Thought I would post this here.  Very interesting old oven.  Hope you can read the wording on the sign.  Was posted on Facebook

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Jude and I went past Nev's driveway a couple of Sunday's ago. I had to turn around and go back and grab a few photos. This one might help show better how big the oven really is.

Jeff

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I have been promised a better picture however this is in the Isa Museum.  It is reported to be bigger than 3 feet diameter.

Trying for more details

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It's a goodun! I look forward to more info and photos. :)

Actually after being able to read the sign on the other one I think this could be one of the six.

That it could be. The handle looked different but on a closer look it could be the same.

Jeff

Have had it confirmed by the Grandson of the guy who owns the first one that this is in fact one of seven and from the same mould.

Derek wrote on Jun 11^th, 2013 at 9:03pm:

that this is in fact one of seven and from the same mould.

The sign says six. Was there actually seven made?

Jeff

You are right although he did say seven in the message.

Was your photo out near Millmerran.

Thanks for your pic chally. That shows how big that oven really is.

There has been talk about these ovens on this forum before and its good to see the proof

Derek wrote on Jun 11^th, 2013 at 9:49pm:

Was your photo out near Millmerran.

Yes Derek it was. I took a number of photos at the entrance to Ned's property. It sure is something to see. :)

Jeff

All of this information ties this story together nicely. I've lost count of the number of times I've heard of these ovens in the past but have had no real confirmation on their whereabouts. As it happens I have a photo of another one of these ovens that was owned by a collector in Warick in Queensland who passed away some years ago, who knows what has happened to that oven, but it is identical to the ones shown on this post. Its a shame that the one on the fence has been bolted down and drilled through but it makes a great display piece, I'm assuming it's Ned Winters you are referring to when you say Ned?
Astro.

astroboy wrote on Jun 12^th, 2013 at 11:40am:

Its a shame that the one on the fence has been bolted down and drilled through but it makes a great display piece, I'm assuming it's Ned Winters you are referring to when you say Ned?

Yes mate it is a shame IMO too! :o Yeah, it is at the entrance to Ned Winters place. His entry certainly draws ya attention. ;D

Jeff

On closer inspection I reckon that this is the same as the lid on these big ovens, and Mook had mentioned he had seen just a base as well as a complete oven at the museum at Mt Isa.
http://www.aussiecampovenforum.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1348137253/all

:o :o Ive heard that rumor more than once too Dave, Looks like the mystery has been solved, Im thinking this belongs in our history section too.

Saltbush Bill wrote on Jun 30^th, 2013 at 8:04pm:

Im thinking this belongs in our history section too

Should have gone to Specsavers.  They have both always been in the history section :P

Whoops ..... ;D ;D right ...should have looked harder.

On 1976 I drove a truck from Alice Springs via Three Ways, Mt Isa, Julia Creek, Winton, Longreach, Blackall, Tambo to property south of Augathella.
On the way I stopped at Barry Caves Roadhouse before Cammoweal, I was intrigued by the huge camp oven 3ft in diameter sitting on the ground outside the Roadhouse.
In 2008 I pulled in at Avon Downs Police Station at 7 in the morning, no-one about, a there was a 3ft camp oven out the front. I reckoned then it must have been the same one as Barry Caves Roadhouse was the next stop & it had been demolished some years before, surely there wasn't 2 outsize ovens on the same area.
Have always wondered about it until I saw the posting when I was looking on this forum
Riddle solved I reckon

Don there were at least six of the big ovens made; I say at least as there is that lid at the Dovers Camp in Camooweal. There is the one at Avon Downs Police station which we believe is the one from the Barry Caves Roadhouse, The one Ned Winter has, one in the Mt Isa museum, two in Townsville and one in a collection at Warrick, unless it has been sold. I picked one up for friends and had it here for some months and I can tell you they are very heavy at 175kgs with the lid being 90kgs and base 85kgs.

The photo is of one of our 12" Metters ovens sitting inside the big oven; huge!

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That camp oven is huge
Need a bushfire to get it up to temp.

I only found this thread by chance, wondering if Toowoomba Foundry made ovens, & then saw the pic mentioning Avon Downs oven, been thinking about it since 2008

Don for what its worth a fella by the name of Michael Patch is casting ovens of that size again. Hes over in the Toowoombah area.
Ive got one of his 24 inch ovens, they are a good looking oven made in the old style. proper ears, legs and domed lids.
From memory hes making 20, 22, 24 and 36 inch versions.

Hi Saltbush Bill
When I was browsing the forum recently after I joined I noticed that there were many foundries in Australia that produced camp ovens, but I had not seen any posts referring to Toowoomba Foundry.
I worked for Southern Cross over a long period & erected a lot of their mills & other equipment, also I have a lot of their catalogues & manuals going back to 1916, I also have a a collection of mills, engines, pumps etc. Curiosity made me search for "Toowoomba Foundry camp ovens" & I was surprised & pleased to find the mention of the Avon Downs oven which had puzzled me when I first saw it in 2008 & wondered at the time whether it was the same one I saw at Barry Caves in 1976.
It was a real fluke that I came across that thread.
I wonder how much serious use they had?
Thanks......Don

Don McInnes wrote on Apr 2^nd, 2020 at 7:10pm:

I wonder how much serious use they had?

Its hard to tell , but I doubt they got much use being so big and heavy.
The ones Patchy is casting now get a lot of use as hes using the ones he keeps for big catering jobs. If you wanted to get a look at them he is usually cooking in them at the Millmerran Camp Oven Festival .....catering to to crowds.

I hear through the grapevine that 20 more 36 inch ovens are to be soon cast in a foundry in Toowoomba, from photos Ive seen they are cast in the old traditional style, long legs , deep sides and nice humped lids.