19/09/2026
🕯️ Remembering Mount Mulligan — 105 years on
On the morning of 19 September 1921, a devastating explosion tore through the Mount Mulligan coal mine.
Seventy-five men lost their lives. There were no survivors.
The disaster shattered the small mining community, leaving families without husbands, fathers, sons and brothers. Its impact was felt across Far North Queensland and throughout the nation, and it remains the worst mining disaster in Queensland’s history.
The tragedy led to a Royal Commission and significant changes to mining safety practices and legislation. More than a century later, its lessons and its human cost must not be forgotten.
Today, on the 105th anniversary of the disaster, we remember the 75 men who went to work that morning and never returned home. We also remember their families, the Mount Mulligan community and all those involved in the difficult recovery effort.
The Mareeba Heritage Museum has a dedicated Mount Mulligan exhibit preserving the story of the disaster and remembering those whose lives were lost and forever changed. We invite you to visit the Heritage Centre and take the time to discover this important part of our region’s history.
Lest we forget.
