Copper at Cadnia

Copper was first discovered at Sliding Rock, just east of Beltana, in 1869. Soon a thriving mine was established and the township of Cadnia was officially proclaimed in 1873. Underground water was first encountered at a depth of 30 feet and caused continual problems for the mine. Notwithstanding, production continued until 1877 when ground water flooding eventually caused the abandonment of operations. Ironically, almost 70 years later it would be this Sliding Rock ground water that Leigh Creek desperately needed to establish a new mine and township.

The Search for Water

The water supply for the early development of Leigh Creek coalfield was drawn from a small well and local waterholes in Leigh Creek. In drought periods supplies were carted from the railway dam at Copley. The search for a more permanent water supply for the coalfield examined all known sources within 30 miles of Copley, commencing with the testing of the Aroona waterhole in November 1941. The supply of water at many of the sites was insufficient except at Sliding Rock, where two shallow bores yielded more than 15,000 gallons an hour.

Sliding Rock

Pumps were installed at Sliding Rock and a pipeline carried the bore water 40 kms north to Telford. Pressure tanks were required along the way, including a 1,000,000 gallon tank near Copley. However, as the bore water was of poor quality and expensive treatment was necessary before it could be used in the boilers of the new Leigh Creek power station, in 1951 preliminary work began on building a new dam at Aroona.

Picnic at Sliding Rock - 1946

(photographs from the Enid Blieschke Collection)

Sliding Rock - 2021