Australian Kerosene Oil Company

At times, it also had other mining operations, at Airly and near Katoomba, and a soap and candle factory at Camellia.

After the discovery of oil shale in the valley of Joadja Creek, several parties began separate mining operations there.

Interests associated with John de Villiers Lamb (1833-1900) and his partners began to buy out other separate mining leases.

In 1876, the partners brought in James Walter Fell (1847–1882), an expert in the shale oil industry, as a consultant at Joadja.

[4][5] Operations were run initially by Lamb, Parbury and Co., but the partners sought to create a new company with a larger capitalisation.

In 1878, the partners established the Australian Kerosene Oil and Mineral Company[4] and John de Villiers Lamb became chairman of its board of directors.

[7][8] It seems likely that this change was triggered by events leading to the acquisition of additional mining operations near Katoomba, in 1890 and 1891.

[11] Retorts and an extensive refinery, in addition to the shale mines, were located in the valley of Joadja Creek, a right-bank tributary of the Wingecarribee River.

The works lay on riverfront land between the Parramatta River and the tram line to the Redbank Wharf.

The raw materials used were made at Joadja and came from there by rail, via Mittagong and the Sandown railway line.

The operations were beset with industrial troubles, had limited mining lives, and failed to meet expectations.