The mountains of waste near the Blair Athol coalmine

Blair Athol
A modern coal mining town.
Located 22 km north of Clermont (where all the workers now live) Blair Athol consists of little more than a huge open-cut mine.

Coal was first discovered in the area as early as 1864 but the distance from the coast and the ready supplies elsewhere prevented development. It wasn't until the oil and energy crisis of the early 1970s that the area was re-evaluated. The result was that the mine, which reputedly has the largest seam of steaming coal in the world - it is apparently 29 metres thick - was brought into productive operation. By 1984 coal from Blair Athol was being exported. Today the mine is one of the largest and most successful in Queensland.

Things to see:  

Organised Tours
Organised tours leave the office at 38 Jellicoe Street, Clermont at 8.30 am on Tuesdays. Contact the mine office on (07) 4983 1866.