The Inverell Foundry

The “Gibson”s Foundry” was opened at Inverell in 1909 by Robert Gibson when he began making fuel stoves.  In 1919 Manufacturing Engineer Brothers, Percy and Alexander Campbell bought out the business and changed the name to “Campbell and Campbell”. 

It was Percy and Alexander’s knowledge of steam power and gravel pumps that steered the business into manufactures of mining equipment.  In the 1920’s when Steam Mining Plants were being used the Company manufactured gravel pumps, repaired Steam Engines and Ancillary equipment for the local mines. 

In the 1930’s, the Foundry was not bringing in sufficient revenue to support both families, so Alexander left his share to Percy and moved his family to Sydney.  Unfortunately, he was killed in a road accident in the 1940’s. 

Then in the 1940’s Percy’s son Alec joined the business after the Second World War and supervised the business up until his retirement.  The business was taken over by Alec’s son Peter, who managed it up until it closed in 1987.

After the War, in the boom years for wool, Scrub clearing rakes, Rippers and Bulldozer Blades were in strong demand by Graziers and the Foundry concentrated on meeting this market.

As wool declined in the 1960’s Tin and Sapphire Mining began to revive. Alex Campbell introduced Mineral Separation Jigs (Pulsating Jigs), a more modern and efficient way of separating Tin, Gold, Diamonds and sapphires from the alluvial material. At first the Jigs were made under licence from a United States Firm, but later developed their own Jig, which performed as well but cost half as much to make. The Inverell Foundry manufactured and supplied alluvial mining plants to all parts of World.