James Henry Atkinson purchased the Collingwood Estate at Liverpool, New South Wales in 1853 and is said to have built a paper mill in that area soon after a rail line was established in 1856. A reference to a local paper mill having used rushes growing on the river bank for making paper until "rust" set in and destroyed the crops and causing the mill to close may relate to this venture.

Atkinson later subdivided the Collingwood Estate and in 1864 sold about 20 acres of land to the Australian Paper Company Limited who then built a large paper mill. The foundation stone was laid on 18 September 1865 and in 1868 their Collingwood Paper Mill commenced production. It was located on the banks of the Georges River, above the dam and a short distance from the Railway Station.

There were press reports about this mill in 1866,1868,1871, 1872 and 1873.

After a change of ownership to Messrs. Daniel Williams and George Murray in 1875 this mill was renamed the Liverpool Paper Mill. This mill continued until about 1905 with the buildings later being used as a woollen mill.

Source:

Amcor Archives (University of Melbourne Archives, Baillieu Library, Melbourne)

Liverpool Sesqui-Centenary Commemoration - One Hundred and Fifty Years of Progress from Town to City (Liverpool Municipal Council, c1960)

Newspapers:

New South Wales: "Illustrated Sydney News"; "Sydney Morning Herald"; "Town & Country Journal"

Papermaking in New South Wales to 1900  |  Back to Home Page