Makareao quarry, Dunback, Otago Region, New Zealandi

Regional Level Types
Makareao quarry	Quarry
Dunback	- not defined -
Otago Region	Region
New Zealand	Country

Lime.

The quarry site contains an impressive multi storey Schmatolla kiln, and other historic structures, which are unfortunately not open to the public, due to modern quarrying activities.

Lime had been quarried in the area for agricultural purposes by D. Hutcheson in the 1860's, and R. Murray 1870's, with T. Falconer erecting the first small kiln. In 1896 the New Zealand government purchased land at the quarry site, and wanting to promote the use of lime by farmers, constructed a railway to the site, and opened a quarry and lime kiln in 1900.

The kiln proved inefficient, and a new gas fired kiln was built. A cutting collapsed during construction killing three workers. The enterprise was still losing money, so the government sold the site in 1909 to the Milburn Lime and Cement Company.

The manager of the company, Frank Oakden, visited Germany and purchased a Schmatolla kiln, from inventor Ernst Schmatolla. In 1913, a new coal fired kiln was built to handle smaller stone, then workers accommodation and a dining hall was erected in 1916, after a labour walk out. In 1917, a new carbonate of lime plant was erected for agricultural lime, and by 1918 the plants were producing yearly 7000 tonnes of burn't lime for cement works, and 3500 tonnes of lime for agriculture. In 1929, the company began supplying lime to the Burnside Cement Works near Dunedin, which continued until the cement works closed in 1988. The kilns were converted to electrical power in the early 1930's. The old kilns were decommissioned in 1942. With the old quarry exhausted, a new quarry was opened further up the hill above the kilns in 1950, with a new crushing plant at the site opened 1954.

In 1963 Milburn Lime and Cement Company amalgamated with New Zealand Cement , operating five lime works across New Zealand. This company was later taken over by Holcim. Operations at present are being conducted by Taylor's Lime, owned by a British Columbian (Canada) company.

The Schmatolla lime kiln presently sits next to the modern processing plant. Two old quarries remain just up the valley. Three buried pot kilns are up the hillside above the Schmatolla kiln, with a brick forge from the demolished engineering workshop, and winch shed with intact steam winch, and timber barrels for the cable. Concrete piers remain for the cableway from the old quarries to the plant, concrete foundations for the single mens quarters, and nearby a brick swimming pool.

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