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North Lyell Disaster Memorial ParkPrint Page Print this page

24-May-2014
24-May-2014

Photographs supplied by Arthur Garland

The Memorial Park commemorates the centenary of the North Lyell Mine disaster and the forty two victims who lost their lives.

Forty-two trees endemic to the region are planted in a circle around the fountain pool with a plaque featuring the name of each victim placed in front of each tree.

The 1912 North Mount Lyell Disaster (also known at the time as the Mount Lyell Disaster ) refers to a fire that broke out on 12 October 1912 at the Mount Lyell Mining and Railway Company operations on the West Coast of Tasmania. The mine had been taken over from the North Mount Lyell Company in 1903.

The fire started on a Saturday morning, between 11:15 and 11:30 am, when the pump house on the 700 ft level of the mine was reported as being on fire. Only 73 men initially made their way to safety on the first day. Initially the status of the fire, numbers casualties and survivors were confused in the first day or so. Considerable problems occurred removing men from the mine who were still alive. Many became trapped as they were working in remote stopes and didn't know of the fire until it was far too late, as there was no emergency warning system operating in the mine. Instead, men had to run along the levels and drives calling to the men, warning them of the serious danger that faced them. 170 men entered the mine that day. 42 were never to be seen alive again.

Location

Address:Driffield Street, North Lyell Disaster Memorial Park, Queenstown, 7467
State:TAS
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -42.079242
Long: 145.554734
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Park
Monument Theme:Disaster
Sub-Theme:Industrial
Actual Event Start Date:12-October-1912
Actual Event End Date:12-October-1912
Designer:Ivan Stringer (Queenstown, TAS)

Dedication

Front Inscription

North Lyell Disaster Memorial Park

This park was built for the people of Australia as a place of peace and solace in perpetual memory of the forty-two men that perished in the darkness underground at the North Lyell Mine

Saturday 12 October, 1912..

"In the service of the Commonwealth, their price was fixed and paid in full.   

For the spirit of a place is forged by the lives of its people.  Our most precious resource."

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