Joseph Louttit's quarry at Moruya South Head isn't as famous as its northern counterpart, and Moruya resident and history buff Norman Moore wants to do something about that.
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Here he recounts the history of the unsung granite hero, to educate people about the history on their doorstep, and the importance of preserving it.
“Moruya was well known from 1855 as the first port from which gold was shipped in Australia,” he said.
“Joseph and John Louttit opened a quarry on the Moruya River’s south bank in 1858 opposite the main Moruya quarry on the north bank.
“A Mr J Ziegler operated a smaller quarry there around 1860-70, and used the stone to build the Moruya Catholic Church and made a donated a town clock which today stands outside the council chambers at Moruya – it’s a sun dial.”
“John Young, builder of the Sydney GPO, took over the Louttit quarry lease in 1868 and initially cut stone for foundation work on the building.
As the depth and height of the quarry face grew, billets of granite for the GPO’s colonnade, each weighing eight tons, as well as other objects including columns for St Mary’s Cathedral, the base of Captain Cook’s statue, the Bank of NSW facade and Canberra’s foundation stone were turned on the giant lathe which is now on display at the Moruya Museum.”
Mr Moore said that it may well be the lathe, which is classified as ‘unique outside Europe,’ that turned the monument to police hero Constable O’Grady at Nerrigundah about 1890.
“While the quarry lease was operated by John Young, Joseph Louttit built a cutter (a small sailing vessel) and collected produce from farmers along the river bank.
“Joseph again worked the quarry when Young’s lease expired, dealing in random orders of stone.
“As the children grew and worked the quarry they had to deal with tragedy, and one of the Louttit boys was severely injured when a rock drill snapped.
“Aboriginals from a nearby camp laid the stricken youth on sheet of corrugated iron and applied shark oil, a remedy that apparently stops bleeding.”
Mr Moore said it was important to know that Joseph Louttit’s quarry produced ‘long grained’ granite which was a must for column work, unlike the Moruya quarry, which was more suitable for block making.
“It should also be made clear that the Louttit quarry is truly of pioneering times and the the other, while unique and historical, is modern and government-orientated,” he said.
“Louttit’s quarry must surely be Moruya’s best-kept secret for tourism.”