1884 Scottish entrepreneur, Charles Harper, became the first Manager of the Metropolitan Coal
Mine at Camp Creek, New South Wales, Australia. Story has it that Camp Creek was renamed after
his birthplace, thus Harper is regarded as the founding father of Helensburgh, NSW.
‘…the blowing of the pit’s whistle for an hour one evening announced the fact that the coal had at
last been reached.’ The Sydney Morning Herald, 10 June, 1899
2015 The coal piece above, cast in bronze, was sent from Harper’s mine in Helensburgh, NSW, whilst the barnacled stone alongside it, was cast from a specially selected stone from the beach here. Both pieces represent Charles Harper’s story, the industrial and recreational functions of the two Helensburghs and the relationship between these sister towns.
