A special memorial pathway commemorating the loss of 96 men and boys in the Mt Kembla mine disaster on this day in 1902 will be officially opened this afternoon.Then, in the evening 96 candles will be lit in a traditional ceremony marking what is still the biggest loss of lives as a result of an industrial accident in Australia's history.The pathway will be opened by schoolchildren and has been jointly organised and funded by groups including the Mt Kembla Pathway Group, Illawarra Coal, United Mineworkers Union, Wollongong council, the NSW Government and IMB.
Outrage over graffiti attack on Bulli mine memorial Full list of miners killed in the Southern Coalfields Woonona resident Susan Gal, who lost great uncle Prosper James Annesley in the Mt Kembla disaster and grandfather Joseph Annesley in a mining accident at Bulli in 1921, said it was important to keep remembering these tragedies."These men went in and did their jobs and paid the price very heavily," Mrs Gal said."You have to remember these men (who died at Mt Kembla) didn't use a car to get to work, so they were very dedicated."The explosion was believed to have been ignited by the naked lights in use in the mine and accelerated by a series of coal-dust explosions.Former NSW MP Col Markham will speak at the candles ceremony.He highlighted the region's history of mining tragedies in his inaugural speech to parliament in 1988, in particular the loss of his great-grandfather to a mining accident in 1908. "I'll just be talking about the history of mining in the region and how dangerous it can still be," he said.Mt Kembla Mining Heritage Inc has reminded people that today's ceremonies will be the only official events of the Mt Kembla Mining Heritage Festival in 2009, whilst a major restructuring and refocus of operations is undertaken.[PI9017] The opening of the Mt Kembla Mine Memorial Pathway will occur at the mine memorial on Stones Rd, Mt Kembla, from 1.30pm.The 96 Candles Ceremony will be held at 6.30pm in the Windy Gully Cemetery. Free buses will run from Mt Kembla Village Hotel and Kembla Heights Bowls Club from 5.30pm.
