Page 175 - Volume 1

This is a 1960 aerial photograph of the mine looking out towards Huntly. The total destruction of the
Lake can be clearly seen as efforts are made to remove the overburden from the 30’ thick coal seams, which
slope away downward to the right. This was the limit to which opencast mining was a viable concern. To
remove further overburden to the north (right) would have made the removal of the coal uneconomic. In later

years the coal was to be removed by returning to underground extraction - longwall mining.
The dredge is seen here working in its own pond as it strips away the softer lake bed before the area
is opened up for use by the bulldozers, euclids and carryalls. All overburden was dumped into what remained
of the lake to the right.