Two Year Contracts Part IV (Final)

Tasmania

Railton, Goliath Cement Company

Teodoras Šurkevičius
Henrikas Šurkevičius worked as labourer for 18 months then as a professor of technology.
Also here worked, Vacys Morkunas Juozas Kriaučiunsas, Vladas Kozakas, Ceslovas Vistokas
Vytautas Kuncaitis, Mindaugas Petras Šumskas

Rossarden, Tasmania

Rossarden is an old mining town in north-east Tasmania, located 19 km from Avoca.  The town came into being primarily because of the tin mining operations of Aberfoyle Tin Mining Company, which created a demand for employees.

Here worked Antanas Bartkevičius, Bronius Margevičius, Stasys Virbickas, Jonas Mališauskas.

Electrona

Electrona Carbide factory, 40 km from Hobart. Physical work unloading large rocks of limestone, smashing them with sledgehammers and loading them onto wagons.

Her worked Adomas Stasytis, V. Stasytienė, Jonas Motiejunas, Grigaliunas

The Australian Newsprint Mills

Logs were extracted from areas around Fitzgerald and Karanja, the workforce camps provided comfortable but basic accommodation.  Bushmen used crosscut saw and axe to fell timber and tractors, dragged logs to sidings, where steam haulers winched logs on to rail trucks. Spur lines joined the main railway to Boyer. In 1947 the township of Maydena was built as a base for logging in the Florentine Valley. Thriving communities developed at New Norfolk and Maydena, with company-built amenities including halls, football grounds and swimming pools. The workforce included many single men, often migrants.

Vladas Mikelaitis

Bell Bay Aluminium smelter

The Bell Bay smelter commenced production in 1955 as a joint venture between the Commonwealth and Tasmanian governments. The smelter was the first built in the Southern Hemisphere primarily to overcome difficulties importing aluminium during wartime. Bell Bay was chosen as the location because of the available hydroelectric power and deep-water facilities. Rio Tinto Aluminium purchased the smelter in 1960, when production was about 12,000 tonnes per year.

Boyer Mill

Australian Newsprint Mill company mill.  About 50 Balts worked here from 1948 – 1951, they lived in single men’s camps on the site in huts.

Stepas Augustavičius, Ona Taparauskas (Cook)

British Titan Products (Tioxide) Burnie

Lithuanians worked on the construction of a new factory to make paint pigment from titanium oxide.  The workmen’s camp was located on site, two roomed cottages that had been built specially for the migrants.  There was a communal shower and laundry and a large dining room where meals were served.

Raimondas Kristovkis

Electrolytic Zinc Company of Australia, Risdon

The Electrolytic Zinc Works were established by the Electrolytic Zinc Company at Risdon beside the Derwent in 1916. Eighteen Lithuanians off the Wooster Victory worked here, residing in a new camp. The camp became known as the Balt Camp. Work included digging trenches, erecting fences, work in the quarry.

Here worked, Stasys Valaitis, Olegas Truchanas, Jonas Deckys, Ben Berzanskas.

Electrolytic Zinc Company of Australia, Rosebery

The company was allocated seven Lithuanians off the first ship carrying migrants to Australia.  The camp consisted of six or seven tin sheds.  The men were engaged in mineral explorations, cutting tracks, cutting roads.

Here worked; Karolis Maslauskas, Juozas Jablonskis, Salkunas, Viktoras Kuciauskas, Leons Mikelans
Alex Gabas, Juris Princis, Juozas Stucas, Antanas Maražas.

 Hydro-Electric Commission, Tungatinah, Wayatinah

Lithuanians here helped build dams, power stations, canals and erectednew villages.  Workers were housed in camps at Butlers Gorge damsite, Tarraleah and later at Bronte Park.

Here worked Jolanta Kulakauskas and the Miežitis family.

Post Master General’s Department

Guilford Junction, 50km from Burnie and Hampshire.  Men lived in tents, with no mains electricity.

Here worked Pranas Laurinaitis, Bronius Stankevičius

Royal Derwent Hospital (Lachlan Park Hospital)

Mental Hospital at New Norfolk, 25lm north west of Hobart.  Nurse Aids, Birutė & Irena Kirlytė.