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Gunnedah Miners` MemorialPrint Page Print this page

Miners Memorial : 16-August-2014
Miners Memorial : 16-August-2014

Photographs supplied by Glen Yeomans / Sandra Brown / Roger Johnson

The monument commemorates twenty miners who died or were killed in mining accidents in Gunnedah over a span of 89 years.

The ages of the 20 men whose names are recorded on the memorial range from 21 to 58. Bernard McCosker (21) was the first victim of a mining accident in Gunnedah and Steve Rennick (25) was the last (1986).

All the mines are now closed in the Gunnedah district except for Whitehaven Mine near the now closed Vickery Mine site.

Location

Address:Conadilly & Chandos Street, Brock`s Court, Gunnedah, 2380
State:NSW
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -30.976417
Long: 150.251016
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
View Google Map

Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:Disaster
Sub-Theme:Industrial
Designer:Carl Merten

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Saturday 25th November, 2000
Front Inscription

Gunnedah Miners` Memorial

Dedicated to the men who lost their lives in Gunnedah District mines

1897  B. McCosker      21 years  Gunnedah
1899  C. White             30 years  Gunnedah
1918  E.Sullivan           25 years  Preston
1924  A. Saunders       54 years  Gunnedah
1925  W. Gardner         20 years  Preston
1930  E. Smith              22 years  Gunnedah
1933  J. Louis               27 years  Werris Creek
1933  S. Summerville   44 years  Gunnedah
1935  J. Russell            57 years  Gunnedah
1953  S. Ashcroft          52 years  Preston
1953  S. Smith              58 years  Preston
1956  R. Hayes             42 years  Werris Creek
1957  F. Louis               22 years  Preston
1966  T. Bond                47 years  Gunnedah
1967  A. Gimbet            58 years  Preston
1976  J. Burke               31 years  Preston
1976  A. Berghotte        29 years  Gunnedah
1977  E. Stringer           44 years  Gunnedah
1979  R. Price                46 years  Preston
1986  S. Rennick           25 years  Gunnedah

Officially opened 25 November 2000

Mick Watson, Northern District President 
Ross Whitaker, Northern District Central Committee

 

Right Side Inscription

On Tuesday 15 August 1995, 30 miners voted to take strike action and set up a picket line at the entrance to Vickers Mine which is 28 kilometres north of Gunnedah and was owned by CRA/RTZ.  The strike was legal under the country`s new industrial laws known as "Protected Action".

Negotiations broke down regarding an Enterprise Agreement with the company`s insistence of 12 1/2 shift lengths and the elimination of other Award conditions.  The picket line was manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  During this time the miners and their families received outstanding support from their union (The United Mineworkers Federation of Australia), National and District Officials along with rank and file members of the Union. Other Unions from around Australia and overseas showed solidarity at the highest level.  The dispute reached breaking point on 23 July 1996 when eight miners were arrested resulting in a national stoppage and a negotiated settlement.

The workforce returned to work on Monday 5 August 1996.   The dispute lasted 355 days, just 10 days short of one year. The
mine was closed in May 1998 due to exhausted reserves.

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au