Support for centenary commemorations of Mount Mulligan mine collapse

There’s been a big response to participate at the 100-year commemoration of the Mount Mulligan mine disaster. A whole underground shift comprised of 75 miners died in an explosion in Queensland’s northern-most coal mine in 1921. It is Queensland’s biggest mine disaster. The commemoration on September 19 is being organised by the State Government through the Mines Department with siblings and former residents Ken Best and Robyn Bushell helping with the weekend’s activities. The news of the disaster at the state-owned mine came through at nine-twenty-five that morning a century ago, said Mrs Bushell. No-one from the close-knit community of around 300 was unaffected and some families lost up to three members (father and sons), Mrs Bushell said. Mount Mulligan disaster 1921 - preparing coffins. Winding gear drum at the left, had been blown from top of tunnel mouth (Photo: State Library of Queensland) “The rescue started virtually straight away, and it would have been a few days, because they had to get busy and dig all these graves, and they had to make coffins,” she said. “Some of the bodies were not recognisable and a couple of identifiers could tell them by their socks or whatever they wore. “And where the cemetery is, the dirt is very, very hard. So, digging was hard. It was a big job. “People from Dimbulah and all the areas around came forward to help. It wasn't done just by people in Mount Mulligan. “Yes, it would have been terrible, because the bodies were really quite bad.” The last miner’s body was found with the reopening of the mine in February 1922. Exodus from devastated township Most of the dead miners' families were forced to leave the devastated township and relocated to Cairns, or wherever there was some family help, Mrs Bushell said. “Well, there was not really any financial help around in that time and most families were large,” she said. “They just left because they were mainly all widows with children, and there are quite a few of the stories that I typed up, very… what would you say, heart-wrenching to see the struggle they had in front of them? “The population was quite multi-cultural in its time with people coming from England, Scotland, Russia, Finland, and many other countries trying to make a new home and living. “To most of these people, Mount Mulligan was a very sad place after 19th September, 1921.” Mount Mulligan township circa 1922. Coke works to the left of the chimney. Hospital (top right) before relocation (Photo Jim Kirkwood Collection) The September 19 anniversary is now officially recognised as National Miners’ Memorial Day. The State Government has this year approved to hold the memorial event at Mount Mulligan township in line with the centenary. Numbers have been capped at 600 for the marquis entry and available only on application. Rebuilding in Collinsville 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. Mrs Bushell’s father, Robert Best, a mine deputy, along with his son, Ken were among the last to leave the town. “Once the mine closed down, everything had to be pulled down in the town,” she said. “Only the headmaster of the school and his wife and family and the postmaster and family stayed on until the end of the school year. “Ballots were held to see which houses were pulled down first and all the building materials were railed to Collinsville as the State Government-owned coal mine in Collinsville offered the miners and their families to relocate and work there. “The men then had to rebuild their house in Collinsville before they could start work at the State Mine. “Not everyone took up this option, so those people moved elsewhere. This close-knit community that once was a thriving township was now to become a ghost town.” The only building left on site was the hospital, which became the residence for managers of a local cattle property. This hospital is still standing, except for the maternity wing, which is now the Dimbulah CWA. The Catholic Church was moved to Mutchilba. 'Once seen, never forgotten' The 2021 event is the last in a line of many reunions attracting ex-Mount Mulligan residents and descendants. Mount Mulligan 1917: Weigh bridge and coal tippler (Photo: State Library of Queensland) Funds raised have been dedicated to reinstating street and other significant signage. Over the years, Cairns 4 Wheel Drive Club has taken on the job of keeping the Mount Mulligan and other cemeteries in old mining towns in good order. Mount Mulligan was discovered by James Venture Mulligan and named after him in November 1874. “His words describing the mountain were ‘once seen, never forgotten’, Mrs Bushell said. “To the Indigenous people, who have been in the area for over forty thousand years, it was called ‘Ngarrabullgan’ and was interwoven into their culture and the devil spirit 'Eekoo’.” Mount Mulligan, north-west of Cairns, now has a five-star resort situated on what the locals knew as the ‘dam’.

Support for centenary commemorations of Mount Mulligan mine collapse

Industry Queensland

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