Read more: A toast to sawmill success

It was dangerous work, as indicated by a newspaper report that September: "Michael Seery jnr recently met with a nasty accident at the saw mills, East Kangaloon, through his left hand coming in contact with the circular saw while in motion, the middle finger had to be amputated at the second joint."

The mill's co-owners were Thomas Seery and John Hayter, who both contributed greatly to the district's development. More about them follows here.

They relocated the business in 1894 to a large forest at Mt Murray, near Robertson, operating there until the mill burnt down in a bushfire in 1905. The Sydney Morning Herald reported on January 2, 1905: "Bush fires are raging throughout the Robertson district. Large areas of grass have been destroyed and farmers are fighting the flames to save their houses."

A month later, in February 1905, Thomas Seery died, aged 76. Soon afterwards, the Bowral Free Press reported on a Berrima District Farm and Dairy Co shareholders' meeting held at the Robertson School of Arts. The chairman of directors, James Alcorn, "made reference to the death of their late chairman of directors, Thomas Seery, who had filled the position with credit and honour, and whose decease was a severe loss to the company. He (Mr Alcorn) had never met a more gentlemanly man. In his different capacities as a magistrate, as chairman of the local agricultural society, and as vice-president of the Berrima District Society, he had been a valued citizen and worker."

Thomas Seery was born in 1830 at County Westmeath, Ireland. He came to Australia in 1860 and in 1863 married Letitia Limond at Appin. They were Roman Catholics and would have 12 children. He was one of the first selectors in the Burrawang area, in 1863 purchasing 40 acres located near the present Avoca School, and is reputed to have been a savvy bushman. In "Echoes through the Mist", a history of Avoca compiled by Ron Mumford, it notes that once Thomas settled locally he quickly gained knowledge of the timber available and set up a saw mill on Clearys Lane with John Hayter. Thomas supervised the hauling of cedar logs up from Kangaroo Valley with bullock team and block and tackle. He also had success as a dairy farmer and excelled in business management and negotiation, the Emu and the Berrima District Company butter factories owing their existence to him. He always stressed the need for cooperation between farmers.

He was affectionately known as 'Pomp' - probably because of his custom of wearing striped pants, cutaway coat and shiny top hat. As an early member of the Fitzroy Falls Trust, he encouraged the construction of lookouts and tracks in the locality.

In regard to the sawmilling business, once all suitable timber ran out in the Avoca area, Seery and Hayter established a mill at East Kangaloon, as already mentioned.

News of Thomas Seery's death in 1905 was received with profound regret throughout the district. The Robertson Advocate noted that he "was one of those whose sound judgement and advice helped to lay the foundations of future success. He was a pillar of the Catholic Church at Burrawang, and was prominent in any movement for the welfare and advancement of the district. He leaves a large grown-up family to mourn their loss. He passed away on the 20th anniversary of the death of his wife Letitia. His funeral was one of the largest ever seen in the locality. The remains were laid to rest in the RC Cemetery at Burrawang, where friends from all parts of the district assembled. Four sons were the pallbearers."

Michael Seery, Thomas's younger brother by nine years, also emigrated and took up land at Avoca in the 1860s which he farmed. Later, suffering from poor health, he and his wife Sophina ran a post office from their residence and delivered mail to outlying areas. He died in 1908, aged 70, leaving behind a widow and ten children.

The Seery family line continues today from the numerous descendants.