Coalcliff once had the most productive underground coal mine in Australia. It was so important for Australia’s defence in 1944 that the Commonwealth Government of Australia took over this mine during a coalminers’ strike. The coal was essential to produce armaments for the war. The government retained control of the mine until 1947.

In The Big History of Little Stanwell Park, Michael Adams describes how the Wodi Wodi people used coal to aid their fishing at Bulli. They would put burning coal on a stone on their canoes to create light to attract the fish.

The discovery of coal by the Caucasians is one of tragedy and shipwreck, with great kindness being shown by the indigenous people. In 1797 a ship, The Sydney Cove, was wrecked off the coast of Van Diemen’s Land. The survivors took a long boat and crossed to the mainland in Victoria where the long boat disintegrated. Seventeen people set out to walk 700 kilometres to Sydney. 

Indigenous people helped them all along the way. They showed the survivors what foods they could eat. They taught them how to make rafts to cross the rivers and even lent them canoes to help them cross the Shoalhaven. They showed them the walking tracks. Five of the group survived to reach Coalcliff. There they found lumps of coal that William Clarke brought back to Governor Hunter in Sydney Cove. Three of the party made it to Sydney. When they got to Wattamolla they were rescued by a fishing boat. Two died at Coalcliff. They were too weak to climb the cliffs. Clarke kept a diary and published an account of this trip.

Governor Hunter sent George Bass with a crew in a small boat to investigate and confirm the discovery of coal. The lack of a safe harbour and suitable roads meant that the mining of coal did not commence at Coalcliff until almost a century later.

Kieran Tapsell in his book Tales Old and New from Stanwell Park: Reminiscences of a Local gives more detail of the travels of the survivors.