Burgowan boilers to promote Howard’s coal history

Two seven-metre-long boilers from the Burgowan Number 12 Mine will be used to promote the coal history of Howard and the Burrum District.

“Fraser Coast Regional Council will install one boiler at the RV stopover site in Steley Street (opposite the Howard Library) and one on the corner of Williams and Burrum Street, the entrance to the Howard Museum,” Cr James Hansen said.

“Information displays will outline the history of the boilers and the Burrum district link to coal mining.”

The Burrum was the second largest producing coal field in Queensland in its heyday.

“The Burgowan Number 12 Mine, which was on Churchill Mines Road, operated from 1910 to 1997,” Cr Hansen said.

“Council was able to collect some items from the site to be used in public art displays.

“Some are on display in the Howard Museum, some were used to decorate planter boxes located around the town centre and a poppet wheel was used as part of the Howard entry statement from the Bruce Highway on William Street.

“The boilers will add an eye-catching memorial and spark interest in the regional history.”

Council will continue to liaise with local community groups and contractors to have the boilers in place in time for the Burrum Coal Fest in July.

Background

Howard was the centre of the Burrum Coal Mining region where up to 94 shaft and tunnel mines extracted more than 14 million tonnes of coal from nine seams.

Coal from the mines, clustered around Howard and Torbanlea, powered sugar mills, Maryborough foundries and the Gympie gold fields and was processed into coking coal and coal gas.