In 1975 Mark Parcell was a toddler. A son of an Ipswich Coal Miner and a child at the Booval Mines Rescue Station Christmas Tree. 15 years later he would become the last ever Cadet Mine Manager with the Queensland Coal Association. In 1994 Mark was a miner at Southern Colliery at German Creek Mine, near Middlemount. His Mines Rescue Team from the Dysart Mines Rescue Station won the Mines Rescue Competition the week before the Moura 2 Mine Disaster in 1994. In the post Moura years Mark obtained his Deputy Certificate and was the Longwall Deputy during the first ever Queensland State Wide Level 1 Emergency Exercise in 1998. Mark also completed his 2nd and 1st Class Mine Manager’s Certificates. He has Masters Degrees in Safety and Risk Management. For the past 20 years Mark has established a Mine Safety Consultancy Business. Mark has created the Mine Accident and Disaster Database and for the past 5 years has been creating past mine disasters in Virtual Reality. Mark believes every person deserves a safe place to work and learning the lessons from past mine Accidents and Disasters is a critical part of that. Mark has recreated the Kianga No.1 Mine in Virtual Reality and is here today to honour the memory of the Miners of Kianga.

Gavin Lawrence brings over 20 years of experience across metalliferous mining and heavy vehicle mechanics, complemented by a strong foundation in trade qualifications and advanced training in risk management, safety and health investigations, and information communication. With extensive expertise as an underground maintenance technician and operational trainer/assessor, Gavin has been a dedicated advocate for worker safety and rights as an AWU Northern District Organiser in Queensland since 2016. In this role, he regularly represents employees in workplace investigations, safety and health matters, and incident resolution, while also assisting workers with workplace injury claims. Gavin actively contributes to industry governance and policy development through his involvement on multiple boards and committees, including the Queensland Mining Safety and Health Advisory Committee for Metalliferous Mining. In 2025, he serves as Chair of the Queensland Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference, continuing his strong commitment to driving positive change, improving safety standards, and advancing initiatives that ensure greater protection for Queensland mine workers.