THE ABERNETHY + CO. LATHE EXHIBITION AND INTERPETATION PROJECT
There were several quarries flanking the Moruya River. The first quarry was opened in 1863 for the quarrying of sandstone boulders for use in constructing the breakwater at the entrance to Moruya River. This sandstone quarry was site just to the east of the Moruya Heads Pilot Station and was easily accessible to ship traffic on the Moruya River. But it was the granite quarries of Moruya that were most important. There were at least four granite quarries flanking the Moruya River. Theses quarries followed a seam of granite which extended from well north of the Moruya to the Moruya Heads. The principal granite quarries were Louttit’s quarry, the ‘Government’ quarry, Ziegler’s quarry and McCredie’s quarry. The granite quarry stone was shaped by granite lathes in Sydney. The Abernethy + Co. lathe was used for this work.