Memorial day follows tragic week for mining

Queensland will mark Miners Memorial Day tomorrow (Sept 19), just days after a roof collapse claimed the life of a worker at the Crinum coal mine near Emerald. Resources Minister Scott Stewart is due to address the crowd at this year’s event, being held at Mount Mulligan in Far North Queensland where 75 miners lost their lives in an underground explosion 100 years ago. "It’s an incredibly important event and even more so because of the tragic incident at the Gregory Crinum mine on Tuesday night," Mr Stewart said. "Everyone has a role to play in keeping our resources workers safe. "It will be an honour to speak at this important event honouring those resources workers who have tragically lost their lives." Related: Support for centenary commemorations Graham Dawson, 60, was killed in a rock fall late Tuesday night at the Sojitz Blue-owned Crinum mine, which is being brought back into production after a long period on care and maintenance. The incident took the number of deaths at Central Queensland mines and quarries to 19 within the past 14 years, with more than half of them in the last five years. The most recent previous fatality was Donald Rabbitt, 33, who died in January last year at Curragh coal mine near Blackwater when he was crushed by heavy machinery while changing a tyre. However the year since that fatality was also marred by the explosion in the Grosvenor coal mine on May 6, 2020, which left five workers injured - four of the men suffering serious burns. Centenary commemorations for state's worst mine disaster Queensland’s annual memorial for fallen mine workers is held on September 19 to coincide with the anniversary of the state’s worst mining disaster at Mount Mulligan in 1921. No-one from the close-knit community of around 300 was unaffected and some families lost up to three members (father and sons), according to Robyn Bushell, who has helped organise the centenary commemoration. Mount Mulligan disaster 1921 - preparing coffins. (Photo: State Library of Queensland) Following the Mount Mulligan disaster, coal mining-specific legislation was enacted for the first time. Mining continued at Mount Mulligan State Coal Mine from February 1922 until November 1957, when the State Government decided the mine was no longer economical to operate. The 2021 Miners Memorial Day Service will be live streamed this Sunday from 9am. Join via the event link HERE.

Memorial day follows tragic week for mining

Industry Queensland

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