Bellbird Mine Disaster Centenary receives the City of Cessnock Community Event of the Year Award

Bellbird Mine Disaster Centenary receives the City of Cessnock Community Event of the Year Award

Coal Services (Mines Rescue), the Mining and Energy Union (MEU) and Coalfields Local Historical Association have been acknowledged for their joint delivery of the Bellbird Mine Disaster Centenary commemorative event. The organisations received the ‘City of Cessnock Community Event of the Year Award’ on Friday, 26 January as part of the city’s Australia Day celebrations.

The award acknowledged the benefit to the community and the outstanding achievement of conducting the event in the Cessnock community.

The event was held on Friday, 1 September 2023 at the Bellbird Miners Memorial Park. It was attended by local government officials, state, and federal members of Parliament, family members of the miners who lost their lives, local school students, community members and representatives from the three host organisations.

Marking 100 years since the 1923 Hetton Coal Company Ltd Bellbird Mine Disaster (disaster) that resulted in the death of 21 miners. The disaster was the catalyst for the Bill to establish a mines rescue service which was tabled in the NSW Parliament in 1924 and became the Mines Rescue Act 1925. The first NSW Mines Rescue station was established at Abermain in 1926.

“It’s a great honour to be acknowledged alongside the MEU and the Coalfields Local Historical Association for this event. A tremendous amount of work went into ensuring the Bellbird Mine Disaster’s Centenary was acknowledged throughout the community and industry. We must continue to remember these types of disasters, so we do not repeat them, our purpose to protect remains as our main priority,” said Lucy Flemming, Coal Services Managing Director/CEO.