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First Portland Cement Made in AustraliaPrint Page Print this page

03-September-2013
03-September-2013

Photographs supplied by Bryan Cole

The monument commemorates the first Portland cement made in Australia. 

William Lewis, born in Wales in 1835, migrated to South Australia at the age of 21. As a lime-burner he tramped the nearby hills in search of raw materials which were abundant as the Brighton Series were part of precambrian limestone formations.

He began cement-making experiments in 1882 and formed a syndicate to produce the first portland cement in Australia. Half a century earlier in England the invention of Portland cement had transformed the building industry and South Australia was importing about 8000 tons per annum in 1882.

Location

Address:Brighton & Scholefield Roads, near War Memorial, Seacliff, 5049
State:SA
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -35.037942
Long: 138.524463
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:Technology
Sub-Theme:Industry
Approx. Event Start Date:1882
Designer:John Beswick

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Tuesday 31st July, 1984
Front Inscription

Near this place a syndicate led by William Lewis established a cement works in 1882 which produced the first portland cement made in Australia.  

The South Australian Portland Co.Ltd. grew out of this enterprise eventually becoming merged in Adelaide Brighton Cement Ltd

This monument takes the form of crystals of calcite, the principal mineral in limestone

Plaque :

Unveiled on 31 July 1984 by Hon. R. K. Abbott M.P. Minister of Transport at the time of completion of the duplication of 
Ocean Boulevard

M. J. Knight  Commissioner of Highways  South Australia

E. W. Schroder, A.O.  Managing Director  Adelaide Brighton Cement Ltd.

 

Source: MA,NRUM
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au