on Friday 24 July 2026, GM3 Appin Mine gathered alongside families, colleagues and the community to honour the victims of the 1979 Appin Mine Disaster.
The memorial service was held at the Appin Memorial Garden, on the 47th anniversary of the underground explosion which took the lives of 14 mine workers:
- Alexander Lawson – aged 34
- Alwyn Brewin – aged 37
- Francis Garrity – aged 37
- Gary Woods – aged 30
- Geoffrey Johnson – aged 35
- Ian Giffard – aged 36
- James Oldcorn – aged 58
- John Stonham – aged 45
- Jurgen Lauterbach – aged 30
- Karl Staats (Stats) – aged 49
- Peter Peck – aged 35
- Robert Rawcliffe – aged 45
- Roy Rawlings – aged 31; and
- Roy Williams – aged 26
The service included addresses by the General Manager of Appin Mine, family members of the victims and parliamentary dignitaries, as well a poem ready by the Appin Primary School Choir.
Appin Mine would like to thank everyone in attendance, and those who supported the event, including Appin Men’s Shed, Appin Primary School and the Appin Historical Society.
Their memory will never be forgotten and continues to remind us of the responsibility we all share to put safety first and ensure every person returns home at the end of their shift.
