Geocache file generated by GSAK (HasChildren)
GSAK
cache, geocache, groundspeak

New Sheffield - Lake Alexandra by NationalSteel (1/1)
New Sheffield - Lake Alexandra by NationalSteel
Geocache|Lab Cache
NewShefi
New Sheffield - Lake Alexandra
Sheffield is a major industrial city in the north of England and was at one time the centre of the world's iron and steel production. The town of Mittagong in NSW would not exist in its present form if not for a similar history, albeit on a much smaller scale. In fact, the original name of the settlement at Mittagong was "New Sheffield", because it was created around the first commercial iron smelting works in Australia. Unfortunately iron production in Mittagong was never economically viable, but it played a major role in the later success of Australia's iron and steel industry and represents a significant part of Southern Highlands history. While completing this Adventure Lab you will visit five sites of the original settlement and explore the history of iron production in the area. Note: There is a bonus Mystery cache (GC8AAFD) which you will be able to find after you complete this Adventure Lab. You will also pass near several other caches along the way.
Lake Alexandra is a man-made lake, originally created in 1876 as a store of water for the various steam engines associated with the ironworks and the nearby coal mine on Mt Alexandra. In 1894, after the failure of the iron works, the lake was entrusted to the local council to be maintained as a public recreational reserve. The information board nearby explains the significance of a particular type of tree to this lake.

New Sheffield - Ironmines Creek by NationalSteel (1/1)
New Sheffield - Ironmines Creek by NationalSteel
Geocache|Lab Cache
NewShefl
New Sheffield - Ironmines Creek
Sheffield is a major industrial city in the north of England and was at one time the centre of the world's iron and steel production. The town of Mittagong in NSW would not exist in its present form if not for a similar history, albeit on a much smaller scale. In fact, the original name of the settlement at Mittagong was "New Sheffield", because it was created around the first commercial iron smelting works in Australia. Unfortunately iron production in Mittagong was never economically viable, but it played a major role in the later success of Australia's iron and steel industry and represents a significant part of Southern Highlands history. While completing this Adventure Lab you will visit five sites of the original settlement and explore the history of iron production in the area. Note: There is a bonus Mystery cache (GC8AAFD) which you will be able to find after you complete this Adventure Lab. You will also pass near several other caches along the way.
Iron was first discovered right here in 1833, during road construction at what is now called Ironmines Creek. This creek still runs through the grounds of Mittagong RSL. The significance of the iron find here not only led to the emergence of Australia's iron industry, but also drew people to the area to enjoy the apparent health-giving effects of the mineral-rich water. The demand on iron production from this area during World War II, taken to nearby Port Kembla as the local ironworks had long since failed, resulted in the mineral springs being deviated and becoming unviable. If you look up the hill, you may see some familiar iron lamp-posts.

New Sheffield - Fitz Roy Iron Works by NationalSteel (1/1)
New Sheffield - Fitz Roy Iron Works by NationalSteel
Geocache|Lab Cache
NewShefd
New Sheffield - Fitz Roy Iron Works
Sheffield is a major industrial city in the north of England and was at one time the centre of the world's iron and steel production. The town of Mittagong in NSW would not exist in its present form if not for a similar history, albeit on a much smaller scale. In fact, the original name of the settlement at Mittagong was "New Sheffield", because it was created around the first commercial iron smelting works in Australia. Unfortunately iron production in Mittagong was never economically viable, but it played a major role in the later success of Australia's iron and steel industry and represents a significant part of Southern Highlands history. While completing this Adventure Lab you will visit five sites of the original settlement and explore the history of iron production in the area. Note: There is a bonus Mystery cache (GC8AAFD) which you will be able to find after you complete this Adventure Lab. You will also pass near several other caches along the way.
Between 1848 and 1886, the location of the shopping centre where you now stand was instead of busy ironworks, the epicentre of iron production and in a very real sense the main reason why the modern town of Mittagong exists at all. The two large stone wheels here were used in the production of bricks for the site. The small sandstone cottage nearby, now a restaurant, is the only remaining building form the original ironworks. For a more detailed exploration of the historic ironworks site, you can start the Multi-Cache GC4KB63 "Iron Works Walk" from here. Down the stairs you will find an amazing exhibit of the foundations and relics of the ironworks itself.

New Sheffield - Blast Furnace by NationalSteel (1/1)
New Sheffield - Blast Furnace by NationalSteel
NewShefe
New Sheffield - Blast Furnace
Here you can see the foundations of the first blast furnace in Australia. There are several lumps of iron material here as well as some monuments. The sheet of steel was rolled in Port Kembla from iron mined here in Mittagong. Take note of the poles holding the sheet of steel up - they were originally lamp-posts, forged in nearby Braemar, using iron from this blast furnace. There are many of these lamp-posts still dotted around Mittagong. There is an Earthcache GC7Y8G1 "Fitz Roy Iron" at this location which provides more info on the iron itself.

New Sheffield - Alexandra Square by NationalSteel (1/1)
New Sheffield - Alexandra Square by NationalSteel
NewSheff
New Sheffield - Alexandra Square
Alexander Square was the centre of the original New Sheffield settlement. Even today you can see it is flanked by historic sandstone buildings, including churches and private dwellings, many with locally-made iron lace-work. The bandstand rotunda near one corner originally stood where you are now, in the centre of the park, and served as the cultural centre of the town. As you stand here at the published coordinates, you are surrounded by a ring of large blocks of local sandstone.