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The first intimation of coal at Cambewarra Mountain was made in 1862 when the following report was printed in the Illawarra Mercury of 23rd of December:
“Good Dog Correspondent.
“Some of our more enterprising neighbours examining the Good Dog side of the mountains lately, with an eye to discovery, came upon what appeared to be very good seams of coal. On subjecting some of these specimens to the test of burning, the reult was satisfactory. Mr. John McPherson, whose opinion on such matters is entitled to some weight, thinks that we have an abundance of good coal, easy of access .....it forms part of the expensive [sic] system of coal fields farther to the north.”
 Our correspondent also states:
“A good deal of land has been selected here during the year. The land selected has been chiefly on the top of the range. Judging from the numerous and extensive fires seen lately in the direction, some considerable clearing must have been made; the weather being particularly favorable for burning off.”
On 31st July of 1863 our Good Dog correspondent had the following report printed in the Illawarra Mercury:
“Judging from the number of parties who with an eye to discovery, find their way hither, our mountains seem in a fair way of soon having their wealth revealed. Among others was a party of three gentlemen well known on the [Shoalhaven] River, who paid us a visit on Friday last. I have not heard their opinion on the practicability of working the coal which certainly exists here, but I am sure they did not think their labour altogether lost, in being afforded the fine view obtained from a spot near where the coal is found. Besides an extensive view of the country around, the eye of the spectator looks down a precipice more than a hundred-feet in depth and over which a crystal stream forms a cascade, losing itself in immense blocks evidently detached from the perpindicular [sic] wall. Nature however does not always hold her beauties cheap, and if the party took the same route the writer did, they must often exhibited grotesque acts of humility and been reminded  too naturally to be agreeable, how fit subjects they had become, for a disciple of Darwin to exemplify his theory by. But who cares for a tumble or a climb for a few hundred yards on all fours when enjoying himself among the mountains.
“Mr. Moss also indefatigable in developing the resources of the district has visited our coal seam. He thinks the selector might find some good land near. I was sorry to hear that Mr. Hyams who accompanied him was rather badly hurt by a fall from his horse when on this side of the river on Monday last.”
Our correspondent also reports that the Brown’s Mountain Road is in the course of being opened.
On the 11th of August 1863 the Illawarra Mercury reprinted a story from the Sydney Morning Herald regarding a visit to the coal seams:
“Coal Seams at Shoalhaven.
(From the Correspondent of the Herald.)
“Our friend ‘Aegeis’ has recently detailed a visit to our locality, but as he did not explore the mountains thereof, we may fairly comment that a short account of a trip to them will be interesting.
“On the north of the rich alluvial flats of the Shoalhaven, stretching from east to west, are the great Cambewarra Ranges, obtaining a height of about three thousand feet. Along the lower spurs lie farms nestling among the trees and gradually creeping up the precipitous ravines, where the midday sun never visits the dark vegetation. One day last week, a party having got scent of ‘black diamonds’,’ resolved to see how much truth lay at the bottom of the report. We were four, who assembled on the south bank of the river, , put our saddles and bridles in a punt, and worked across the magnificent river, here more than the third of a mile in width, to the Bomedary [Bomaderry] Creek. Almost half-a-mile up this creek we landed, and after a short delay mounted the nags provided for us. Here let me remark that the nags being well known were immediately christened, and it seems to me convenient in future to transfer their names to the riders to prevent personalities. Paddy and Jack accordingly went a head cutting out the running, the Undertaker lying well up, and the Bishop, saving himself I presume for the final rush, but it never came. We had about four miles of an uninteresting ride through bush lands of Mr. Berry of no value, and therefore not cleared, till we emerged on the clearings of Mr. Rice [Bice] and Bryant. We - that is to say three of us - for Paddy, disgraceful to relate, had forsaken us, having been informed that it would be dark before we returned - halted at the National school-house, a very creditable building, to inquire of the Dominie, who would probably be our best guide. The Dominie a most courteous man, gave us full information, and Jack again went a head, followed closely by the Undertaker, the Bishop well in the rear. In this order we cantered as far as Mr. Soper’s, where a cooey soon brought us face to face with the farmer himself, who mentioned his son Charlie as likely to conduct us. On a reference to Charlie we found a most willing guide, and one of the original discoverers of the coal seams; we therefore left the nags in his stockyard, and headed by the tall young cornstalk, plunged into the depth of the forest. After crossing a brook an ascent lay before us as steep as stairs, only there were no stairs, but a bed of dry leaves that slipped from the foof [sic] and rendered walking somewhat fatiguing. Magnificent trees all around - here the graceful bangly [Bangalow] - there the giant box - anon the cabbage palm extends its charming fronds, and the lace-like tree fern waves overhead.
“An ascent of some hundreds of feet has now imperatively called for a halt to repair bellows and Jack and the Bishop salute mother earth for a spell. Up and onward, but our footing is now on stone, moss-grown with a look of weird antiquity. The ascent, as is remarked by Jack is one in two, whereon the Bishop rejoins, he should have thought it was two in one. Cornstalk recommends the Undertaker cherishes his cigar, and ignores the recommendation. Higher still higher, and a halt is unanimously called, for we stand on a small clear space, whence a grand view is obtained. At our feet lie the clearings, beyond the bush we rode through, then the noble river, like a silver band traversing the landscape.
“Flow on, bright river to the sea
Thy tribute wave deliver.
“Beyond the river are the far famed alluvial flats of Terrara, Greenhills, and Numba, whence the eye traverses the bush, till it meets the orbs of Jervis Bay, and beyond its headlands, the horizon of the great Pacific Ocean.
“Yet again up, up, and we stand on a terrace marked by an old cedar road, and the remains of mighty trees, now doing duty as chairs and washstands somewhere. Home edax. We go westward on this terrace, treading on loose shingle, ‘till our guide suddenly wavers, and requests us to wait a minute. He dives into the ferns and disappears. We remark, as comforting under the circumstances that there are no Maori ambuscades about, and await his return. This way ! is shouted, and we descend slightly, still slanting westward. Now the noise of falling waters meets our expectant ears, and we reached the confused boulders of a mountain torrent.  Our guide turns and observes that we are too low, so we ascend the bed of the torrent, which is rather Alpine. The Bishop observes that it is a wild goose chase, and we had better go back. Whilst talking, a few steps brings us to a sight which makes us forget our small troubles. We stand in presence of a vertical rock of trap, about 150 feet in height, down which a multitude of small rills are falling, and split up into showers of diamonds on each small projection. Ah, says our guide, if there had been much rain it would have been beautiful, and twice as high. We look behind us and ucknowledge [sic] the force of the latter remark, as a small impetus to the stream would send its volume clear over our heads into the depths whence we have somehow ascended. Our guide is doubtful as to our next move. The coal, he says, is above, and scans the cliff in front of us. We can get up here says the Undertaker. We might says the guide, with emphasis. However, it is decided to try. The Bishop now follows the guide, then the Undertaker, and Jack brings up the rear; a wise precaution, as his progress is attended with an avalanche accompaniment of rolling stones, which leaving him as he ascends, thunder down into the torrent bed. It is unpleasant to look down, , and discouraging to look up; but where there’s a will there’s a way, and at length we reach the upper stream. After a pause we again work up its bed, and lo ! a seam of coal protrudes its black face into the glassy pool. Again shouts proclaim another seam above and examinations forthwith commence. We had no geologist in our party, therefore no scientific description need be expected. The seam is about four feet  thick, and the other descending into the black pool aforesaid is probably more. A stone like a gigantic scythe stone having been picked up , its weight and rusty appearance betray iron in no small quantity, and we are afterwards informed that our learned Vulcan thinks much of the specimen. We now turn to Cornstalk to lead the way home. He cooly proposes that we shall up it to the top of the peak, and along the eastern edge of it. As if we had not enough up hill. The Undertaker suggests that the party having to go due east to go back, should do so at once, and Cornstalk giving in, precedes us again. The journey home is decidedly quicker, but sharp work for the ancles [sic]. We reach the residence of Mr. Soper, get on our horses, accept with thanks an offer of lemons from our pleasant guide and start. Jack with a good lead, Undertaker lying well up, and the Bishop waiting for a final rush. He was still walking when we reached the punt.”
Again, as is the story with many of these small shows, nothing was heard of the coal seam until 1879 when James landers Nicholls took out a lease of 300 acres (ptn. 322) to mine for coal. The lease was cancelled on the 22nd of February 1883.
The area was not looked at again until 1902 when the Berry Register, of the 25th of October, reported:
“GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS. - Messrs. Jacquet and Harper, geological surveyors, are reported to have made several important discoveries of coal about Broger’s Creek and Cambewarra Mountain, also the crater of an extinct volcano on the range. A visit of inspection to the mountains by Professor David and a number of his geological students is spoken of as one of the eventualities of the near future.”
J.B. Jaquet & L.F. Harper Published their work ‘The Geology of the Permo-Carboniferous Rocks in the south-eastern portion of New South Wales’ in Records of the Geological Survey of New South Wales, Vol. VIII Part 2, 1905, Department of Mines and Agriculture, Sydney.
p. 79
“About half a mile south of the Nowra-Kangaroo Valley Road, near the top of the range, a coal-seam outcrop is to be seen near the south boundary of Por. 289. Parich Cambewarra, County Camden. A face was cut on the seam many years ago.”
p. 80
“Thickness of seam, one foot nine inches, with numerous bands *. Altitude of outcrop, one thousand six hundred and seventy feet above sea-level. Dip on coal-seam, N62 degrees W. at 5 degrees. Thickness of Measures, one hundred and ten feet.
“ * In each case the thickness of the coal-seam was obtained from outcrops only, and may be less than the true thickness.”
They also reported outcrops on Portions 6, 16, 31, 41, 70 and 314.
 It is easy to see from the assessment by Jacquet & Harper was the seam was never developed, although the walk into the outcrop is extremely beautiful if a tad rough.
Cambewarra Coal Map
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