It was based on the shore just north of the intersection of the New Waterford Highway (#28) and Lake Road (circled in red on the map below).
The coal from this mine was conveyed by a railway 5.5 kilometres long to the Victoria Pier at South Bar for shipment.
The mine’s two slopes (decline tunnels) were abandoned in 1870 due to water inflow problems and a new set of slopes were opened 250 metres to the northeast, again right along the shore – which was an unfortunate mistake to make once, never mind twice.
Being so close to the shore did not leave enough rock cover between the subsea tunnels and the ocean floor above.
This allowed sea water to enter the mine through faults or other structural features of the geology.
The mine was sold to the Dominion Coal Company in 1894 and closed in 1897 due to rock fall issues.
In 1962 an airway was completed due West of Lamey’s Lane in New Victoria to service the eastern portion of the Princess Colliery whose main shafts were approximately 6 kilometres to the west, the other side of Sydney Harbour, at Cranberry Head in Sydney Mines.
The increase in coal exports after the General Mining Association got a monopoly on mineral rights in Nova Scotia in 1826 made it important to mark the entrance to Sydney harbour to keep ships safe.
The first Low Point Lighthouse, in New Victoria at the mouth of Sydney harbour, was built in 1832.