Next month, Queensland will hold its largest memorial event to honour the 1,508 miners who have died on the job.

The Miners Memorial Day Service, organised by Resources Safety and Health Queensland (RSHQ), will take place on September 19 at the Collinsville-Scottville Workers Club in the Whitsunday region.

This date marks the anniversary of the state’s worst coal mining disaster at Mount Mulligan in 1921, where 75 miners lost their lives.

This year’s service coincides with the 70th anniversary of the Collinsville coal mine disaster, which claimed the lives of seven miners in 1954.

The event aims to commemorate these tragedies and emphasise the importance of safety in the mining sector.

RSHQ CEO Rob Djukic highlighted the emotional significance of the day, noting that people from across the state travel to attend.

“Remembering the workers who lost their lives is an important reminder of why we must keep striving for a safer sector, and that is our focus at RSHQ,” he stated.

Djukic also acknowledged the recent loss of two miners, 27-year-old Luke O’Brien in January and 48-year-old Chris Schloss last week, emphasising that “every death in the resources sector is one too many”.

Tickets to the Miners Memorial Day Service are free and available through Eventbrite.

For those unable to attend in person, the service will be live-streamed on RSHQ’s Facebook page, allowing a broader audience to participate in the commemoration.