Kurth Kiln in Gembrook, Australia
At the start of World War II, Australia was unprepared for the conflict, especially in regards to supplies of petrol.
Attempts were made during the 1930s to increase storage, but motoring was such a new industry that no real progress was made towards keeping storage ahead of usage. As a result at the start of the war, Australia had sufficient petrol for only three months of normal consumption.
During the war, petrol rationing led to the use of alternative fuel for cars and trucks. In the 1940s, professor Ernest Edgar Kurth designed gas producers for motor cars and patented a design for an improved charcoal kiln.
Gembrook was the ideal site for the Kurth Kin as it fully met the criteria required for a successful operation such as water and timber availability. The sloping land allowed for wood to be easily loaded into the kiln.
