Another paper mill in the Holdsworthy area of New South Wales was started by 1874 ( some sources claim a start-up date in the 1860's ). In 1874 it was producing paper according to the process patented by Thomas Wearne in 1873.

The mill was located on the old Heathcote Road next to William's Creek close to where it enters the George's River. Joseph Wearne built a single vat machine at this mill. The mill produced wrapping paper on machinery that was claimed to have been crudely fashioned and was probably handmade.

In April 1874 two bales of paper-making half-stuff from this mill were exhibited at the Metropolitan Intercolonial Exhibition of the Agricultural Society of New South Wales.

In the early 1880's the mill was run by Messrs. Wearne and Hack who had an office at 374 George Street, Sydney. It was completely destroyed by fire in 3 December 1884 when owned by John Sands and being run by Joseph Wearne's brother, William Carvosso Wearne. On 6 December 1884 the "Sydney Morning Herald" reported:

"DISASTROUS FIRE NEAR LIVERPOOL The paper-mills owned by Mr. John Sands, of George-street, which stood at Holdsworthy, on the banks of Williams Creek, George's River, were completely destroyed by fire on Wednesday afternoon. Accounts received as to the origin of the conflagration show that the fire came from a quarter whence danger was least expected. On the opposite of the stream to that on which the blackened ruins of the buildings now stand, the country is covered with bush and thick scrub. During the fierce, hot wind which swept across the district on Wednesday, a portion of the above-mentioned scrub caught on fire. The flames rapidly extended in every direction, sweeping everything before them, even down to the water's edge. The creek was not broad enough to resist the encroachments of the fire, and the flames were carried right across the stream, with the result that the buildings on the bank were speedily ignited. Some cottages that had been erected close to the paper-mills also took fire, and in about half-an-hour the mills and cottages were totally destroyed. A man whose duty it was to look after the mills, together with a few women and some children, endeavoured to stay the progress of the flames, and tried to confine them to the bank of the creek, but all to no purpose. The dense volume of blinding smoke and the fierce heat rendered all efforts to save the buildings from destruction completely futile. The inmates of the cottages just had sufficient time to save their household furniture and the other effects which belonged to them. The scene of the disaster is at a spot distant about five miles from the township of Liverpool. The mills were constructed of wood, with a roof of galvanised iron. They have been used for the manufacture of brown paper for some years past, and contained valuable machinery, which was worked by a couple of powerful steam engines and an oscillating 8-horse-power engine, fed by three good-sized boilers. The whole of the machinery was manufactured in New South Wales. The mills have produced as much as 80 cwt. of paper per day, and they formerly supported about ten or a dozen families. The Williams Creek is stated to contain some of the finest water in the colony for papermaking purposes. At the Sydney Exhibition of 1879, the paper produced at these mills carried off the first prize for colonial manufactured brown paper. It is stated that, owing to the difficulty experienced in procuring coal, consequent to the erection of the Illawarra railway bridge preventing colliers proceeding up the creek, the paper-mills had stopped working some months ago. Mr. Sands estimates his loss at over £5,000. The property was insured in different offices for something like £3,000 or £3,500. It is extremely improbable that the works will be revived again on the creek. The destruction of the mills is greatly to be regretted, as in addition to the loss entailed on the owner, the manufacturing power of the colony is lessened thereby."

Sources:

Australian Dictionary of Biography (volume 6)

Index to New South Wales Letters of Registration of Inventions from 1854 to 31st July, 1887 (Patents Office, Sydney, New South Wales, January, 1890)

Liverpool Sesqui-Centenary Commemoration - One Hundred and Fifty Years of Progress from Town to City (Liverpool Municipal Council, 1960)

Newspapers:

New South Wales "Sydney Mail;" "Sydney Morning Herald;" "Town and Country Journal"

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