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Len · Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 3:09 pm Post subject: Allan's Creek: Unanderra

Back in 1968-69 as kids we used to play on the banks of Allan's creek, Five Islands Road Unanderra, we weren't supposed to but we did.
On one side of the creek, this is the side we had access to was a pair of railway lines and Five Island Road. We had to cross these if we wanted to reach the creeks bank and on the other side of the creek was the steel works dump and another rail track which was used by the steel works from which they used to tip red hot slag that had come from the Furnaces/ ovens onto the banks of Allan?s creek .

I can remember the banks of Allan's creek being black and having very oily silt, also the water in the creek was very black, disgusting really but as kids we used to wade across the creek and build rafts etc. I don't know if the condition of the creek was the same along its whole length or perhaps it was just on the section we used to visit..
I was just wondering, what's the creek like today after all these years. Has it been cleaned up any or is it just the same? Anyone know?

Rascal · New Member Joined: 17 Apr 2006 Posts: 3

Len,

You would'nt recognise the same creek now. With all the Environment laws out and the Steelworks efforts to change their image, the creek is pretty clean. and even has significant quantities of fish in it. I have worked in the steelworks for the past 32 years and can remember back to the times when the smog from the Coke Ovens and Blast Furnaces was so thick, you could hardly see infront of you when driving along the road. The whole place is now monitored that tightly by state bodies such as the EPA and residents, that these scenes are a thing of the past. Russell

Roy · Active Member Joined: 23 Aug 2005 Posts: 60

I worked in #1 machine shop Russel. That was dirty enough , used to come home covered in all this glitter stuff from the foundry. Bloody stuff got into salad butties too. I was pleased to get out of the place.

Arthur Radford · Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2010 9:44 am Post subject:

My wife worked in the Admin block in the Computer Section at the Steelworks from 1966 - 1970. Part of the job was to process the 'clock cards' for the fortnightly pay. No-one liked to do the ones from the Sinter plant, Coke Ovens etc. as they ended up with really dirty hands & desks. These were always the last ones processed Laughing