State Government to stump up cash for urgent remediation works at Beaconsfield gold mine site

THE Tasmanian Government will stump up half the $1.25m cost of remediation works at the Beaconsfield gold mine site while awaiting a federal funding decision.

THE Tasmanian Government will stump up half the $1.25 million cost of remediation works at the Beaconsfield gold mine site while awaiting a Federal Government funding decision.

Premier Will Hodgman today said the decision had been made because of the urgency of getting works started at the mine precinct.

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The precinct suffered subsidence near the iconic A-frame above the mine in June floods.

The site includes the Mine Heritage Museum, which attracted 43,000 visitors last year.

A crowd mingles around the minehead as Tasmanian miners Brant Webb and Todd Russell are rescued from the Beaconsfield gold mine on May 9, 2006. Picture: AAP

The mine attracted international attention in 2006 when workers Brant Webb and Todd Russell survived a collapse which killed colleague Larry Knight.

The pair was trapped beneath the surface for two weeks before being rescued.

Mr Hodgman said it was hoped that an application for funding via National Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements (NDRAA) would result in the Federal Government eventually footing half the remediation cost, the State Government (25%) and the West Tamar Council (25%.)

“In the event the NDRAA application is unsuccessful, costs will be shared 50-50 between the State Government, and West Tamar Council,” he said.

West Tamar Council Mayor Christina Holmdahl said work would include inserting a concrete slab into the upper reaches of the mine, which is more than 1km deep.

She said it would be a dangerous operation which would also involve sending people down the mine to blow up a balloon in the shaft.

“Once the concrete plug is in place, the remaining 40m of the shaft above will be filled with a sand and cement aggregate,” she said.

She said the council hoped a Federal Government decision on the NDRAA funding would arrive “in coming days”.

Cr Holmdahl said the council was waiting for an interstate contractor to confirm its availability.

Originally published as State Government to stump up cash for urgent remediation works at Beaconsfield gold mine site