Aboriginal occupation The area that later became Illewong lies within the traditional lands of
Wangaaypuwan dialect speakers (also known as Wangaibon) of
Ngiyampaa people, referred to in their own language as Ngiyampaa Wangaaypuwan.
Queen Bee Copper Mine Before Illewong, the area was known as Bee Mountain. Gold was discovered there in June 1889 and, by August 1889, there had been a minor gold rush. Although some prospecting continued into the early 1890s, the field did not have a large and rich gold deposit, unlike the recently established gold mines around
Wrightville. In June 1902, a rich deposit of copper ore was discovered, and leases were taken out over 80 acres of land. The Queen Bee Copper Mining Company was established on 26 November 1903; its directors were local men from Cobar and Wrightville. The development of the Queen Bee mine and erection of its smelters were underway by mid 1904. By August 1905, the mine and smelters were well in production. A serious accident occurred in July 1906, Allan Roberts was working at the bottom of a shaft when a large stone fell 100 feet, striking him on the head. He suffered a
compound fracture of the skull. Taken to hospital at Cobar, he was operated upon, and regained consciousness, but was left paralysed on one side.By 1907, the Queen Bee mine had "
a winding engine, a vertical engine for driving rock breakers, air blowers, saw benches, etc., a 9-h.p. rock drill air-compressing plant, fitting shop, a No.5 Krupp ball mill for crushing quartz, for fettling the smelting and roasting furnaces, three reverberatory smelting furnaces, one refining furnace, brick-making plant, and a 36in. water-jacket cupola furnace, with which experiments are being made for the purpose of securing data as to the best means of dealing with the low-grade ores." The mine in those early years was profitable, and paid dividends in 1907. Nonetheless, the well-equipped but remote mine had its challenges. It was some distance from the nearest railway at
Wrightville, its copper ore grades had fallen over time, and were now mainly low-grade. The
reverberatory furnaces used large amounts of wood as fuel. The
slag from its reverberatory furnace contained around 1.5% copper, and it used the
cupola furnace in experimental smelting that resulted in 0.3% copper in the slag. On the basis of the experiments, it had ordered a
water jacket furnace, but it would need to bring
coke from
Wollongong, a costly proposition. The water jacket furnace was a success and its production rate was nearly equivalent to that of three reverberatory furnaces. A second water jacket furnace was added in 1909, using a second hand
Roots blower from the
Great Cobar Mine. One reverberatory furnace was retained for roasting
copper matte to make blister copper, but subsequently all smelting was done using the water-jacket furnaces. By mid 1909, the main shaft was 602 feet deep (183 metres). There were five levels of the mine, the first being at 150 feet (46 m) down and the deepest level being at 570 feet (174 metres). Development work in the mine did not recommence until September 1910. Rising copper prices led to the Queen Bee mine resuming production by April 1912. The price of copper fell at the beginning of 1913. Despite optimistic reports, the mine needed urgent prospecting and development to uncover new ore. After just less than a year of full operation, in March 1913, the mine was once again shutdown.
Dalgety & Company made a petition to wind up the company, for unpaid debts, in December 1913, and an order to wind up the company was made in February 1914. The mining leases had been forfeited for non-payment of rent, in June 1913. The old company objected unsuccessfully when a local man, Robert Ellis, took out fresh leases and took possession of the mine site. When he claimed ownership of the all items on the leases, including any copper, the stockpiled ore, and the equipment of the Queen Bee mine, a protracted dispute began. The dispute ended, in July 1914, when the parties reached a settlement, ending legal action.
Village of Illewong Heyday A settlement, including a store, had developed at Bee Mountain, by the end of 1904. The population had reached 140, by October 1904, and was, reportedly, over 200 by the end of that year. The settlement was associated with the Queen Bee Copper Mine, and to its south the Queen Bee South, amongst others in the surrounding area. The village's school opened in April 1905. A post office opened there in September 1905. There was one hotel there, by September 1905, the Bee Mountain Hotel. The hotel became the scene of a drunken disturbance involving some of the settlement's men and women, on Sunday 19 November 1905, and other offences committed there up to 22 November 1905. There were numerous charges laid, including charges of riotous behaviour, malicious damage to property, indecent language, drunkenness, and
aiding and abetting gaming on licensed premises. In January 1906, a licence for another then newly-completed hotel building, the Royal Hotel, was granted. There was a 'tank'—an excavated reservoir—at Bee Mountain, before the village, but it was inadequate. By March 1903, water for the residents was being carried, 12 miles from Brura Tank, and sold at a rate of 12 shillings for 200 gallons. 640 acres of land had been reserved for a water supply 'tank' a contract let, and, by August 1906, its construction was well under way. The village was proclaimed, on 18 April 1906, with the name Illewong. The nearest passenger railway was at Cobar, but a freight railway, known as The Peak branch line, operated as far as
Wrightville. Always a small village—its population reportedly around 300, in September 1907—in its heyday, Illewong could nonetheless support a town band, and various sporting teams; football, tennis, cricket, and even a rifle club. A rifle range lay to the north of the village and mine. Church of England (Anglican), Catholic, and Wesleyan (Methodist) church services were held at Elouera. Illewong had union branches, of both the
Amalgamated Miners Association, which represented the miners of the Queen Bee Mine, and the Engine Drivers and Fireman's Association.
Decline The mine was closed, between December 1909 A storekeeper, Thomas Predergast, had stores in both villages, but his business failed in mid 1909. The last storekeeper, Mr Milson, decided to relocate to Wrightville, in December 1909, The village's remaining hotel, the Bee Mountain Hotel, also known as 'Martin's Hotel', also burned down, in November 1914; it was also insured. The causes of both fires were unknown, but the timing of each fire corresponded to a protracted interruption of mining activity at Illewong, and neither hotel was ever rebuilt. Martin was about to take over the Royal Hotel, at
Canbelego, when it too was destroyed by fire in February 1915. The village had a policeman, Constable Malony, who had been stationed there for seven years, when he was found dead with an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, in October 1912. He was about to be transferred to
Parkes, and his body was found when his replacement arrived. He was buried in the village's cemetery. Copper production only recommenced in April 1912. The school closed in May 1916. In October 1916, the British Munitions Department agreed to buy the entire production of most of the larger Australian copper mines, including
Great Cobar mine, at a price of £120 per ton. In 1916, the old Queen Bee Copper Mine was reborn as the Mount Illewong Mine. The mine was dewatered, in early 1916, after around four years of inactivity. A new concentrator plant replaced the on-site smelting of the previous operations. By mid 1916,
copper concentrate was shipped to a copper smelter and refinery at
Port Kembla. This revival of the mine—it employed only around twenty men in February 1917—failed to last. Operations were "
temporarily curtailed", in October 1917, with the reason being that Port Kembla already had too much ore. Around March 1919, the equipment was stripped from the mine. Six men later worked the mine as
tributers—supplying the C.S.A. mine's smelter, at
Elouera, north of Cobar township— but large scale mining there was over. The C.S.A. smelters closed, in April 1920, leading to the immediate closing of other copper mines in the Cobar district.
End of the village In late 1922, the village was described as a "
deserted mining town", and the disused school building was demolished and taken to
Dubbo. In 1923, it was reported that only one family was dwelling there, and that a house or shop, in the deserted village, could be bought for just the value of the transfer fee. Only five votes had been recorded there in the
1920 election and, in late 1926, Illewong was abolished as a polling place. Money order and savings bank facilities were withdrawn from the post office, at the beginning of February 1920, and the post office closed in February 1927. and the dedication of the land for its school was revoked. == Remnants ==