Mood sombre in Queenstown after tragedy struck the town, again
The mood in the small West Coast community of Queenstown was sombre as residents come to grips with the likely death of another of their own.
Tasmania
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THE tragedy unfolding at the Henty Gold Mine is unlikely to have the heavy financial impact on Queenstown felt when the Mt Lyell copper mine was closed in 2014.
The emotional impact, however, is weighing heavily on the town as the community deals with the likely death of another of its own in the industry that has supported Queenstown and the wider West Coast region for 150 years.
People were going about their business in Queenstown yesterday but the mood was sombre as family, friends and co-workers waited for updates from Henty.
Australian Workers’ Union national secretary Daniel Walton said it was a very sad time for the town and the mining community.
“It is the uncertainty of what has happened to their workmate that is a very hard thing,’ Mr Walton said.
“There is also concern for his family. You cannot imagine how they are feeling. Everyone expects to go to work and come home safely but sadly that is not always the case.
Mayor Phil Vickers put up a post on social media on Friday morning to give his community a grim update.
“This morning Tasmania Police have released a statement in which they say it is unlikely that the man missing underground at Henty Mine has survived,” Cr Vickers said. “This devastating news has shaken our community and on behalf of us all I would like to extend my sympathies to the family and loved ones of the missing man.”
Cr Vickers thanked the rescue teams who held high hopes early Thursday of finding the trapped man alive.
“Going forward our community will come together and support each other through this. We are a resilient community and I am proud of the way in which we have responded so far,” Cr Vickers said.
“Until there is no doubt, I remain hopeful and council continues to be available to provide supported to all parties involved.”
Tasmanians took to social media yesterday saying hope needed to be maintained and pointing to the events at Beaconsfield 14 years ago.
But Henty is unlikely to be another Beaconsfield – where two men of the three miners thought dead walked out after being trapped for two weeks.
Technology has improved since 2006 and the sophisticated drones sent down to look for signs of life in Henty this week have returned empty-handed.
Work has been suspended at the gold mine while operations to retrieve the man from deep underground and make the workings safe.
The mine’s 120-strong workforce has been stood down on full pay.
RELATED: HENTY’S WORST DAY IN 25 YEARS
Pybar Mining Services CEO Brendan Rouse said there was no reason to think the 24-year-old mine would not reopen once the retrieval and mine safety mission is over.
Mt Lyell, in the centre of Queenstown, has not reopened since three deaths in two separate incidents more than six years ago.
Two miners fell to their deaths in December 2013 and another worker was killed in a mud rush in January, 2014.
RELATED: UNION PROVIDING SUPPORT TO MINE WORKERS
The mine remains on care and maintenance with no clear indication of when, or if, mining operations there will resume.
Three hundred workers lost their jobs when the decision was made to close Mt Lyell.
The next year the Henty Gold mine was closed due to financial viability issues.
It reopened in 2017.
helen.kempton@news.com.au
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