia
Tasmania / Victoria / Western Australia

# = An image of the mill is available via e-mail.

NEW SOUTH WALES

• AIRDS - Ceres Windmill   Built for John DIGHT [ - 1837] of Richmond by 1833, but evidently initially operated by, and perhaps partly or wholly constructed by his son John, who had trained as a millwright. Upon its completion in 1833 however, advertisements appeared which strongly suggest that a miller was being sought to operate the windmill at Airds. Following the father's death in 1837, the Ceres mill evidently passed to the son John and was sold by him in 1840 so that he could move to Port Phillip where in conjunction with his younger brother Charles Hilton DIGHT, he erected the Ceres watermill on the Yarra River. The Ceres windmill at Airds is presumably the mill operated by Edward Nicholas LARKIN up to circa 1845.
• APPIN    Edward Nicholas LARKIN[also see - Campbelltown]. Edward Nicholas LARKIN built a post mill at Windmill Hill, 1.5 kilometres south of Appin in 1845-6 and operated it for almost 25 years.He had relinquished Dight's Mill at Airds to do so. It appears that James BOCKING, the proprietor of the Campbelltown Steam Mills obtained the grinding rights for this windmill in 1870 but probably never operated it. The mill was unused by 1873. view image
• BATHURST - BLACKDOWN   This brick tower wind mill was the first on the western side of the Great Dividing Range. The owner, Thomas Fitzherbert HAWKINS, his wife and their large family arrived in Sydney as free settlers in January 1822 and by April had received, a 809.4 hectare grant abutting the Macquarie River to the north/east of and immediately opposite to, the fledgling settlement at Bathurst. Thomas, who was the first free settler to receive land in the district was for good measure appointed Commissariat storekeeper. The family took eighteen days to trek from Sydney to Bathurst arriving on the 23rd of April that year. Construction work on the mill evidently started in mid 1823, and the machinery of several tons in weight was transported over the mountains to the site. The mill was equipped with a pair of 122 centimetre French Burr millstones, a dressing machine, and other standard equipment. Workers on the project were probably convicts. In early October 1824 HAWKINS advised that the 'Blackdown Mill' was completed, and that the Proprietor could supply the district with any Quantity of flour, on the shortest notice. Until then the district, as was common in similar settlements throughout Australia, had been relying on steel, hand operated flour gristers. The colony's census/muster of 1828 shows that 43 year old Grantham GIDDY, a convict who was serving a life sentence and had arrived in the colony in 1821 on the 'Minerva', had been assigned to HAWKINS at Bathurst and that he was a miller by profession. There appear to have been new sails and a general refit about 1834. A horsemill also operated on the estate from 1835. The property including both the working mills, was advertised to let in January 1837, as HAWKINS wished to retire. This was partly, it was stated, because of ill-health and his death on the 8th of June that year would certainly support this. By 1840, both the windmill and horse mill were being operated by one Solomon MOCATTA.
• BATHURST    Alexander KINGHORNE junior was the original holder of the 40.47 hectare (100 acre) Mt Edgecombe Allotment which was bounded on the east by the Macquarie River and backed by the White Rock Road. In August 1842 a quarter part of it and the Bathurst Windmill in full work along with a store, office and miller's house were advertised for rent.
• BERRIMA - ATKINSON, James    James ATKINSON had a post mill at 'Oldbury' and advertised for a miller in 1827. In 1830 he applied for a neighbouring block with the proposal to build a watermill. The proposal was accepted so he may have built the mill.There are a number of entries for an 'Oldbury' mill dating to 1871 which may refer to one of these mills.
• BERRIMA - CUTTER, George    George CUTTER, an innkeeper built a windmill on the Mittagong Estate in 1830. When Mrs ROWE the owner of the estate advertised the estate to be let or sold in 1837, it was advised that the windmill was still in full working order.
• BERRY - COOLANGATTA - BERRY, Alexander    A postmill was operated on the "Coolangatta" estate by the late 1830's. The estate was established by 1822 on the northern bank of the Shoalhaven River on the NSW south coast, by Scottish born surgeon, merchant and explorer Alexander BERRY [ - 1873] and his business partner Edward WOLLSTONECRAFT [ - 1832], after Governor Brisbane granted them 4000 hectares and 100 convicts to work the property. BERRY gradually purchased more land and the estate increased in size to more than 16,000 hectares. A township developed there which was originally known as Broughton Creek, but in 1889 was renamed Berry. A windmill is documented in the Shoalhaven district by December 1838 and it seems certain that this was in fact the Coolangatta windmill. In 1833 three horse mills had evidently operated on the estate. A water powered sawmill was also connected with this estate from the early 1830's, possibly as early as 1825. image 1 image 2
• BLAYNEY - "HOLWOOD" - LAMBERT, Robert    There was a "large" post mill on the "Holwood" property, (which still exists in 2005), just across the Belubula River from the present day town of Blayney. The area was originally known as Kings Plains and from 1821 had been a centre for the stockmen responsible for the Government herds. A town site was reserved in 1828, and in 1829 on the 13th of April, Robert LAMBERT took possession of his 1,037.8 hectare grant. Prominent millwright Alexander KINGHORNE (junior) was evidently involved in the construction of the mill. At the time of his marriage at Bathurst to LAMBERT's daughter Jane in December 1834, KINGHORNE listed his residence as King's Plains. The mill was operational in 1835, and cost $1000 dollars to construct. LAMBERT invested heavily in his "Holwood" property, and by 1844 it featured not only the postmill, but an eleven room stone house, stable, barn & tobacco shed, laundry, kitchen, back door dairy, men's huts, tenants' cottage, sheep station [shearing shed?], mill house, smithy, saw-pit, limekiln, stockyard, garden and an enclosed paddock under cultivation. The then well known inn "The Traveller's Rest" also formed part of the estate and was available for let either separately, or combined with the balance of the property. Despite his heavy outlay however, LAMBERT had managed to retain a solid capital base and as a result in 1837, applied for a secondary grant of 1,037.8 hectares, these additional grants being available if certain developmental and financial conditions were met with the original grants. Robert LAMBERT's son Robert was also apparently involved with this application. The request was approved and a further grant of 1,037.8 hectares was awarded, but this time at Jervis Bay. By August 1841, the additional grant at Jervis Bay had been sold to Alexander KINGHORNE (senior). Holwood was advertised for sale or let in July 1844, with further details available from J.S. RODD of Blackdown, Bathurst. The post windmill on "Holwood" was still operational in mid-1845, but an extensive steam mill was about to be erected in Carcoar. In 1848, John LOUDEN was operating the Kings Plains Mill. The exact location of the mill may have been in the small settlement itself which is listed as having a mill in 1843 when it was surveyed, and finally gazetted as Blayney in September that year.
• CAMDEN   A windmill was constructed in Camden in 1848. It was located "in the rear of the church", possibly St. John's Anglican Church which was completed in 1849, and is located on top of the hill. The construction of the windmill followed advice that Messrs Thompson and Sons had completed extensive additions to their steam mills and probably as a result of that, it was advised that "They will be able to store an immense quantity of grain next harvest." It is not clear if the Camden windmill was installed by THOMPSON and Sons in addition to their steam powered operations or whether the windmill was constructed by someone else competing with the steam powered mill. It was noted at the time that "We shall then have three grist-mills within as many miles. Advance Camden!" This is possibly including the grist-mills at Kirkham where Mr LENTON the miller was still operating in 1847.
• CAMPBELLTOWN - DENHAM COURT - BROOKS, Richard    A flour mill existed at Denham Court, the estate of Richard BROOKS, by 1830 but according to Carol LISTON in her history of Campbell Town, it had ceased to operate by the late 1830s.
• CAMPBELLTOWN - COGHILL, John    - see - NARELLAN - KIRKHAM.
• CAMPBELLTOWN - LARKIN, Edward Nicholas    Edward LARKIN was a Sussex miller who migrated to Australia with his wife Jane in 1837, and who by 1840 had started a mill at Campbelltown. He was operating two windmills in Campbelltown by 1842. In 1839 Larkin rented the Perseverance Mill from William MANNIX of Spring Hill in the parish of Narellan, District of Campbelltown, for a period of four years. Prior to this he had managed the mill at Kirkham.
• CAMPBELLTOWN - MANNIX, William    There was a commercial flour mill built by William MANNIX in c1829 which operated until 1836.
• CAMPBELLTOWN - RIXON, Thomas    Leased a post mill on John WILD's grant on the Campbelltown - Appin road. Known to operate this in 1856. Thomas RIXON's relationship to William RIXON and his mill is not known.
• CAMPBELLTOWN - RIXON, William    He built a flour mill on the Appin Road in 1838 [presumably a windmill].
• CAMPBELLTOWN - MOUNT GILEAD - CHRISTMAS, George Beresford CAPTAIN    Had a windmill there in the late 1830's. (Possibly at ROSE's mill.) There was still a windmill at this or another site at Mt Gilead in 1842.
• CAMPBELLTOWN - MOUNT GILEAD - ROSE, Thomas    There was a flourmill built at Mount Giliad by Thomas ROSE in 1834. It had a 18.3 metre 4 storey sandstone tower and the machinery was constructed of ironbark timber. ROSE died in 1837 but the mill continued to operate with lessees. One of these would appear to be G.B.CHRISTMAS. view image
• CAMPBELLTOWN - TOOTH & NEWNHAM    - see - NARELLAN - NEWNHAM & TOOTH.
• GOULBURN    In the 1830's Alexander KINGHORNE of "Cardross" had a windmill for grinding corn.
• LIVERPOOL - LUCAS, Nathaniel    Construction of this windmill on a little under one tenth of a hectare of land was commenced by Nathaniel LUCAS but he drowned before it could be completed. Soon after in August/September 1818 it bought at auction by a Mr TERRY who almost immediately advertised for a millwright to complete the work but either was unsuccessful or changed his mind because the property was up for sale again by September 1819.
• LIVERPOOL - MUCKLE, George     George MUCKLE built a flour mill on the Campbelltown Road c1840, 2.4 kilometres from Liverpool. The mill was described as capable of grinding ten bushels per hour when it was advertised for sale or let in June 1841. Particulars could be obtained by post from George Muckle c/- of Liverpool Post office, or Henry HOUGH, millwright of Sussex street, Sydney. It seems probable that HOUGH built the windmill for MUCKLE.
• MAITLAND (WALLIS PLAINS) - "DUNMORE" - LANG, Andrew and William     William LANG and his son Andrew operated a 404.7 hectare farm "Dunmore," Second Branch, about six and a half kilometres from Wallis Plains (Maitland). One of Andrews brothers was the fiery Presbyterian Minister John Dunmore LANG and another, George had originally selected the property on the Paterson River in 1822, but following his death aged 23 in 1825, the property had passed to Andrew. In January 1828, father and son advised that they were erecting a flour mill of four horse power using machinery of English manufacture on their farm and that they expected it to be ready in February. In fact they appear to have fallen a little behind schedule and in May they advised it had only been in operation for a month, with wheat being ground at 15 cents per bushel. Wheat conveyed on the Paterson River, and landed at Mr. LANG's wharf, would be carried to and from the mill at no additional expense. William LANG drowned two years later in 1830. The early the following year the mill was operating with four bullocks which apparently replaced the horses in the harness. By July 1841, Andew had installed the "Dunmore Steam Mill" on the property and was advertising it for let. At the same time as he was advertising the steam mill to be let, LANG was also offering a post mill for sale on "Dunmore," as he had no further use for it, in consequence of the erection of the steam mill. The post windmilll was in working order, and was equipped with one pair of 122 centimetre French burr stones, capable of grinding ten bushels per hour, and with dressing and smut machines. It would seem that the post windmill either replaced or was installed in addition to the earlier animal powered mill which was not mentioned in the 1841 advertisement.
• MULGOA - FAIRLIGHT     There was a windmill on the Fairlight property at Mulgoa. This was still standing although in poor condition circa 1912.
• NARELLAN - KIRKHAM     This flour mill was built at Kirkham by John COGHILL. Kirkham would appear to be the Kirkham Estate near Narellan owned by John OXLEY. The mill was operational in 1828 and still operating in 1830. Later management was conducted by Edward LARKIN.
• NARELLAN - NEWNHAM & TOOTH    Predating the known period of the windmill and horse mill of this entry there are records of the partnership of John TOOTH and Charles NEWNHAM establishing the Kent Brewery in Parramatta Street (now Broadway), Sydney in October 1835. NEWNHAM was purported to be TOOTH's brother - in - law. By 1841 they were operating a windmill as well as a horse mill at an unspecified site or sites in or near Narellan. Although the partnership in the Kent Brewery may have ceased in practice by 1842 it was officially dissolved in 1843 and the brewery leased to TOOTH's nephews Robert and Edwin TOOTH. The partnership would appear to have reformed after this because it briefly operated a malt brewery at Narellan in 1845 and the mills were possibly connected with this. NEWNHAM & TOOTH constantly advertised for barley around this period. Although one source lists it separately to an entry for NEWNHAM & TOOTH the comment John TOOTH was operating a windmill in this period at Narellan which may have been the Kirkham mill could mean that the two mills were one and the same.
• NEWCASTLE    In 1821, Major MORISSET, Commandant of Newcastle, ordered the construction of a windmill on a windy hill overlooking the port. It was built to replace the unsatisfactory hand mills the convicts were using to grind flour from their wheat ration. A second mill was added to increase capacity. The mills were not used for long before being superseded by the larger, more modern mills in the Hunter Valley. Demolition of the first mill in the late 1840's resulted in an outcry from the shipping industry, which had been using it as a landmark for the approach to Newcastle. The ships' Captains were pacified by the erection of an Obelisk on the site.
• NIMMITABEL    In 1865 German immigrant John GELDMACHER commenced stockpiling building materials and over the next seven years, almost single-handedly built a stone tower windmill there, which was completed in 1872. However, he evidently had not consulted the regulations concerning windmills and he'd inadvertently built his mill too close to the road, with the result that, although it was initially constructed with sails, they were deemed to be too adjacent to the road where they would frighten horses. Geldmacher evidently then used horses to work the mill, but this was apparently not very successful. He later used the mill [evidently the horse mill] for timber milling, but by 1885 the mill was out of use. The tower was restored by Monaro Shire Council in 1961 to serve as a tourist attraction, it being one of only three such towers surviving in eastern Australia, and is found in Clarke Street, west of the Highway. Geldmacher also operated as a merchant and today Geldmacher House serves as the Nimmitabel Heritage Centre. view image
• ORANGE - THE PHOENIX MILL     Mid November 1843 saw the public and settlers in the Bathurst, Boree, Carcoar, and Wellington districts advised that, The Phoenix Mill (a windmill) on the Wellington Road at Frederick's Valley, 43.2 kilometres from Bathurst, was ready for receiving wheat. The mill was constructed from a plan supplied by well known millwright Henry HOUGH, of Sussex Street, Sydney. Prices it was advised, were the same as those charged at Bathurst. Terms, cash! By August 1844 however, the Phoenix Mill was both wind and steam powered. RAINE & CO. advised that "having added a 12 horse power steam engine to their windmill" they were then ready to execute orders for flour etc., for any quantity at the shortest notice. Prices were - grinding 9d per bushell and dressing 3d per bushell. Only two years later, the Phoenix Steam Mill, Frederick's Valley was being advertised to let. It would appear that the windmill had ceased operations by this time. For further details on the Phoenix Steam Mill, interested parties were if applying by mail, to write (post-paid), to Thomas RAINES, Phoenix Mills, Frederick's Valley, Bathurst.
• PARRAMATTA    A wooden post mill was evidently erected in the early 1820's at North Parramatta. The builder was apparently the well known millwright and miller George HOWELL (senior). This may have been the windmill that was referrred to in October/November 1820 when Samuel MARSDEN was noted superintending in a private capacity, the construction of a windmill and a watermill in the vicinity of the Female Orphan School at Parramatta, which was then also under construction.
• PARRAMATTA    The erection of this tower mill was attributed to SMITH, with construction apparently taking place circa 1823 to 1829 (inclusive). The "SMITH" was evidently John SMITH [ - by 1832], a millwright and miller who arrived in the colony in 1822 . The tower mill was the same Parramatta windmill that is documented in late February 1830 as being owned by Richard PROCTOR and described as "a windmill of Bricks". In 1832 the tower mill with its location then described as Church Street, belonged to a Mr. BLANCHARD. By 1836, then described as either at or on the "College Green" it was owned by a Mr. HARVEY. Late that year a five storey brick tower windmill that stood on the rising ground between the Female Factory and the then location of the King's School, was advertised for sale. At that time, the mill was being leased by George HOWELL (junior) [c1805 - 1838] who evidently had been leasing the mill since 1833. The mill itself contained a pair of vertical stones for grinding Mustard and Linseed etc, a pair of shelling stones for preparing Oatmeal, two pairs of French burr stones, patent regulators and joggling screens. There was also a dressing, smutting, and winnowing machine with hoisting tackle. Adjoining the mill there was a cottage with a verandah. It had two Parlours, four Bedrooms, a Kitchen and out-offices, a two stall stable and loft. There was also a Miller's Cottage with three rooms. The complex with its garden was fenced and covered .6 of a hectare. In 1837 the tower mill belonged to a Mr. HOWELL [George (junior)?], while he and a Mr John HAMILTON were in partnership operating the combined tide and wind powered mill on the the southern bank of the Parramatta River. George (junior) was killed in February 1838, when sheer legs evidently being used to replace the fan blades on what was now his five storey tower windmill collapsed. A chain or rope, being used to haul up a large beam of timber for placement in one of his mills, broke and the descending beam struck and killed him instantly. Following George (junior's) death a Mrs Howell (evidently his widow Elizabeth), inherited both the tower mill and the combined tide and wind powered mill on the Parramatta River. However, despite local folklore that shortly following the accident the tower windmill was shut down and soon demolished, by 1840, there had been a rationalisation of the milling assets, with George's widow Elizabeth HOWELL evidently now the owner of the combined tide and water powered mill, and John HAMILTON and a Mr. NUTTER owning and/or operating the tower mill. In 1838 HAMILTON had rented and repaired the Darling Steam Mills which he announced would re-open on 3 September that year. At least the tower of the five storey brick windmill was evidently still standing in 1848, when an advertisement for the sale of a model vineyard at Parramatta, (which was described as being on the rising sandy ground on the north side of the town), mentioned that the vineyard was located "near the old windmill."
• PARRAMATTA - BOLGER, John    John BOLGER, who was a carpenter by trade, arrived in Australia on the 'Providence' in 1795 as a free man. Lieutenant Governor William PATERSON granted him a lease in Parramatta in 1809 which was apparently south of the Parramatta river and opposite the property owned by the Reverend Samuel MARSDEN. PATTERSON also allowed him to borrow millstones from the Government as a gratuity until they were needed for a Government mill. BOLGER may have begun construction on his mill as early as April 1809 when he is recorded as receiving iron from the lumber yard at Parramatta. The land grant was confirmed by Governor MACQUARIE on the 1st of January 1810. BOLGER then ran into difficulties because the Government required the return of the millstones in February 1810. This problem was overcome however and he was able to announce that the mill would commence operations on Monday, 18 June 1810. A highly detailed engraving of part of the town of Parramatta viewed from the northern side of the Parramatta River, published in 1812 and attributed to John EYRE, shows a tower windmill located just to the north of, and just below, the Great Western Road, which sat on the ridge line about half-way between Marsden and Church Streets. In what may have been an indication that he had over-stretched his resources with the construction of his windmill, on the very same day that he advised of the mill's upcoming opening, BOLGER advertised the house and property "Wheatsheaf" in the town of Parramatta, for sale, with immediate possession given. Unfortunately BOLGER entered into a contract in August 1810 to build a house for Ellis BENT, the Judge Advocate, with an agreed completion date of 1st August 1811 and with his windmill put up as surety. As payment he received amongst other things 4,546 litres of rum and this apparently encouraged him to expand his business with a licence to sell spirits, which he received in February 1811. At that time his address is given as Phillip Street, Sydney and it is not known who, if anyone, was operating the windmill. The mill was advertised to be let in March 1811 with BOLGER subsequently advising that his windmill was capable of grinding six bushels of wheat per hour, and that it would not require any repairs for the next ten years. By the 1st of August 1811, BOLGER had failed to fulfill BENT's contract and the windmill became subject to seizure under the agreement. This eventuated in June when a contract of sale on the 10th of June 1812 transferred the mill to BENT, minus its millstones which were returned to the Government. Earlier correspondence included the 38.47 hectares of land in the transfer. With Bent evidently keen for quick settlement, the "Materials of the Windmill" were advertised to be auctioned on 10 July, but were disposed of by private contract before that date, with the short-lived windmill promptly demolished following the sale. BOLGER either returned to, or continued in business in Sydney, making and repairing chaises, sociables and jaunting cars etc.
• PARRAMATTA - HOWELL'S MILL    The combination tide and wind powered mill stood on the southern bank of the Parramatta River near where the Gasworks bridge was built in 1885. It, along with a weir, was constructed in the 1820's, possibly by George HOWELL [1805 - 1838] with his fathers assistance. The watermill part of this business is not normally listed as a tide mill but a Mitchell Library painting of HOWELL's Mill shows the water level to be the same on both sides of the weir that HOWELL constructed. This, along with doubts about the capacity of such a relatively small stream supplying the necessary power to operate a watermill, suggested the possibility that the mill relied on tidal power and that the picture was of the weir being filled by the incoming tide. The fact that the waterwheel was designed to turn in both directions so it could operate on an incoming tide was also persuasive. A drawing from the mid 1850's when the mill was non-operational, appears to show that a couple of portions of the weir wall on the northern side could be easily removed, to allow for the unimpeded flow of the tides when the tidal wheel was not operating, as was then clearly the case. HOWELL's father [c1776-1839] was an ex-convict who had arrived from Staffordshire in 1802 on the Perseus. He was credited with building 5 mills in the colony and by 1828 had moved to Richmond where he established a watermill at nearby Yarramundi, leaving his son George in charge of the Parramatta mills. At this time the mill appeared in the legal records because on the northern side of the river was land formerly held by the Rev. MARSDEN, but by 1828 leased by John RAINE. In 1827 a dispute arose between HOWELL and RAINE, as to the right of the former, to have part of his dam upon the land occupied by the latter. A notice was served by RAINE's attorney upon HOWELL demanding compensation or otherwise RAINE would drain the water away from the mill with drain across his own ground. [Decision not known]. A petition was also made on the 13th of February 1828 against John MACARTHUR on the same matter for his support of HOWELL.In late 1836, George [1805 - 1838] was the tenant of a brick tower mill which was then up for sale. By 1837, he was the owner of the brick tower windmill and was operating the combination tide and wind powered mill on the river in partnership with a Mr. HAMILTON. He was killed in an accident at the mill and following his death a Mrs HOWELL (evidently his widow Elizabeth), inherited both the tower mill and the combined tide and wind powered mill on the Parramatta River. Despite local folklore to the effect that shortly following George's fatal accident, the tower windmill was shut down and soon demolished, by 1840 there appears to have been a rationalisation of the milling assets, with George's widow Elizabeth HOWELL evidently now the owner of the combined tide and water powered mill, and HAMILTON and NUTTER owning and/or operating the tower mill. George HOWELL (senior) had died only a year after his son George's death in February 1839, but the combined mill evidently continued operations under Elizabeth HOWELL's ownership until the late 1840's, but by circa the mid 1850's, operations had apparently been discontinued for quite a lengthy period, as a drawing then shows the windmill's sails to have been in a very dilapidated condition. The mill building's may have been used as a residence until 1879, although other sources indicate that the building/s were acquired circa 1870 by the relatively short-lived Parramatta Gas Company.
• PARRAMATTA - MAYS HILL    The proposed Mays Hill windmill was one of the two commissioned for the colony by Governor HUNTER.The site chosen was a steep climb up from both Church Street in the east, and Pitt Street (then Pitt Row), on the north and would have made a good exposed position for a windmill. Thomas ALLEN, a master miller was sent out from England in 1792 to manage the erection of the mill and the original millwright employed for the task was James THORPE. He was sent out to the colony as a millwright on the 'Bellona', arriving in January 1793 and working at Parramatta under ALLEN but made poor progress at the work and was dismissed in 1797.
• PICTON - REDBANK MILL - LARKIN, Thomas    Thomas LARKIN, a Sussex miller, followed his brother Edward LARKIN, to the colony of New South Wales. In early November 1842 he advised the residents of the towns of Redbank, Stonequarry, Bargo and The Oaks, that his Redbank post mill on Windmill Hill, Redbank, would commence operations on the 15th of the month. Charges were 10 cents per bushel for grinding, 13 cents per bushel for grinding and dressing, and bran and flour would constantly be available for sale. LARKIN advised that no wheat would be received at his mill on Sundays. The adjacent settlements of Redbank and Stonequarry merged into the one township of Picton in 1845. By mid-June 1846, LARKIN had begun construction of a steam mill which evidently commenced operations Ca.1848-9 and may have marked the demise of the post windmill.
• PORT MACQUARIE     'Mills and Manufactories' records for 1841 shows that A. C. Innes had a windmill at Port Macquarie by that time which was probably erected by Robert PEEBLES . A 1905 photograph shows the ruins of a four sail windmill at Port Macquarie but it is not known if this is the same mill. view image
• PORT MACQUARIE - Proposal    There is some possibility that this is the same entry as for the proposed watermill of the period. However one source does report that in 1830 Henry SMYTH the Officer in Charge of the convict depot did promote a windmill to replace the failing Rowlands Plains watermill and plans were drawn up and submitted to Governor DARLING who rejected them. SMYTH was able to reply that the watermill had been destroyed in floods in the interim but was instructed to repair it if possible rather than persue the windmill idea. It had been intended that the machinery of the watermill could be used for the windmill with the addition of four cast iron rollers and twelve blocks for the vane sails. SMYTH also suggested that a millwright, two carpenters, two blacksmiths, four bricklayers, four labourers and two sawyers would be needed to erect the mill. This would suggest that a quite substantial tower mill was under consideration. At about the same time as this proposal a crippled prisoner named Samuel O'DEA built a model of a combined mill and lighthouse but DARLING refused permission for him to travel to Sydney to demonstrate the idea and that was the last heard of the idea. It is not known if the model made it to the capital.
• QUEANBEYAN - CAMPBELL, George     The windmill operated on George CAMPBELL's 'Duntroon Estate' which was sited at a location, then known as the "Limestone Plains." It was in operation by November 1839, if not earlier, and operated by John GREGORY.It was destroyed by a windstorm in 1874.
• SINGLETON - ROSEMOUNT - LARNACH, John     The Grinding Mill on Rosemount, the property name later changing to Baroona, was built in the 1820's. It was noted as being situated at rear of the homestead (where tennis courts now stand), when the property was bought by A.A. DANGAR in 1869. The mill was pulled down about 1870 and the centre post erected south east of the homestead and the old convict bell, orginally used by John LANARCH, was affixed to the top. The Rosemount Windmill had been advertised to let in mid 1844. Although previously let for $500 per annum, "to prevent trouble," the rent asked this time around was only $200 per annum. Interested parties could apply at the office of Messrs Thomas BARKER and Co., in Sydney, or of Mr. John LARNACH, Rosemount, Darlington. The partnership of Thomas BARKER and D. LARNACH which traded as Thomas BARKER & Co., Flour Factors of Sydney, was dissolved on 1 July 1848. view image
• SYDNEY    By 1809 there were seven windmills working in Sydney.
• SYDNEY - COLCHESTER MILL - LEVEY, Barnett    In December 1821 Barnett LEVEY arrived in Sydney from London to work for his older brother Solomon, who, despite having arrived in the colony as a convict, had prospered as a merchant at 72 George Street in the heart of the city. Only 157 centimetres tall, Barnett LEVEY is reputed to have been the first Jewish free-settler to arrive in the colony. He did well in those first few years there and by 1826 he had a combined warehouse and hotel building under construction. However his announcement halfway through that year that he was building a windmill to crush grain, on top of this caused considerable consternation. There was strong opposition to the project and the acting Attorney General, W.H.MOORE wrote to LEVEY soon after the original announcement ordering the windmill's construction to cease because it was a danger to the public. Opponents of the mill even claimed that it would frighten the horses in George Street. This worried him not at all and construction continued on the mill which was intended to sit on a 24.4 metre high section of the 'Colchester Warehouse' at the rear of the new building, with the front section occupied by the 'Royal Hotel' facing onto George Street. By March 1827 LEVEY had already contracted with settlers, for 15,000 bushels of wheat, from the ensuing season, at seventy cents a bushel. The windmill was indeed an imposing sight when finished and dominated the landscape. At some time in this early period the decision was made to move the windmill from the back of the warehouse to the middle of the building where it was set in motion on Christmas Day, 1827 and opened for business on 17 January 1828, operating as the 'Colchester Mill'. LEVEY was facing bankruptcy even as the mill was completed. The structure was about 27 metres high including the four stories of the warehouse which were above ground and one partly below ground. The mill itself was constructed with six floors. It was equipped with four shuttered sails, with twenty, forty-six centimetre long shutters on each. In addition a description of the time suggests that they may have been patent sails operating by a striking rod running through a hollow wind shaft. The same description and a poor drawing of the mill also suggest the existence of a fantail. LEVEY, meantime was being frustrated in his desire to exercise his passion for the theatre. In 1828 an Act had been passed which not only banned any unlicensed stage performance because of possible evil influences, but also branded those attending as rogues and vagabonds and subject to the penalties applicable to such criminals. Undaunted by 1829 LEVEY had constructed a theatre in the building, but could not get a permit to operate it. In addition the mill was not enjoying much success and apparently ground very little grain. It also had been constructed without a permit and against the orders of the authorities and LEVEY having extended himself too far, was forced to sell the hotel, theatre, mill and granary in December 1830. He subsequently leased the theatre and by late 1832 finally received a theatre licence from Governor BURKE, allowing him to operate his Theatre Royal in the saloon of the hotel. In mid-May 1832 the mill, then referred to as the Sydney 'TOWER of BABEL', had been under the superintendence of prominent millwright and contractor Charles MINES, for unspecified work. MINES stated at that time that the height from the ground to the top of the sails was 43 metres. It seems probable that the mill was dismantled around this time. There is some support for the idea that the windmill was re-erected on the South Head Road which was a location which seems to have been used at the time to include Kings Cross. The suggestions is that after Thomas BARKER built his Kings Cross windmill in 1826 the demand for flour led to his buying another mill from Daniel COOPER and Solomon LEVEY. This was apparently not much of a mill but he managed to get it operating and the suggestion is that this was the Colchester mill which had already displayed its mobility by being shifted once before. No date is supplied but anytime after 1832 when it is included in a drawing of the area at its original site would be possible. And if it was sold after Barnett LEVEY's death in October 1837 at the age of 39 or 40 it may well have moved and have been standing at Kings Cross in 1838. After LEVEY died the 'Theatre Royal' closed in 1838 then fell into disuse and was burned down in 1840. As well as his involvement with a windmill, LEVEY has a place in Australian history as perhaps the 'Father of the Stage' in this country. Barnett LEVEY is buried in Jewish section of the Bunnerong Cemetery which became the Pioneer Memorial Park in Botany Cemetery.
• SYDNEY - DARLINGHURST - CLARKSON    The CLARKSON referred to is probably Thomas CLARKSON, a maltster and baker in 1810 and owner of a malt house and brewery by 1824. One reference mentions that the first windmill in Darlinghurst was built by CLARKSON and PALMER and was located somewhere near the end of Liverpool St and not far north of the old Darlinghurst goal. Another authority pinpoints it to being on Lot 602. The mill appears to have been a stone tower mill with four blades and probably at least three stories. Illustrations portray it in 1819 and 1842 although one record describes it as newly built in 1821.
• SYDNEY - DARLINGHURST - CRAIGEND    See SYDNEY - DARLINGHURST - HYNDES AND ASHLEY
• SYDNEY - DARLINGHURST - HYNDES AND ASHLEY     In 1825, Henry ASHLEY of Brickfield Hill and Thomas HYNDES of Cockle Bay, applied for permission to erect a windmill on the South Head Road. HYNDES in fact been complained about the lack of windmills in Sydney in his request for the land. ASHLEY received an order for a grant on the road. It appears that this may have been the 2 acre grant which HYNDES and ASHLEY actually built on, which was adjacent to what would be the site of Thomas MITCHELL's "Craigend" residence. In June 1825, HYNDES and ASHLEY were advertising for "stonemasons, bricklayers, and millwrights" to erect a tower and complete a windmill. By early July 1826, the pair had nearly completed a "spacious and very handsome windmill, on the South-head road," which was to become commonly referred to as the "Craigend Mill." The mill was built adjacent to the top of Beare Steps at Caldwell Street, Kings Cross. It was a large tower mill with four blades that were probably about 12 metres long. There was an elevated platform built around the base of the tower and windage was controlled by a large wheel at the rear of the cap which was turned by the use of ropes at the platform level. In November 1843 the mill was being referred to as Hill's Mill by its new occupants J.O. WASCOE and Henry MOODY, but is unclear whether this appelation reflected ownership or simply occupation by HILL. The mill had lately been occupied by the firm of MacDONALD and AIRTH but both that firm and Robert Henry AIRTH had been declared insolvent only a month or so earlier. The partnership between WASCOE and MOODY was a short-lived affair, it being dissolved in June 1844, with WASCOE continuing the business in his own right. In July 1844 WASCOE demonstrated his confidence in his milling business when he opened a bran and flour store at Brickfield Hill. FIDDEN (or FIDDON), and JENKINS in the 1850's, were subsequent owners. The measurement from the top of the blade to the ground was 32 metres in 1865. It was probably pulled down c1873 after an attempt had been made to convert it to workmen's residences in 1865.
• SYDNEY - DARLINGHURST - POST MILL 1    This wooden open trestle post mill was one of two which were erected in close proximity to each other north of CLARKSON's mill in the region of Liverpool and Darley Streets on a block of 2.02 hectares of land with a house thereon. One of these post mills is thought to have been KABLE's mill and to have been shifted to the new site but this is unconfirmed. An advertisement by Robert COOPER offered two post mills for sale in mid 1826 unless disposed of by private contract, and may have referred to these mills. If this is the case then the mill which is listed as completed at that time is probably the same one which was advertised for a joint auction, conducted by Mr BODENHAM and set for the 5th of June 1827, as being in excellent condition and worthy of an annual rent of $300 per annum. The mill still existed c1835 but it seems that one of the two mills had disappeared by 1847-8 and both appear to have disappeared by the mid 1850's.
• SYDNEY - DARLINGHURST - POST MILL 2    This wooden open trestle post mill was one of two which were erected in close proximity to each other north of CLARKSON's mill in the region of Liverpool and Darley Streets on a block of 2.02 hectares of land with a house thereon. One of these post mills is thought to have been KABLE's mill and to have been shifted to the new site but this is unconfirmed. An advertisement by Robert COOPER offered two post mills for sale in mid 1826 unless disposed of by private contract, and may have referred to these mills. If this was the case, it is probable that the mill which was described then as not quite finished, is the same mill which was advertised for a joint auction, conducted by Mr BODENHAM and set for the 5th of June 1827, in the same unfinished condition. The mill still existed Ca.1835 but it seems that one of the two mills had disappeared by 1847-8 and both appear to have disappeared by the mid 1850's.
• SYDNEY - DOMAIN - BOSTON, John    [Because of the interwoven relationship of the Domain mills the three entries are best read together] This is apparently the same John BOSTON, surgeon and apothecary brought as one of the first free settlers on the 'Surprize' in 1794/5. After an unsuccessful salt-making venture at Bennelong Point in late 1795, BOSTON apparently became the colony's first commercial brewer in 1796, using Indian corn, malted and bittered with the leaves and stalk of the Cape Gooseberry plant, but this too was a short-lived venture. The windmill of this entry was on a site which is probably now occupied by the Huntsman and Dogs statue in the Palace Garden section of the Sydney Botanical Garden. The mill bearing BOSTON's name was built in 1802, according to one source, on government ground near the government bakery. There is however, an 1800 plan of Sydney by Charles GRIMES, which shows a mill there at that date. Lesueur's September 1802 "Plan of the town of Sydney" cites the mill as a Government windmill and bakery. Boston may not have had the windmill for long, and it is possible that it was passed to the Government. The land was leased by John PALMER from the Government in the same year of 1802. BOSTON's part in the mill is not known. In late 1813 PALMER's lease expired and the Government proposed the resumption of land in the Domain, upon which sat a bakehouse and a windmill which is thought to be BOSTON's mill. The matter appears to have been the subject of considerable correspondence between the merchant William WALKER and the Government, with WALKER evidently either having, or taking, possession of both the bakehouse and the mill. WALKER may have been in control of both mills by then because in early April 1814 he advertised PALMER's large mill to be let. The buildings were required to be removed before the 31st of March 1815 by order of the Governor, and if this occurred it presumably was the end of this mill. By 1815 it was being referred to as PALMER's small mill and was operated by Roger TEELING, who was grinding wheat at about eight cents per bushel. In July 1817, Governor MACQUARIE instructed Francis GREENWAY to prepare plans for the new stables and associated accommodation for Government House. A picture by Sophia CAMPBELL who was PALMER's sister done in or before 1817 entitled "Sydney in all its Glory" shows what appears to be BOSTON's mill minus its sails. On 16 December 1817, MACQUARIE laid the foundation stone for the new stables on the site of the government bakery, which had been demolished. The stables building became the Conservatorium of Music in 1913.
• SYDNEY - DOMAIN - LUCAS, Nathaniel    [Because of the interwoven relationship of the Domain mills the three entries are best read together] In 1804 when Governor KING asked Nathaniel LUCAS to come to Sydney to construct a mill for the Government, as part of the conditions LUCAS was given permission to erect what would appears to be the colony's first post mill for himself on the Government Domain. The land he obtained was a 1,000 square metre lease which is in the region of either the Shakespeare Memorial near the State Library of New South Wales or BOURKE's statue outside the Library. The mill, along with its millstones, was prefabricated to some degree on Norfolk Island and shipped together with the Government's mill to Sydney on the HMS Investigator. Nathaniel and his family were also on board and arrived in the colony in about early March 1805. This mill was originally supposed to be erected after the completion of his Government contract, but in fact he appears to have begun on the Domain mill first . It was erected by about early June that year within a period of six weeks. One design feature mentioned at the time which seems unusual, was that the mill was evidently kept facing into the wind by "sails placed like rudders." It was found capable of grinding six bushels of wheat per hour. Later LUCAS leased the Domain mill to Henry KABLE [senior] and James UNDERWOOD. This pair were in partnership from Ca.1800 to 1809 and, amongst other things, exported seal skins, owned farms at Petersham Hill, the Hawkesbury, the Cowpastures and throughout Sydney. UNDERWOOD was also involved with the Millers Point windmills. The mill was advertised for auction in the Sydney Gazette on 5th April 1807, and again on 17th August 1811. The second auction was held in connection with a court decree against KABLE and UNDERWOOD who had been in financial troubles from at last 1809. During this period the mill appears to have become known as KABLE's mill. In mid-October 1812 the lease and mill were in the possession of merchant Alexander RILEY of the merchant firm of 'Alexander RILEY and Richard JONES'. The mill was again advertised to be Let in February 1815 with application to be made to Alexander RILEY. The mill was still standing in 1819. Norman SELFE states that the mill was pulled down and then re-erected at Darlinghurst. This appears to have happened by August 1826. A new post mill was possibly constructed adjacent to the ex-Domain post mill at that time, but it was still being described as almost completed, in May 1827.
• SYDNEY - DOMAIN - PALMER, John    [Because of the inter-woven relationship of the Domain mills the three entries are best read together] John PALMER was born in England in 1760 and arrived at Sydney with the First Fleet as the purser of HMS Sirius in 1788. His ship was wrecked on Norfolk Island in 1790, and he was appointed as the colony of New South Wales first Commissary-General in April that year. He left the colony in 1796 but returned in 1800 with his wife and family and was granted 40.47 hectares on what is now Woolloomooloo Bay. In 1802 he leased the land on the Domain, apparently already occupied by 'Boston's Mill', from the Government in exchange for other land he held in Sydney. By 1807 a second mill known as PALMER's mill was constructed on higher land south of BOSTON's mill and apparently on the site of the Governor PHILLIP statuary [2004]. This was near the north end of Back Row East which later became known as Phillip Street.[2004] That same year Governor BLIGH refused permission for an extension to the lease but PALMER did not comply and there began a long stand off over the matter. In late 1808, the new windmill, lost one of its sails in a storm. 1808 was also the year of the Rum Rebellion and PALMER supported BLIGH during this period. After being reinstated to his position in March 1810 he travelled to England as a witness in BLIGH's successful defence. The mill was still in use in early 1813, by which time it was being referred to as Mr. PALMER's large Mill and operated by William GROSVENOR. By mid 1813, the mill had been demised (transferred) to Charles TOMPSON and Thomas ROSE. ROSE is possibly the same individual involved with the CAMPBELLTOWN - Mount Gilead windmill. In April 1814 the merchant William WALKER advertised PALMER's large mill to be let immediately, and by September that year it was being operated by a Mr. BURKE the Miller. PALMER returned to Australia in May 1814 to find himself demoted to assistant-commissary-general. The mill was again being advertised by WALKER, this time to rent in January 1816. In July 1817, Governor MACQUARIE instructed Francis GREENWAY to prepare plans for the stables and associated accommodation for Government House and that the land in that immediate area resumed. MACQUARIE laid the foundation stone of the new stables on the 16th of December 1817 on the site of the old Government bakery which had been demolished. The neighbouring BOSTON's mill may have been demolished at the time. PALMER's disputed land was apparently seized by the Government at this time. In 1819 during a departmental shake-up PALMER was retired on half-pay. By this time he had lost all of his estates except 40.47 hectares at Parramatta and his property "Hambledon" near Rouse Hill which was the site of an oxen powered mill. In late 1821 the merchant firm of JONES, RILEY and WALKER was requesting payment for an unidentified windmill and bakehouse leased to John PALMER. The windmill was apparently still relatively intact and in place in 1822. There is a picture of one of the mills published in 1836 depicted minus its sails and in very derelict condition which Len FOX suggests is BOSTON's mill but may be PALMERs'. One of the two mills was apparently used as a tool house until pulled down in the 1830's or later. Other information states that MACQUARIE built his stables on the site of PALMER's Mill and that this building became the Conservatorium of Music in 1913 but this may have been the neighbouring 'Boston's Mill'.
• SYDNEY - DOMAIN - KABLE'S MILL    See - SYDNEY - DOMAIN - LUCAS, Nathaniel
• SYDNEY - KINGS CROSS - HOPE MILL - BARKER, Thomas   Thomas BARKER, who was originally apprenticed to an engineer, had accompanied John DICKSON's steam engine to Australia in 1813, and became one of the richest millers in Sydney. His stone tower mill was located just north of GIRARD's tower mill south of where Roslyn St meets Darlinghurst Rd. One source credits both the Hope and GIRARD mills to BARKER. The Hope was the first and larger one built, with construction at least beginning in 1825. They appear to have only been about 30 metres apart and to be both located on a .81 hectare grant made in 1826 to SMITH and BARKER, although the land that GIRARD's mill was situated on was evidently hived off at some stage as a separate portion. The partnership of John SMITH and Thomas BARKER was dissolved on the 23rd of June 1826 with the windmill unfinished. The land and the unfinished mill were purchased by Thomas BARKER and the work completed. BARKER proudly advised the public in mid-September that The Hope Mill was "ready to receive WHEAT, to be Ground and Dressed, in any Quantity not less than 5 Bushels." Some time after the windmill was built, BARKER had his home 'Roslyn Hall' erected next door to the mills. Both mills were described as located on Woollomooloo Hill in 1832, and appear to have still been standing in 1845. A painting of the period shows an elevated stage around the tower to provide access to the sails and it was also sporting a fantail or fly to automatically control windage. The stones from this mill were used to build two houses near the former site c1863/6.[Probably Kellet Street]. There is also some evidence that BARKER bought a second windmill from Daniel COOPER and Solomon LEVEY. A mill at Darlinghurst known as "Mr. BARKER's windmill" was still standing and operational in mid-1848, when it was advertised to let'. Enquiries were to be directed to Henry LANE, 202 George Street, Brickfield Hill. LANE's involvement here is not clear. 1845 image
• SYDNEY - KINGS CROSS - GIRARD, Francois    Francois GIRARD (alias DELISLE), was a French born ex-convict and fencing and dancing instructor who, by late 1825, had decided to try his hand at the somewhat less exotic trade of baking. In early 1826, then firmly ensconced in his bakery in Hunter Street, GIRARD advertised for a miller "who perfectly understands working a Windmill." It is not known what windmill GIRARD evidently had control of at this time, but after he apparently unsuccessfully applied for a grant of land for a windmill and spermacetti factory in 1830, his stone tower mill was erected by late 1832 on "Woolloomooloo Hill" south of BARKER's mill, south east of where Roslyn Street meets Darlinghurst Rd. They appear to have only been about 30 metres apart and to be both located on a .81 hectare grant made in 1826 to SMITH and BARKER which was purchased by BARKER following the dissolution of that partnership in June 1826. One source credits both mills to BARKER. Both mills appear to have still been standing in 1845. It was also known as a reefing stage and this is relevent to this mill in the painting because it does not appear to have a fantail. In that case it may well have been used to move the tail pole to bring te mill into the wind. There is some confusion in the record and BARKER seems on occasion to be referred to as having built both mills.
• SYDNEY - MILLERS POINT - MILLERS POINT    As a starting point for the history of these mills it is recorded that there were no windmills on the promontory in 1807. At that time Millers Point was a rocky promontory known as Cockle Bay Point on the north west corner of the peninsular dividing Sydney Cove from Cockle Bay. It projected well out into the waters of Port Jackson and was connected by an isthmus to the main body of land. Cockle Bay changed its name to Darling Harbour in 1826.
      There were three windmills shown on the promontory on an August 1822 plan of Sydney running in an evenly spaced north south line of about 200 hundred metres in length along the high ground provided by a prominent sandstone hill. The central mill in this map is shown as slightly to the west of the others. The positions of these mills on the modern map place one near Bettington Street on the high ground just past Dalgety Terrace, and the other two west of Merriman Street which had at one time been known as Crown Road. As a matter of interest the first steam engine was bought by the Scottish born John DICKSON in 1813 and he began operations with his steam powered mill in 1815.[NB..1]
      Although Norman SELFE, one of the few early windmill historians had lived in Millers Point since 1855 describes these mills as post mills, illustrations from Ca.1823 and 1832 show one of the Millers Point mills to most likely be a tower mill.[NB..2] The Ca.1823 painting by Major James TAYLOR is a well executed panorama supposedly viewed from the Government smock mill south of Observatory Hill. It includes the point and shows two mills with the one on the right appearing to be a tower mill. The apparent conflict between this and the three shown on the 1822 map most likely indicates that the painting was of a slightly earlier date, preceding the map as TAYLOR had been painting in the colony since his arrival in 1817. The relative arrangement of the windmills by type and location has two interpretations but for the sake of these entries the tower type has been placed in the most southerly position as suggested by a drawing made by John THOMPSON in 1832.
      Windmill Street was the first street carved into the region of the mills on the peninsular and gave access to them and also to the quarries there. There is considerable confusion as to how many of the three original mills LEIGHTON actually operated and references vary from one to all of them. One source states that two of these mills were apparently operated by LEIGHTON until the 22nd of June 1826 when he fell from a ladder on one whilst intoxicated and was killed. John LEIGHTON was buried in the old Sandhills Cemetery which was resumed to make way for the footings of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The tombstone was moved to the Bunnerong Cemetery that is now the Pioneer Memorial Park in Botany Cemetery. At the time of LEIGHTON's death the area was still relatively undeveloped. The area later become known as 'Jack the Miller's Point' and is currently the Sydney suburb of 'Millers Point' in recognition of this history. A map of the town of Sydney by HODDLE, LANNER and MITCHELL dated 1831 which is held at New South Wales State Records office shows only two mills on the southernmost part of Millers point. Whether this indicates that they were the only ones there at the time or the only ones operating has yet to be established. There is also a reference to a new windmill being there in 1832 [NB..3] John LEIGHTON's son David LEIGHTON was operating two of the mills in 1832.
          NB ...1] In Volume 48 of the 'Royal Australian Historical Society Journal' J.S.N.WHEELER gives the number of mills at Millers point as three in 1822, with two post mills added in 1823.
          NB... 2] There is no written information identifying any of the mills as a tower mill and there is a slight possibility that the mill illustrated may be an example of a post mill with a full skirt as neither illustration shows a cap and in both the wind shaft is depicted low in the body.
          NB...3] This mill may be a steam mill and not relevant . A notice for an auction conducted by auctioneer BODENHAM to occur on the 12th of December 1827 is recorded for a substantial new mill with winnowing and smut machine which had been erected in Darling Harbour, near what by then was known as Jack the Miller's Point. The advertisement went on to say that it had been leased for seven years at 150 Pounds Sterling per annum. The land that the mill sat on ran to the waters edge, and independent of the mill and a small hut, consisted of nearly an acre of unoccupied ground.
• MILL 1   Unfortunately although the following details are most likely correct they do rely on a couple of unconfirmed assumptions. This mill near Bettington Street on the high ground just past Dalgety Terrace is noted by John RAE Ca.1842 as the earliest windmill to be erected on the promontory. It is most likely that it is the post mill that Nathaniel LUCAS advertised in November 1812, offering to grind wheat for about 13 cents a bushel. However he stated that it was behind the battery at Dawes Point and not specifically at Cockle Bay Point. This mill is then thought to have become the property of John LEIGHTON [Ca.1769 - 1826), an ex-convict known locally as 'Jack the Miller'. There is an unsubstantiated, and probably unlikely story that LEIGHTON had been offered the whole of the Point as a grant if he would fence off the isthmus which then gave access to it. However, for whatever reason, this did not happen and by 1814 he had obtained several acres of land at Cockle Bay Point from 'LUCAS and WALL'. The LUCAS concerned is assumed to be Nathaniel, and it is also assumed that this land included the post mill. Another record relates the sale of a mill to LEIGHTON in March 1825 by William LUCAS the oldest son of Nathaniel then deceased. More detail as to the type of mill and other details of this transaction may well effect this entry. LEIGHTON's house was also on the ridge and presumably dates from the same period. Such illustrations as exist which are thought to be of this mill depict a wooden, four sail design on an open trestle. This is taken to be the northernmost mill. It was sited immediately below a later landmark building, 'Albion House' which was built by a Mr COOPER. LEIGHTON died in June 1826 from falling from one of the mills on the promontory. In January 1828, a mill, presumably this one, was still under the control of Ann LEIGHTON as administratrix. It is also presumably one of the mills still shown in the 1832 drawing by John THOMPSON. According to RAE this mill had disappeared by at least 1842.
• MILL 2   This is the second of the windmills erected at this location and as with the first mill, although the following details are most likely correct, they do rely on a couple of unconfirmed assumptions. In March 1813 James UNDERWOOD, as proprietor, announced the availability of a new windmill with French burr millstones sited near Dawes Point, that was available to Let with immediate possession. There was land granted to Joseph UNDERWOOD in 1817 for the purpose of erecting a windmill and until contrary information is available the assumption is that this was the site of the second windmill and that UNDERWOOD either had previous tenure under some other system such as a lease or just pre-empted the later grant. 'James Underwood & Co' operated a shipbuilding yard, apparently in that vicinity. As with the original mill on Millers Point it is for the moment assumed that this is the second of the Millers Point windmills despite the reference to DAWES Point in the advertising. In what may be related information, in August 1812, engineer D.D. Mathew advertised for two labourers, two quarrymen, a stonemason, a limeburner and a journeyman millwright to work at "Middle Harbour" for about three months. The reference to Middle Harbour may not have then referred to the current waters which go by that name, but this remains to be ascertained. According to RAE this was the northernmost mill and was situated west of Crown Road, later known as Merriman Street/Terrace. The evidence of various illustrations along with RAE's information support the contention that it was a tower mill.
      The following information has been placed here because, although it is not stated which of the Millers Point windmills it applies to, the tower mill would be a strong contender and we hope additional information will support the supposition. In June 1828, auctioneer BODENHAM advertised for auction, on behalf of the proprietor who was preparing to leave the colony for England, a freehold estate with an excellent windmill. It was equipped with French Burr millstones and was reported to be in excellent condition. The mill had been rented at 300 Pounds per annum. It was listed with a capacious store, suited also for the erection of a horse mill which may refer to either a store room inside or alongside the mill. The property had a deep water frontage of 150 feet and adjoined the attractive harbour side residence of Henry COOPER. This same estate and mill were evidently still for sale or lease in December 1828. The choice of the tower mill as the relevant mill is suggested by the high rental and by the adjoining property which would appear to be relevant to an 1832 drawing of the two buildings. This mill was demolished sometime just prior to 1842 when a latter owner John JONES erected a terrace of three houses there.
• MILL 3   The third mill to be erected at Millers Point was a wooden open trestle design with four sails and was sited in between, and probably slightly west of the other two mills near Crown Road which became Merriman Terrace. A start up date for the mill is not known but may be as late as the early 1820's depending on how Major TAYLOR's painting of Ca.1823 is interpreted or as late as 1827 depending on the accuracy of dating a Sydney suburbs map of the period. This is especially if its date can be pinpointed as back a year or two. The third mill was still standing in 1842 on land owned by a Mr DAVIS who reportedly made a bequest of the land to the Roman Catholic Church with a view to having a nunnery established there. This did not eventuate.
      This may be the start up information for mill number 3 but for this to be confirmed a new and later date has to be attributed to the map previously mentioned as dated 1822. For that reason the connection should be treated with caution. A notice for an auction conducted by auctioneer BODENHAM to occur on the 12th of December 1827 is recorded for a substantial new mill with winnowing and smut machine which had been erected in Darling Harbour, near what by then was known as Jack the Miller's Point. This phrasing of being near the point is accepted for the moment as being on the promontory. The advertisement went on to say that it had been leased for seven years at 150 Pounds Sterling per annum. The land that the mill sat on ran to the waters edge, and independent of the mill and a small hut, consisted of nearly an acre of unoccupied ground.
• SYDNEY - MILLERS POINT or THE ROCKS - DAWES POINT    See above - MILLERS POINT - Mill 1 & Mill 2
• SYDNEY - MILLERS POINT - OBSERVATORY HILL 1    A tower mill was constructed on Observatory Hill by the Government for public use for the grinding of flour. Motion work was imported from England from a Chatham miller named Nathaniel STEDMAN in 1794 along with a scale model for the guidance of the builders in Sydney. Another source states that in 1795, Governor Hunter brought with him the essential working parts of a windmill. However, given the sequence of events, it seems possible that these parts may have been intended for, or ended up being assigned to, the government's 'Military windmill' on which work apparently commenced in 1796. The parts brought out with HUNTER in September 1795 would appear to be, four wheels, a wooden shaft, brake and some ironwork for a total cost of 99 pounds and 18 shillings including paint and freight to the point of departure. Unfortunately the millwright that had been sent out from England could not do the job and was discharged after considerable cost to the public purse. Sydney's first windmill was completed in 1797 by a person who is recorded in some references as an unknown Irish convict , and is now thought to be John DAVIS. DAVIS arrived in the colony Ca.1796 and claimed to be a miller and millwright by profession and the first man to build windmills for the Government. Some of the sails were stolen in June 1797, but the mill was apparently repaired and it appears to have been still operational in 1800. The mill was in some disrepair by then and the foundations were crumbling. In 1804 following the Irish revolt at Castle Hill, Governor KING ordered that a citadel be built on the hill around the windmill. This was never completed but was quite substantial in its day. In 1805 the windmill head was displaced in a storm and by 1810 only the tower was left. The remains were probably still there in 1855 and may have existed up to the building of the observatory in 1858.
• SYDNEY - MILLERS POINT - OBSERVATORY HILL 2    When Governor Philip Gidley KING took up duties in Sydney in 1800 he was very disappointed with the standard of the existing flour mills. In his previous position as the Superintendent and Commandant from 1788-1790 and then Lieutenant Governor of Norfolk Island from 1791-1796 he had organised the building of the first successful mills in the colony and knew of Nathaniel LUCAS, the man who had been involved with both of them. He was also presumably aware that the coral rock used for millstones on Norfolk Island was superior to the local Sydney equivalent and the wood from the Norfolk Island pine was both denser than the local Sydney hardwoods and did not dry out and split. Although some support has been given to a date of 1803 for LUCAS's return to Sydney, [N.B. -1] other perhaps more compelling records have him arriving with his family in Sydney in March 1805. This was at the request by KING, who in 1804 had asked him to erect a windmill for the Government, and also included permission for him to erect a mill for his private use after completing work on the Government mill. An extract of what is presumed to be this message requested LUCAS to bring "some woodwork and several pairs of millstones" with him. LUCAS and his family sailed to Sydney on HMS 'Investigator', arriving in March 1805. On board were both windmills including millstones which had been prefabricated on the Island. The description of these mills apparently says that they were both post mills, but unless new information accounting for such a mill emerges, then one of these seems without much doubt to have been the smock mill which is the subject of this entry. A report of March 1805 which may be in dissent with the previous information about the prefabricated mills mentions LUCAS's recent arrival on the HMS 'Investigator' and how he "obtained permission to bring with other property most of the woodwork for a mill which will probably be erected at Farm Cove." This doesn't preclude the Government mill being in the cargo but it also doesn't confirm it and also indicates that the prefabrication of the mill/mills was probably not of the entire structure. It was more likely just specialised working sections and major components which previous experience with mill construction on the island had proved the Norfolk Island pine was well suited for.
      LUCAS actually didn't concentrate immediately on work on the Government windmill as was suggested was the terms of the 1804 agreement, but instead erected his private mill on the Domain. By June 1805, this had been in operation for several weeks.
      The exact site of the Government mill has not been located, and references to it at the time in 1806 only say it is near the Esplanade of Fort Phillip. Fort Phillip was built around the base of the original Government windmill on 'Observatory Hill' or Flagstaff or Windmill Hill as it was then known. From various drawings the smock mill appears to be about 100 to 120 metres south to south west of the Fort. Later contemporary references to it after the Military Hospital was built in 1815 talk of the mill being nearby and Norman SELFE writing Ca.1902 placed it north of the Hospital wall. This was probably in close proximity to the top of the Agar Steps and the Cahill Expressway spiral. The Military Hospital later became the Fort St Girls High School and by 1978 was in the control of the National Trust. The frame of the post mill was erected in mid February 1806 and the mill was operating by July that same year. The smock mill had an octagonal tower which was the result of its wooden slat design and was powered by four sails to work two pairs of the Norfolk Island millstones. These were subsequently replaced with 122 and 137 centimetre pairs of French Burr millstones. The height of the frame was 12.2 metres, which may not have included the cap and the diameter of the base, from opposite angles was 6.7 metres.
      LUCAS operated the 'Government mill' which was presumably this mill for a time. However when it and the nearby Military Mill were required to be delivered back to the Government in about December 1814, both were then controlled by Garnham BLAXCELL. At that time, and indeed, seemingly at most times in his life, BLAXCELL was involved in litigation over claims and counterclaims for debts. The period was not a happy one for him and in 1817 he is thought to have temporarily fled the colony to escape his creditors. When the Government resumed control the mill operation was placed under the charge of William HILL, who had been appointed to superintend its management. In early October 1822 James HANKINSON won a tender for the use of the windmill, but his tenure was fraught with difficulties in obtaining millstones and he finally sought and was subsequently awarded compensation in late 1824, in connection with his time at the mill. Commissioner, John Thomas BIGGE submitted a report on 'on the State of Agriculture and Trade which was published in 1823 and in it recommended that both of the Government mills be disposed of. He wrote that the windmills were worked under the management of a supervisor ... and a certain number of convicts. The smock mill was, in his consideration, superfluous because of private competition and the very inconsiderable amount of flour it produced. By late 1825, Francois GIRARD, a French born ex-convict, fencing and dancing instructor, established a bakery and in early 1826, then in business in Hunter Street, he advertised for a miller with Windmill experience as he was evidently working or wishing to work the smock mill. However by early October the mill may have suffered either damage or wear because the Government was advertising it to Let for a term of seven years, with the condition that the lessee put the Mill in an efficient state of repair. The Government decided to auction the windmill which had been occupied by GIRARD for demolition and disposal on the 20th of March 1827. The mill's internals, which included a dressing machine, were to be auctioned in small lots and removed by the purchasers within a month of the auction, while the "Carcass of the Mill" was to be "entirely cleared away in three months from the date of sale.
          NB-1] Olga TATRAI in her book on 'Wind and Water Mills of old Parramatta' places LUCAS in Parramatta in October 1803 but this may be a confusion with Alexander DOLLIS who was also from Norfolk Island. This is an interesting factor if true because 1803 is also mentioned in the 'Sydney Gazette' of 16th of February 1806.
• SYDNEY - PADDINGTON    Charles GORDON's square, 4 sail post mill stood on an acre of land which he was authorised to take possession of in 1829 as a special grant to erect a windmill on it, which was done in that year. A circular stone lower level was constructed around the base of the mill. The actual grant was issued in 1834. The location was off Stewart Place with a frontage on Stewart St and covered Lots 7 & 8, now number 7 Stewart Place. A stone two storey house was built alongside the mill and this was demolished in 1910. The original miller was the English trained Samuel BEARD who leased the mill from GORDON. His son Samuel GORDON continued to operate the mill and later took on a partner called LUKER whose name was added to the business. It appears to have still been standing in 1859 and could have continued in operation into the 1870's.
• SYDNEY - PYRMONT    In 1799 John MACARTHUR bought 22.23 hectares of Pyrmont for $20 and by November 1809 a small post mill had been built on this land at Macarthur Point, on what appears to be the high ground now bounded by Church Street, Point Street and Ways Terrace. The windmill was being operated by Garnham BLAXCELL who it was understood, had originally named the area Pierpoint, or Pierre-point. The mill may have been built by either John MACARTHUR or Garnham BLAXCELL, or even the Government. The mill (then being descibed as "formerly in the occupation of Mr. BLAXCELL"), was advertised for rent in May 1818. As applications were to be forwarded to Government official W. BROUGHTON, it appears that the mill was at this time in the hands of the Government, possibly as a result of BLAXCELL's earlier financial difficulties. By late 1819 however, the mill was being advertised for rent by John ATKINSON, a Castlereagh Street merchant. By May 1821, ATKINSON had entered into a partnership with Mr. McQUEEN (of the Segenhoe Estate), to operate the business, and the post windmill was put up for sale, it having a pair of four-feet French Burr Stones. A ruined windmill stood on the Point at Pyrmont in mid-1826 and these ruins may have still been present in 1832. The land was later the site of St Bartholomews Church of England before that also was pulled down.
• SYDNEY - THE ROCKS - MILITARY WINDMILL - 1    This stone tower mill was under construction by the Government in November 1796 and presumably completed by 1797 on a site at, or near the top of present day [2004] Grosvenor Street and adjacent to the Military Barracks. Built on a prominent hill, to a design which was intended to last two hundred years it unfortunately collapsed as the result of violent storms from the 3rd to the 6th of June 1799. It seems quite possible that the working parts of a windmill brought to the colony by Governor HUNTER in September 1895 may have actually been intended for this windmill, or alternatively they may have ended up being used in this mill. The construction work was evidently undertaken by John DAVIS who had arrived in the colony Ca.1796 and according to DAVIS himself, was a miller and millwright by profession. Following an accident where a millstone had recently toppled onto him and left him paralysed in the legs, DAVIS wrote to the Governor in early 1810, asking for assistance in lieu of his predicament and his long and continuous service to the community and his status he maintained, as the first man to successfully erect windmills for the Government.
• SYDNEY - THE ROCKS - MILITARY WINDMILL - 2     The windmill mentioned in the entry above which collapsed in 1799 was rebuilt on the same site. The work however was very slow and the walls were only about 4.6 metres high by September 1800 and virtually no other parts of the machinery, apart from the wood being acquired for part of one cog wheel had been obtained. This is an interesting observation and may be interpreted to mean that either the previous machinery was unsalvagable or a different arrangement had been designed for the new mill. This may support the idea that what amounted to a quite different and probably larger mill was being erected to replace the old one. Reconstruction was completed in late 1802 and a reference that the four sails now worked two millstones could indicate that the earlier mill only worked one.
      In December 1814, both it and the Government smock mill to its north, which were then in the possession of Garnham BLAXCELL, were required to be delivered back to the Government and it was placed under the control of the Quarter Master of the 46th Regiment. The mill then came into the possession of Thomas Henry HART until about mid February 1825, when the Engineers Office requested tenders for renting it for three years from the 26th of February that year. William WALSH junior and Richard ARCHBOLD who were the successful tenderers commenced business grinding and dressing only weeks later. By late June 1826, though, the Colonial Secretary's Office was again seeking tenders from millers prepared to let the mill for a term of seven years, with tenders closing on the 6th of July. The lessee would be required to put the mill in an efficient state of repair and to surrender it in good working order at the end of the lease. It seems unlikely that a tenant was found, and about early September that year, one of the sail spars fell to the ground. After an evaluation of the condition of the other arms, it was decided that to prevent any further accidents, the arm opposite would be removed. In attempting to do so, however, that arm also fell and badly injured a workman named HOLDEN, whose task it had been to guide it to the ground. It seems highly unlikely that the mill ever operated again, but its remains apparently lingered into the 1830's and perhaps even the 1840's before its eventual demolition.
• SYDNEY - WAVERLEY   Millwright Henry HOUGH (1804-1880) built a wooden post mill on his property 'Hope Farm' on Mill Hill Road in Waverley, that was in operation by 1841. It had a wooden hexagonal or octagonal ground storey, although some sketches indicate a circular stone design. The wooden design would agree with a later photograph. Local street names such as Mill Hill Road, Hough Street, and Hope Street, Bondi Junction reflect the mills former presence. Depending on the source the mill was levelled in either 1873,1878 or 1881 which makes it probably the last windmill standing in Sydney. Some sources state that 'St Barnabas' Church of England' was built on the site in 1902 but an 1841 survey held in the State Records, shows that the mill was in fact located on the opposite side of Mill Hill Road, about 50 metres away. image 1 image 2
• WINDSOR - CADDIE     In 1804 Assistant Surgeon Thomas ARNDELL was granted land near Windsor. This Caddie [Caddye] property had a stone built windmill with associated granaries and convict built road which were probably built in the period 1806 to 1809. That year it was advertised to be let. Thomas passed away evidently sometime shortly before December 1821 and the executors for his estate were Thomas ARNDELL [junior?] and another name seen frequently in the milling industry Simeon LORD. Hope Farm, the section which contained these was separated from the rest of the Caddie property in 1865 and now form part of the 'Cattie National Park' and the mill ruins are thought to be the oldest industrial building remains in Australia.

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NORFOLK ISLAND

1.     In 1833 machinery was requisitioned to drive two pairs of four foot diameter millstones, but no further action was taken.
2.     There was a horizontal? windmill? at Cascade owned? by MACONACHIE which was considered inefficient by the early 1840's.
3. POINT HUNTER    Nathaniel LUCAS built a small windmill there for himself in July 1795.
4. POINT HUNTER    A windmill was built at Point Hunter between April 1842 and November 1844. It was a post mill and revolved around a central post, buttressed by eight quarter bars. The weatherboard millhouse had four sails and was reached by a ladder. For driving machinery there was a main drive wheel, main shaft, pinion wheel, dressing machine and gears. There is evidence that a stabilising wheel was set at the end of the tailpole. By 1844 references were being made to the mills instability. Between 1847 and 1849 a stone base was added to increase stability. The main post etc stayed in position and rollers were provided to allow the top section to move around on the new stone base. The mill was destroyed by fire sometime after the penal settlement was abandoned.

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QUEENSLAND

• BRISBANE    The windmill was built by convict labour in 1827 and was originally used to grind flour and maize for the young colony. Its tower was constructed of local sandstone and brick. This tower mill had a perimeter platform about two thirds the way up to allow for maintenance. Attached to the windmill by a drive shaft was a treadmill which operated one of the two pairs of French Burr stones. The first grain ground there seems to have been in October 1828. The windmill was badly damaged by lightning in 1836 and had to be repaired. The windmill was not a success and Andrew PETRIE the foreman of works from 1837 thought that the sails were fitted backwards. An unwanted footnote that the windmill has in history is that two men, MERRIDLO and NAUGAVIL were hung from the sails for the crime of murder. The fans and the tower cap were removed and disappeared probably in the late 1840's. In a report dated 12 March 1845 in the 'Sydney Morning Herald [22nd March 1845] , it was advised that ............ The windmill erected by the Government close to the township, when it was a penal settlement, has been in active operation the last week, grinding wheat and corn for private individuals, - a new and pleasing feature, amongst our other endeavours to save the penny;.........It was converted to a signal station in 1861 and used for experimental radio and television broadcasts in the 1920s and 1940s. It is often referred to as the observatory windmill. The remains of the windmill are now maintained by the city council. view image A number of other images of this mill can be viewed online at the Queensland State Library website.

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SOUTH AUSTRALIA

• ADELAIDE - CITY MILL    1845 image
• ADELAIDE - WEST TERRACE    In July 1842 G.S. KINGSTON was commissioned by PHILLIPS and DeHORNE to design a tower windmill at West Terrace. It was an octagonal building upwards of 60 feet high, and built of brick. The machinery, imported from WHITMORE'S at Wickham Market, Suffolk, cost the princely sum of £3000. There were five floors. Given a fair breeze, the mill proved itself capable of grinding upwards of twenty bushels of wheat an hour with three pairs of stones.
• ADELAIDE - WRIGHT STREET    In early 1842 a tower windmill was, built in Wright Street, South Adelaide (off West Terrace opposite the public cemetery), by Job MALIN. In 1843, Messrs PHILLIPS and DeHORNE purchased MALIN's windmill. The partners increased the size of the sails and renewed much of the machinery, purchasing a high pressure twenty horsepower steam engine as a further option.
• BIRDWOOD    Birdwood, originally named Blumberg was a milling town, servicing the farmers of the region. The original mill on Shannon Street now houses the National Motor Museum.
• CHATEAU BARROSA    Chateau Barrosa was founded in 1947 by emigrant German winemaker, Mr. Hermann Thumm on the ruins of a historic flour mill built in 1876.
• HAHNDORF    Frederick R. NIXON built a windmill at Windmill Hill on the road to Mt Barker in 1842. [a second source gives a date of 1844] It was bought by Johann WITTNER in 1853. The mill was dismantled in 1864 on WITTNERS death and the French Burr millstones and other equipment were moved into the town.
• MOUNT BARKER - DUNN, John #    John DUNN bought an 80 acre selection alongside his brother in the Hay Valley near Nairne. Together with his son John, he erected a very small and primitive windmill in c1841 to grind wheat. It took 18 months to build. In addition he built himself a house made of reeds. The mill uprights were made from small trees about 12" square at the top and 24" square at the bottom. It was built around a large living tree that he used to hoist the other timber into position, and when this was done he gradually cut down the large tree until a stump was left at the right height to serve as a base for the millstones. DUNN designed the castings that were made up in Sydney although many of the cogs were wooden. The fan was in a fixed position and so would not turn unless the wind was coming from the right direction. DUNN appears to have worked the mill for only one season before leasing it to two brothers named GRATWICK. The mill was modernised in November 1845 with a steam engine and an additional pair of French Burr stones. These enabled three times as much corn to be ground. Some accounts say that it was a watermill. 1869 image 1919 image 1872 image
• MOUNT BARKER - NIXON, F. R.    In 1838 Frederick Robert NIXON arrived in Adelaide as an assistant surveyor. He was able to select and purchase land in May of 1845, although other sources suggest that the mill was built in 1842. After two years of milling NIXON sold the mill to Walter PATERSON in 1844. Some of the flour milled there gained a first prize at the London Exhibition in 1851 and this influenced many farmers from Britain to migrate to South Australia. PATERSON worked the mill until 1853 when it was sold to F. W. WITTWER. The windmill ceased operation in 1854 and WITTWER moved to Hahndorf where his son had a farm with a more efficient windmill. The mill was sold to Paul BRAENDLER in 1880, who donated it to the Mount Barker District Council in 1928-29. 1928 image 1929 plaque image 1893 image 1910 image
• PORT LINCOLN    The building of local limestone was started in 1846 but never completed, although the machinery was purchased and three internal floors fitted. The building has been preserved and is Port Lincoln's oldest monument. view image

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TASMANIA

• MARIA ISLAND    The flour and corn mill on Maria Island off the Tasmanian coast used a long tailpole to allow it to be turned into the wind. All that remains c2003 is a stone circle. This was a post mill with a brick base and a weatherboard top section. A stone millers cottage was constructed nearby. view image
• MARIA ISLAND - DARLINGTON POINT    1912 image
• GEORGES HILL    view image
• GEORGE TOWN    A windmill was said to be operating on Garden Island or the point opposite in 1816 for grinding corn and was still operational in 1825 when it was moved to Launceston.
• HOBART - BATTERY POINT    There is a photo of a windmill there in circa 1914-41. It would appear to be wind driven but its purpose is not known. view image
• LAUNCESTON - PENNY ROYAL MILL    The windmill and other buildings at this restored tourist attraction were originally built by the Gatenby family at Barton, 60km from Launceston in the 1820's - 1830's. In 1972 they were dismantled and moved stone by stone to their present site. There is also a watermill, cornmill, gunpowder mill and paddleboat.
• LAUNCESTON - WINDMILL HILL    There was the remains of a windmill here in 1843. It appeared to be a post mill. view image
• OATLANDS - CALLINGTON MILL    This was a tower mill built by John VINCENT in 1836. It was capable of grinding between 20 and 30 bushels an hour. Between 1845 and 1850 his son [also John] added an auxiliary steam driven mill. A 22 metre deep well was sunk to provide water for the boiler. By 1862 the two drive components were physically linked, probably by a large belt. In 1891 the mill was foreclosed on and abandoned. The wind blades were destroyed in a storm in 1909. In 1913 fire destroyed the cap and internal machinery. The bottom 3 metres of the tower were sealed with cement render after the door and lower windows were bricked up and the mill was used as a water tank. Since the 1970's restoration has been undertaken to gradually bring the mill back into good condition. image 1 image 2 image 3 image 4 image 5 image 6 image 7
• RICHMOND    view image
• ROKEBY - RALPHES BAY    Daniel STANFIELD jnr took up his father Daniel's holdings of 160 acres at Ralphes Bay in 1808. He arranged for the building of the first windmill in the area. It continued to operate until 1874. Assuming that this is what is generally referred to as the 'Rokeby' windmill, then both this structure and the old mill at Sorell were constructed by a man named BARTON.view image
• ROKEBY - RALPHES BAY    Joseph CHIPMAN, who came with his wife Catherine, also built a windmill at Ralphes Bay.
• SORELL #    Wheat was being grown and milled in the Sorell district in 1815 to supply the colony of Van Diemen's Land. It is not known when this wooden four sail post mill was built or when it operated. It was finally demolished in or about 1915. Both this structure and the old mill at Rokeby were constructed by a man named BARTON. image 1 image 2

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VICTORIA

• BALLAN    There was possibly a windmill there before the steam and water mills - that is pre 1865.
• BELFAST    See PORT FAIRY
• BRIGHTON    Peter HURLSTONE, built a windmill close to Port Phillip Bay in Union road [then Little Brighton road], Brighton in about 1844 and it seems likely that it was operating by 1845. Apparently when the sails were first made blankets had to be used because of a shortage of canvas. It does not appear to have run well and by 1846 the builder was soon looking elsewhere and to steam.
• CLUNES    Joseph WHYTE established a 4 bladed windmill flourmill in Smeaton road, Clunes in the 1870's which operated for several years. The blades measured between 9 and 12 metres in length.
• COLAC    This primitive windmill flourmill was built in the 1840's by a Mr BAXTER opposite R.DARBY's residence. Essentially an oversized coffee mill with its stones turned by a windmill using bullock hide to cover the sails.
• GEELONG    A windmill was built there in the 1840's for grain milling.
• GEELONG    Built in the suburb of Chilwell, on the banks of the Barwon River. It was part of the 'RIVERSDALE WIND and STEAM MILLS'. The steam mill was opened in 1856 and apparently built by Thomas Cosby RIDDLE [c1803 - 1891], but no date is known for the windmill. RIDDLE only appears to have owned the mill for about a year because in 1857 Richard A. ADAMS is advertising as the principle. New owners, WHYTE & DIMELOW took over in 1859. The four storey windmill had a round galleried tower and 5 sails and a fantail. It was demolished about 1886.
• KYNETON - GREEN HILL    Built on land taken up in the early 1850's by Joseph HALL. In 1855 the windmill was built with a bluestone tower. It was still being worked in 1857. The property was bequeathed to the National Trust in 1984.
• KYNETON - GREEN HILL    Built in 1854. A circular bluestone tower windmill. Used English Cubitt patent shutter sails and a set of overdriven millstones driven by a central cast iron shaft. Restored. This mill may be the same as the previous one listed. view image 1     view image 2
• LYNDOCH    The Old Dutch Mill at Lyndoch near Warrnambool was dismantled between 1914 and 1941. view image 1.    view image 2.
• MELBOURNE    In about 1851 James LANDLES built and operated a windmill in a'Becket street in the backyard of his residence.
• MORTLAKE    A 3 storey, squared, rubble bluestone building built in 1856 by George BOSTOCK. The Mill was originally wind powered. In 1857 it was purchased by the Warrnambool building firm of Aikman, Hamilton and Geddes, who installed a steam engine with a tin chimney and added another storey. In 1861 further alterations were made when the tin chimney was replaced by the bluestone construct which remains to this day. In 1968 the Mill was classified by the National Trust and in 1998 it was purchased by Mortlake Community Development Committee for the community. The Mill still stands where it has for 140 odd years, at the top of the hill in Mill Street.
• PLAISTOW    A windmill was built there in the 1840's for grain milling.
• PORT FAIRY    Unknown mills in the area. 1856 image 1861 image
• PORT FAIRY    A windmill was built there in the 1840's for grain milling.
• PORT FAIRY - STRUTH, Alexander    In 1843 a four sailed post mill was delivered from Sydney by sea to Port Fairy for Alexander STRUTH. It was not erected until 1847 when it was placed at the south end of Gipps Street at the corner of Victoria Street [now - Victoria Terrace]. The opening of the flourmill on the 1st July 1848 was advertised in the Portland Mercury of July 7th 1848. Soon after this it was sold to 'RUTLEDGE and Company' who employed the miller Charles ASHBY. It was apparently wrecked and rebuilt on a number of occasions before its final demise about 1865 or 1861 depending on which authority you accept.
• WAREEK    May also be referred to as the Norwood mill. Alfred JOYCE had a windmill with sails nine feet across being used to power a mill. He also built an undershot watermill on the Bet Bet Creek near his home near Wareek. The windmill was used in summer when the creek was low. In 1864 he added a 14 hp engine and another set of millstones. The operation was quite substantial and it appears that about 30,000 and 50,000 bushels of grain were ground in that year. The plant was dismantled and sold to the 'KORONG FLOUR COMPANY' in 1879. The windmill appears to have been built at Plastowe before JOYCE moved to Norwood. His neighbour BUCKNALL also built a windmill to operate his steel hand mill.

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WESTERN AUSTRALIA

• ALBANY    Built on Lot S16, Spencer and Frederick streets in 1858 by George CHEYNE. Probably a wood post mill. It had four sails. The mill stones at CHEYNE's Cape Riche horse mill are thought to be from here.
• AUSTRALIND    John ALLNUTT [1799 - 1861] had a small mill at Point Lautour at the junction of the Collie and Brunswick Rivers about 2 kilometres south east of Australind. Erected in 1850 and probably still operating in 1853.
• BUNBURY    William FORREST, born on the 19th of February 1819 was a millwright and engineer from Bervie, near Stonehaven, Kincardineshire, Scotland. He sailed on the ship 'Trusty', landing at Bunbury, Western Australia on the 9th of December 1842 with his wife Margaret, as servants for Dr John FERGUSON, a medical practitioner who intended settling as an investor/settler in the new settlement of Australind. In 1846 FORREST was released from his engagement to Dr FERGUSON and decided to settle in the area as a millwright and mechanic. The doctor was appointed Colonial Surgeon in Perth about this time and gave William FORREST the mill machinery that he had brought out from Scotland, in lieu of some of his wages. From this point the story becomes confused. William was, even in 1844, involved in public works and was describing himself as a millwright by 1845. There is some conflict about the history of the windmills and the following is a summary of information. MILL No.1 In about 1846 permission was given for a windmill to be erected. This was erected on an exposed promontory on the east side of the Leschenault estuary. One source gives the site as Hough's Landing. Another report has him first going into an arrangement with John SCOTT to erect a windmill at Mill Point on Eelup farm. MILL No.2 Sometime before September 1849, William became convinced that his windmill was sited in the wrong place and he pulled it down and re-erected it approximately 1.6 kilometres away near the mouth of the Preston River, presumably on Mill Point. Another story states that wind problems forced FORREST to clear the timber away from the original site in 1850, in an attempt to get a better wind supply, before deciding to move to another site approximately 1.6 kilometres away at the mouth of the Preston River. There is some evidence to suggest that the mill involved in all of these disputed moves was a post mill. This second site FORREST believed would be favourably placed for the Australind settlers as they travelled down the Estuary to Bunbury. According to one source the winter gales were too fierce and the wind in autumn insufficient and shielded from the mill by a large stand of trees. The same source says the land was prone to flooding and that it was after flood damage that the mill was considered to be unsafe and was dismantled. William FORREST bought land further upstream, at the junction of the Ferguson River, for a watermill that opened in 1851. There is even some controversy as to whether there were two windmills and at what sites.
• BORDEN    The "Lily" windmill is a modern reconstruction, constructed after the pattern of the "De Lelie" windmill in Puttershoek, Holland. It is an authentic 16th Century design brick "ground-sail" mill. The five story full size Dutch Windmill, with its 22 Ton cap and a sail length of 24.6 meters, is one of the largest traditional windmills ever built in Australia. The Lily Windmill is the only fully operational flour producing windmill in Australia. To create the appearance of a traditional windmill, the use of recycled materials was essential. The hand made bricks, made by the late Samuel Taylor (1862-1941) of Tambellup (WA)), used for the five-story tower came from the previous Broomehill (WA) Co-op building. This building was erected in 1905 and destroyed by fire in 1991. The supporting beams of the two lower floors are re-used Telecom poles collected from the surrounding country side and the top floor supporting beams were part of the Albany (WA) deep water jetty. The Albany jetty was built in 1916 and demolished in 1993.The floors, door and window frames are made from the cross-arms of the old Telecom poles and the flagpole, high on the top of the windmill cap, was once used at the old Esplanade Hotel in Albany. The Lily website has further information, images and construction data.
• CHANNYBEARUP    Built by John GIBLETT between 1862 and 1869. To encourage locals to grow wheat he would grist free of charge. Later destroyed by bushfire.
• FREMANTLE    The first windmill in the state was erected c1832 by William Kernot SHENTON, and was converted from an earlier horse mill. [see that reference for further detail]. It seems to have been built on Fremantle lot 231 or 232 just inside the bar which was then across the Swan River mouth. The mill was dependent on Government contracts to grind grain shipped into the colony. The mill did not met expectations and he had moved to the Point Belches windmill by August 1833. The Fremantle mill was still intact in November 1833.
• MAYLANDS - PENINSULAR    Joseph W. HARDEY's [1804 - 1875] mill on 'Tranbby', Peninsular farm on the east side of the Peninsular was standing in 1835. Sited on Lot G at the corner of Peninsular and Johnson roads, Maylands. Described as having 4 sails and using the trunk of a large gum tree to fix it. The millwright was James LOCKYER, son of Paul who was involved with SHENTON's mill. This mill used a pair of 86cm locally cut millstones and had a pair of governor balls. Still listed in 1838. It was advertised for sale in 1857.
• NEW NORCIA    The c1853/4 records of the monastery record a windmill contrivance to grind the wheat.
• PERTH ??    There was an announcement of the arrival of an imported windmill in January 1835, and this seems to have been operational by February that year. Thought to be sited on Chase Farm. No further details are known but it is assumed to be a small timber framed mill similar to the first POINT BELCHES design.
• PERTH - POINT BELCHES #    Known as the 'Winchester' mill, it was built on four and a half acres at South Perth on Lot P of 4.5 acres obtained by William Kernot SHENTON in April 1833. Built by the millwrights Paul and James LOCKYER. This was a promontory where it was hoped the mill would catch the wind from several directions. It was under construction by June and operational by August of that year when SHENTON wrote to suggest his new mill to process the grain then held in the Government stores. It was built with smaller millstones than his previous Fremantle Mill and an application was made in November 1833 to transfer those stones to the new site. 1833 drawings show a wooden bodied, fixed mill with underdriven stones and a hand operated flour dresser. The business was being operated in partnership with John MONGER by October 1833, but this partnership was dissolved in July 1834. On March 24 1834, while his cousin George SHENTON was resident, the mill was raided by about 30 aboriginals under the leadership of CALYUTE who was later involved with the killing of NESBIT at the Murray river. Although their leader wanted to spear George, others in the group decided against it and after gutting the mill of flour and pollard they left carrying the spoils in every pot, pan or other type of container they had located at the mill. There is some thought that this first mill burnt down not long after its erection, but others think it continued to be used for storage.
• PERTH - POINT BELCHES #    The foundation stone was laid in October 1835 for a replacement mill. One source places it 200 yards north of the old site. Built by the millwrights Paul and James LOCKYER [father and son] to SHENTON's design. It was a three storey tower built of thick limestone blocks and was largely complete and operational by January 1837 with one pair of stones, and under the control of William Rolf STEEL. The building was regularly white washed in the early period. There was a brick cottage built nearby for the miller. It was fully operational by April 1837 when it was said to be grinding an average of 25 bushels a day. SHENTON mortgaged the mill to Edward HAMMERSLEY in September 1840 and left the area. One report describes the operating mill as having no rooms fixed around its base. There was a round flat roof with a sliding door to reach the top of the building which had a square, lookout on it with railings and a ship shaped wind vane on a iron staff. The observer further stated that the wheel was fixed to face west and that there were 3 sails which could be slowed by some form of brake. Wheat was loaded on the east side via a chute. Entry to the mill was on the north side and the ground floor had wooden bins which received the flour from above via a canvas chute. The next floor was reached by a ladder on the west side. Here there were some stout beams fitted into the walls and set about a metre above the floor. These supported the grinding stones and the shaft. The stones were described as about 1.35 metres in diameter and bound in steel rims. Higher up were further crossbeams to support the wind wheel shaft. It appears that the wheel shaft was connected to a lower shaft with belting. W. K. SHENTON drowned in 1842. The mill was operated by the brothers Richard, Edward and Thomas MIDDLETON from 1843 - 1845 when Richard left the partnership. It is not certain who was occupying the mill in the next period up to 1848 when it was put up for public auction. It was the property of HAMMERSLEY in 1950 and he let it to Paul LOCKYER who operated it from 1850 -52 and the mill ceased operation in 1859. It was acquired by the State government in 1929 and restored in 1957 using parts of the WONNERUP mill. The restoration was more imagination than reconstruction because the original design is not known. view image
• TIBRADDEN    By the early 1860's John Sidney DAVIS [1817 - 1893] was operating a mill at 'Tibradden' which is near the Kojarena South and Sandsprings roads about 28 kilometres east of Geraldton and about 5 kilometres south of Northern Gully. The walls which are 71 cm thick in places are constructed of ironstone, sandstone and some brick. The wheel was fitted in a revolving 4 sided peaked cap covered by shingles which could be turned to face the wind by a long pole. One doorway and 2 windows were provided in what appears to be a 2 storey building. The mill was also used by nearby farmers. An 1871 sketch shows the mill without sails. In 1975 this building was still intact except for the loss of the sails.
• TOODYAY    There was a proposal in 1846 by Joseph CHARLTON [c18111 - 1896?] to build a mill on Avon Location 55 which is about 6 kilometres south east of Toodyay. The area is known as Windmill hill but no further information is available.
• WONNERUP - CHAPMAN, Henry #    Built for Henry CHAPMAN at 'Inlet Park' on the south side of the Vasse Estuary, it was operational by April 1850. The the three storey tower mill was constructed of limestone blocks from the property and had 4 blades on a wooden windshaft. The domed mill roof was shingled with slates and rotated with the sails, on iron rollers. A horse was often used to pull the very long tail pole. All the cog wheels were made from tuart wood. The millstones were 109 cm across and 25cm deep French Burr stones, although a pair of one piece granite stones 81cm diameter are located outside. The ground floor with its 2 doors and 2 windows has 76 cm thick walls and contains a 51 cm square vertical central shaft and has a ladder to the next floor. The first floor containing the millstones has 1 door and 3 windows and the shaft is now circular. The second floor with 1 door and 3 windows houses the top of the shaft. In 1857 J. CHAPMAN advertised the mill to be let or sold, but in 1861 it is listed as MRS CHAPMAN's mill and then in 1886 it is again for sale in the estate of Amelia CHAPMAN. Probably operational into the 1880's. The mill was operated until probably 1857 by James RICHARDSON who lived in a hut across the other side of the estuary and had to row across when the wind was favourable to operate the mill. The mill also had a threshing and winnowing machine. Much of the machinery was removed to POINT BELCHES for the restoration in exchange for a new roof.
• WONNERUP - HURFORD, John    This is a maybe windmill which could have existed on 'Fishleigh' owned by John HURFORD. The property was on Sussex Location 11, between Wonnerup Estuary and the sea. In 1849 there is an accident reported at "Mr HARTFORD's mill." [HURFORD]. In 1851 he is mentioned as having a mill which is not operating. His wife Bridget has a claim to fame as the first woman hung in WA for assisting in John's murder in 1855.
• YORK    Built by an American, Solomon COOK, on lot 4 York, in McCartney St between Avon Tce and the river. He was granted permission to build it in May 1849 and the foundation stone was laid in 1850. The mill was ready to operate in early 1851. It was round with a peaked roof, 40 foot high and built of stone. The granite millstones were also made by COOK. The mill was converted to steam in January 1852 and the lot went for public auction in 1854.
• YUNDERUP #    In 1843 Joseph COOPER began construction of a limestone windmill at Windmill Point on Culeenup Island at the mouth of the Murray river where it enters Peel Inlet. Joseph was killed in a cart accident in 1847 and his young sons Thomas and James were to inherit the mill on becoming of age. It was completed with the help of Josiah STINTON who remained for some time to instruct the boys. The mill was in use by 1850. Anecdotal information is that the sails and roof were burnt in a bushfire. The mill appears to have been a tower design with a pole for adjustment. When the roof was repaired c1860 a steam engine was installed in a brick room built on the side of the mill. The steam engine was sold in 1865. The mill was restored in the 1950's. The millstones from the site are believed to have gone to Captain FAWCETT's mill at Pinjarra.

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