INDUSTRIAL ROMANCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20484, 11 August 1928, Page 7

INDUSTRIAL ROMANCE.

GEELONG SALT WORKS. FORTY YEARS’ DEVELOPMENT. (From Otm Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, August 3. The establishment of the Chcothan salt works at Point Henry, Geelong, and its subsequent development, is one of the outstanding features of Australia’s industrial history. It is just about 40 years ago that the late Robert Chcethan came from England after a tour of the world and selected a large area of lowlying land, near Geelong, as an i ml place for the establishment of solar salt works. At the time the land was little more than a swamp and residents viewed tlie future with feelings that it was sure to b a failure. As a matter of fact Mr Cheethau was regarded as being a. very strange man. However, he persisted in his object and convinced the late A. W. Cunningham of the soundness of his scheme, and with their combined efforts the works were established on a small scale. Now the works cover an area of 1200 acres.

Sea water contains .‘U per cent, of solids, of which 2£ per cent, is salt. In such an industry climatic conditions have to be taken into account. The drier the conditions the better the salt harvest, while a thunderstorm at a critical stage might throw back the harvest for weeks. Geelong has an average rainfall of about 20 inches, and evaporation varies from 24 inches to 30 inches. A small bay is inclosed in a coffer dam, and into this receiving area, the rising tide flows through sluice gates, and then the water is pumped into a series of small paddocks—walled areas—at a higher level. There are more than 550 miles of walls. The water flows in and out of the paddocks, and the density of t : water rises until it commences to give up gypsum. Salt crystals commence to settle as the brine evaporates. More brine is added until the layer of crystal is at least two inches. The mother liquid is then drained off, and the crystal conveyed to the stacks (o await treatment in the refinery. The works have been wonderfully successful and from a small beginning have grown to the vast undertaking here described. All grades of salt arc .manufactured, from the crude salt for cattle and sheep to the relined sifted salt used in the making of butter. The industry may now safely be described as one of the most flourishing in Australia.