More than two thousand people gathered in Moranbah Town Square on Friday November 7 to honour the men who went to work in the local coalfields and never returned. Families, workmates, apprentices, former miners and visitors filled the memorial space as miner’s lamps glowed across the square.
Mayor Kelly Vea Vea welcomed guests who had come together to remember the men whose names are etched into the plaques.
“You are all at the centre of tonight’s ceremony. We need this memorial and this service because as mining communities, we are built different. Standing in solidarity and support of each other is what it means to be part of a mining community,” said Kelly.
Across the square, school flags filled with handwritten messages from local students coordinated by 4RFM were strung up as part of the tribute.
“These messages from our young people, and the support from our apprentices who helped out tonight, show that the stories of those we have lost will continue to be carried forward, even as our communities and industries keep changing.”
The ceremony took place in the same month Queensland introduced a dedicated Mining and Resources Coroner, a permanent role with the authority to oversee independent inquests into every accidental mining death. Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dale Last spoke about why the reform is needed and why families deserve transparency.
“You will have the answers. You will have that information and you will have the comfort of knowing that a proper investigation has been conducted,” he said.
“It is a sad fact that 1510 people have lost their lives due to workplace incidents in Queensland mines and quarries since records began. It is an immense toll, but by no means is it the full cost. While history would indicate that safety has improved in the resources industry, the names on this memorial wall show there is much more to do.
“Every single loss of life in the sector is a tragedy and a sobering reminder of why we can and must continue to do better.”
Acting Commissioner for Resources Safety and Health Queensland Ken Singer spoke about his decades working in Moranbah mines and the mates he has personally lost.
“The hurt of losing a mate or a loved one from a workplace accident never goes away,” he said.
“We relive it every day and it gets refocused on days like today.”
He told families that his office is working to strengthen safety systems across the sector.
“I recommit my pledge that we are here to help deliver a more reliable and safer future where fatalities are a thing of the past.”
One of the most personal reflections came from Andy Collins, Moranbah North MEU Lodge President and Secretary of the Memorial Committee, who also coordinated this years’ service. He has worked underground for 29 years and spoke about the many close calls and injuries that come with the job.
“Nothing takes breath away more than hearing that a colleague, a mate, has been killed doing the same task that I do at work. My thoughts go to their wife, their kids and their families. The pain and heartache they go through is immeasurable,” he said.
Andy said the memorial is a place built from tragedy but sustained by community.
“This memorial has come to be an acknowledgement of their lives and a reminder that they will never be forgotten.”
As flowers were placed beneath the plaques, the crowd stood in quiet reflection while “The Working Man” played, a song now part of the memorial tradition.
When the ceremony came to a close, the lamps continued to glow across the square. The message shared by every speaker remained the same. These men shaped this region. Their loss is carried by many, and their names will not fade.
