This song is a lament and a call to keep going at the same time.
When the Whyalla Steelworks officially closed Blast Furnace No. 2 earlier this month, it was the end of an era. That furnace had been operating almost non-stop since 1965 when it was officially blown in. For some reason, that nature of perpetual operation of blast furnaces had completely escaped me and it drew me into a fascinating world.
It was inspired by the unusual nature of blast furnaces at steelworks like the one in Whyalla, and the almost human connections workers forge with them as they keep the flames alive for decade after decade.
Here’s the technical overview. A blast furnace functions as a continuous chemical reactor that burns metallurgical coke under a blast of superheated air to strip oxygen from iron ore and melt it into pools of liquid iron exceeding 1,400°C. It must run uninterrupted 24/7 because stopping the airflow causes the molten contents inside to cool and freeze into a solid mass. This could lead to “chilling” the hearth, fracturing the refractory brick lining, and causing catastrophic, often irreversible damage.
The workers, keepers, blowers, and metallurgists, who “nurse” the furnace to keep it operating, tend to refer to it as a living entity. They don’t see it as an inanimate machine of pipework and firebrick. Instead, it is a temperamental beast that needs their full attention when it is ailing so they can respond with the right “medicine”. If the ore is to fine or coarse or large or small, that can affect the internal operations and heat levels. This “burden” (the ore load being served into the furnace) can coagulate if the furnace gets too cool, causing blockages. The teams then need to diagnose from the outside by watching thermometers and pressure valves to determine what is needed. It is worth reading more on this. I find it fascinating and I kick myself I hadn’t realised this sooner because I would have loved to have toured the plant and met these people to admire and understand their work better.
As an aside, the photo used to illustrate the song, was taken by my dad, Barry Davis, on a family holiday to Whyalla when I was about 10. Here’s a photo of me with my mum and eldest sister.
The song laments the passing of Blast Furnace No. 2 and notes how not just the workers but everybody in Whyalla was invested in its health. I have read it was reassuring for locals to see the glow on the skyline at night because that meant all was well, production was unhindered, and livelihoods both locally and nationally were sound for the time being.
The town’s main street, Essington Lewis Avenue, is named after long-serving BHP chief, Essington Lewis, who was instrumental in engaging the South Australian and Australian governments to see the strategic importance of sovereign capability in steelmaking and shipbuilding and other forms of heavy manufacturing, something we feel naked without today.
In the end, six decades of thermal wear, corporate turmoil, and mechanical fatigue, finally led to BF2’s demise that no amount of devoted nursing could overcome. On September 14, 2026, administrators KordaMentha formally snuffed out the blast air for good, officially ending traditional coal-fired ironmaking in Whyalla. My understanding is that downstream rolling mills continue to operate on imported slabs and the city is preparing for a future powered by electric arc furnaces and green hydrogen. Nonetheless, the death of Blast Furnace No. 2 marks the close of an elemental era, leaving workers to mourn the loss of a 60-year-old companion that had formed the beating heart of their community.
Essington Lewis Avenue Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Today’s the day, it happened
You fell silent, then you passed
We watched, around the clock
But couldn’t help, your fire last
You carried, such a burden
Fought the chill, for sixty years
But now, your fate is certain
And we wipe away, our tears
[Chorus]
On Essington Lewis Avenue
The backbone of our town
Everything, once felt new
On Essington Lewis Avenue
We move without a sound
It’s empty now, without you
[Verse 2]
All those times, you were unwell
Couldn’t breathe, or couldn’t eat
We’d gather, and keep vigil
As we searched, for signs of heat
Everybody, prayed for you
Searched the skyline, for your glow
They knew, that if you left us
The rest of us, would have to go
[Chorus]
On Essington Lewis Avenue
The backbone of our town
Everything, once felt new
On Essington Lewis Avenue
We move without a sound
It’s empty now, without you
[Bridge]
We owe so, much to you
We owe you, everything
You sheltered us from storms
While your great fire, raged within
Now it’s cold out here, without you
And as we build, our world again
We’ll honour you, we’ll steel ourselves
We’ll not be giving in
[Final Chorus]
On Essington Lewis Avenue
The burden falls to us
Everyone, must pull through
On Essington Lewis Avenue
Survival is a must
So that’s just what, we will do
[Final Chorus]
On Essington Lewis Avenue
The burden falls to us
Everyone, must pull through
On Essington Lewis Avenue
Survival is a must
So that’s just what, we will do
[Outro]
Surviving, to honour, you
Surviving, to honour, you
Listen To Essington Lewis Avenue
Essington Lewis Avenue Scratchings
Here are the notes made as I drafted the initial writing of this song, making just a few minor tweaks in the studio.
