Site Visit:Joadja Historic Site

Join the Illawarra Branch for a visit to the Joadja Historic Site in the Southern Highlands.

About this event

The AusIMM Illawarra Branch invites you to join us on a visit to the Joadja Historic site in the Southern Highlands.

The town of Joadja was established in the late 1870’s by the Australian Kerosene Oil and Mineral Co to exploit the rich kerosene shale locked in Joadja Creek.  Hundreds of Scottish oil shale miners brought with them their skills in the mining and retorting techniques, and the stilling and brewing of “sly grog”. The Scottish heritage in the valley and the history of "sly grog" has inspired the Jimenez family who currently own and manage Joadja Town, to establish Joadja Distillery in 2014. 

The historic site tour is carried out on people movers and visitors have the opportunity to get off at various places to get close up and personal with the ruins.  The tour includes 12 points of interest, mainly the valley floor where the miners lived and worked. The tour excludes the mines and adits, as they are located up a up steep and dangerous hillside.

The tour will be followed by lunch at the Joadja Distillery.  The Distillery is one of a few single malt distilleries in the world to grow their own barley and have access to natural pristine spring water on-site.

Itinerary

• Meet at 8.00am at Stuart Park parking area at North Wollongong (on Cliff Road, opposite North Wollongong Surf Life Saving Club). 
• From there, attendees will carpool to Joadja leaving no later than 8.10am.
• Estimated time of return to Stuart Park is 4.00pm.

Please note that this is exclusive to AusIMM Members. Non-Members will be placed on a waitlist should tickets become available, please email eventportal@ausimm.com.au