Tranter, Peter Payne and Kay Stingemore with emcee Colby Lawrence.
Stacy Tranter was one of three guest speakers at Friday’s Night For Our Lost Miners memorial event and spoke on behalf of the Manns family about the death of her uncle at the CSA Mine in 1984.
Stacy said it was an honour and a privilege to speak on behalf of her grandparents, Eric and Kath Manns, in loving memory of their son and her uncle, Dennis George Manns.
Aged just 24 years, Dennis lost his life in a workplace accident at CSA.
“He was a young father, a devoted husband, a cherished son, and much-loved brother—Dennis’ passing left a void that can never truly be filled,” Stacy said.
“The days that followed were dark and heavy. But amidst the pain, the town of Cobar, its people, its workers, and the wider community, wrapped their arms around the family with immense love and compassion.
“The outpouring of support became a lifeline, a reminder that even in the depths of grief, there is still love, still humanity, still hope,” Stacy said.
Former New Occidental Hotel publican, Peter Payne, was also a guest speaker and recalled how the “hard durable people” of Cobar in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s adjusted to the grief after losing one of their mates or family member in a mining tragedy.
“There was fellowship or mateship, a few beers, a few jokes, a few tears from big, hard men and a few knuckle-ups,” Peter recalled.
He remembered also how the town rallied after a fatality and how the Cobar community came together in hard times.
Local historian Kay Stingemore also spoke and explained the significance of the flags of various nations hanging at the Miners Memorial. She said they represent the men listed on the tag board who came to Cobar from other nations to live and work.
Kay spoke about four of those men who had worked in mines in Cobar: Henry Ward, a Swedish man, Giames Piter, from Roumania, an Italian, Antoni Ricci and a Russian, Peter Schevchenko, and outlined their contributions to Cobar, how they died and how they will always be remembered.
