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Barrier Mine DisasterPrint Page 
The monument commemorates the six men who were killed in the Barrier Mine in January 1912, when a gas explosion occured in the mine.
West Wyalong, Monday.
The latest particulars obtainable regarding the accident in the Barrier mine on Saturday show that of the seven men in the 500ft level two were working in a crosscut near the shaft, four in the stopes, and one at the well hole of the winding shaft. Those men engaged in stoping expected to break through into an overhead small level containing a small quantity of water. This was apparently done. The air must have been extremely poisonous, the medical opinion, the result of the post-mortem, being that in several cases death was instantaneous. Some of the men from the stopes evidently had descended to the floor of the level, awaiting the drainage from overhead to cease, while those from the crosscut, perhaps, after firing the shot, were with them. One man had joined the man at the wellhole of the winding shaft. One man had a pipe in his hand. Another was lying on the floor level,with a folded coat for a pillow. There was no sign of any attempt to escape from the fatal fumes.
Though the shops usually remain open till 9 on Saturday, all closed at once on receipt of the news of the accident, many windows being draped in black. The funeral procession was made up of the West Wyalong Band, Hibernians, Oddfellows, members of the A.M.A., over one hundred vehicles, and hundreds of pedestrians. The cortege was nearly three quarters of a mile long. The crowd at the cemetery as the six coffins were carried to their last resting place numbered fully a thousand people, and as the last coffin was lowered the sun went down amid the most saddening scene ever witnessed there. Of those who took part in the rescue work Mr. Duncan was admitted to the hospital. Mr. Howard is also under medical treatment. Others were affected more or less. The proposal to raise a substantial fund for the relief of the widows and orphans is being enthusiastically supported. Four of the victims got part of their schooling in West Wyalong, and married daughters of local families.
Goulburn Evening Penny Post (NSW), 16 January 1912.
Memorial Unveiling 1913Location
| Address: | Church Street, Barnardo Park, West Wyalong, 2671 |
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| State: | NSW |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -33.922028 Long: 147.205192 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Monument |
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| Monument Theme: | Disaster |
| Sub-Theme: | Industrial |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 13-January-1912 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 13-January-1912 |
| Designer: | J. R. Throwden (Young, NSW) |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Monday 13th January, 1913 |
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In loving memory of
William Cunningham
G. S. Macguire,
J. P. Mulhall,
J. P. Navin,
R. J. Navin,
Rupert Nicholson
Who were killed in the Barrier Mine, Wyalong Goldfields.
13th Jan. 1912.
Erected by the Goldfields Rugby Football League, assisted by the general public.
