Kaitangata Mine Disaster Memorial

Kaitangata's old cemetery is the place to go if you are looking for insight into the mine disaster that took 34 lives from the small community in 1879.

The official memorial stone is here as well as the graves of the men and boys who were all killed down the mine, except one 13 year old boy who was entering with his horse when the explosion happened and was thrown backwards '50 yards and died on the spot.' Although it is hard to pinpoint exactly where the blast happened, it may have been in tunnels directly under present day Bridport Street.

A lengthy enquiry followed, and the findings are credited with forming the beginnings of mining health and safety rules. There had been a large fire in the pit of the opencast mine at Kaitangata in 1874, before this fatal underground accident. It was attributed to the mine managers brother, described as an odd chap, visiting a disused part of the mine with a candle, sparking the explosion.

Kaitangata's coal has always been the main drawcard to the Clutha Delta, with mining beginning as early as 1850, when it was quite a new activity in New Zealand, and the gold rush had not yet even started.

Also in the cemetery is the grave of sixteen year old Alexander Ramsey who was killed in 1894 when some wooden boxes became uncoupled and rolled on him, also in the business of mining.

The Kaitangata mine's current format is opencast, and it goes by the name Kai Point Coal ltd. There is a memorial hall in Kaitangata but that is a war memorial. The Wangaloa mine out the back of town is being rehabilitated into a recreation area.