Ballarat Gold Mine Operators Charged Over Rockfall That Killed Miner Kurt Hourigan

Incident Overview

Operators of the Ballarat Gold Mine have been charged following a 20-month investigation into the 2024 underground rockfall that killed miner Kurt Hourigan and seriously injured his 21-year-old colleague. The charges follow long-standing concerns about unsupported ground conditions and inadequate safety measures inside the Mount Clear operation.

The fatal rockfall occurred on March 13, 2024, while about 30 workers were underground at the Ballarat Gold Mine.

A collapse struck a work area where Hourigan, 37, and apprentice miner Connor Smith were performing air-legging, a manual drilling technique known for its high-risk nature.

Twenty-eight workers escaped to safety, but Hourigan was crushed and died underground. Smith suffered life-threatening injuries.

WorkSafe Victoria has now charged Victory Minerals Pty Ltd (owner and operator) and Carr Mining Services Pty Ltd (contractor) with multiple offences, including:

• failing to provide or maintain a safe working environment
• failing to supervise workers
• failing to ensure adequate ground supports were installed

Both companies face two charges each under Victoria’s workplace safety laws.

Safety Concerns and Unheeded Warnings
Months before the fatality, internal communications raised alarm about ground support deficiencies.

In April 2024, the ABC revealed that a geotechnical engineer warned management not to proceed with handheld drilling trials without minimum ground support installed — a warning linked directly to cost-cutting concerns around production delays.

The engineer was terminated shortly after sending the warnings, raising further questions about internal safety culture.

WorkSafe also alleges the mine failed to:

• install sufficient ground bolts and mesh
• conduct adequate risk assessments
• provide proper oversight of air-legging activities

Aftermath and Operational Response
General manager Peter Crooks resigned in the months following the death, although the company did not clarify whether his departure related to the fatality or subsequent investigation.

Resources Victoria issued two infringement notices to Victory Minerals earlier this year.

Despite the tragedy, the mine resumed operations the day after Hourigan’s body was recovered, sparking strong criticism from some in the industry.

The operators are expected to appear in the Ballarat Magistrates Court in December.

Remembering Kurt Hourigan
Hourigan, a father and well-known Bruthen local, was remembered by loved ones as a kind, adventurous and deeply caring man.

His mining hard hat, with his children’s names written inside, became a symbol of his dedication to family and his work underground.

Friends and family described him as:

• “one of nature’s true gentlemen,”
• “a gentle giant,”
• “an absolute larrikin,”
• “a quirky free spirit,”

A fundraiser for his daughter said:
“Our Kurt and his selfless and kind nature will be greatly missed.”

In Summary

As charges proceed to court, the Ballarat Gold Mine tragedy stands as one of Victoria’s most serious underground mining failures in recent years. The upcoming hearing is expected to examine whether safety breaches and ignored warnings contributed directly to the deadly collapse. The mining community continues to mourn Hourigan, while investigators push toward long-awaited accountability.