Conference Paper

Author

Murphy, Hugh; Farley, Martin

Title

The Callington Mill at Oatlands: a story of dreams, booms, busts and recoveries

In

16th Engineering Heritage Australia Conference: Conserving Our Heritage - Make a Difference!

Imprint

Engineers Australia, Barton, Australian Capital Territory, 2011, pp. 217-231

ISBN/ISSN

9780858258877

Url

https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.895849920081223

Abstract

The Callington Mill at Oatlands is Australia's only remaining example of a Lincolnshire style windmill. Built in 1837 to take advantage of the commercial opportunities inherent in the system of colonisation and administration of the convict system, the mill experienced a challenging commercial life until it was abandoned in the late 1890's to fall into disrepair. From the 1970's onwards a series of partial stabilisation and restoration attempts occurred until a 2004 feasibility study identified the potential to restore the mill to full working order and to create a historic heritage tourism facility in combination with the milling of Tasmanian grown grains into flour. Achieving this goal required analysis of the tower's stability, reconfiguration of the interior and the manufacture and fabrication of a complete and authentic set of mid 19th Century milling machinery, cap and sails. This "mill" was manufactured in the UK by a millwright, assembled, disassembled and packed into two containers and sent to Australia, mirroring the 1830s import. The millwright followed and moved into a mill tower that had been redesigned, reconstructed and met current approval requirements to operate as a commercial mill. This required the input of engineering, architectural and building professionals to ensure the balance of heritage authenticity and heritage and contemporary compliance requirements. In late 2010, the Callington Mill recommenced milling operations, providing both a sense of achievement for the local community and those involved over the years as well as providing the catalyst in Oatlands taking its place as a key destination for those with an interest in heritage.

Related Published resources

isPartOf

• 16th Engineering Heritage Australia Conference: Conserving Our Heritage - Make a Difference! (Barton, Australian Capital Territory: Engineers Australia, 2011), 551 pp, https://search.informit.org/doi/book/10.3316/informit.9780858258877. Details