A permanent memorial honouring mine workers who lost their lives at Mount Isa Mines is set to become a reality after funding for the $4.7 million project was secured. The development marks the conclusion of a campaign that has lasted almost three decades and will create a permanent place where families, friends, former colleagues and the wider Mount Isa community can remember those who never returned home from work.

The memorial will be constructed at Frank Aston Hill, overlooking the Mount Isa Mines site and the city. Its elevated location is intended to provide a significant setting for remembrance while also reflecting the central role mining has played in Mount Isa's history and development.

The project will honour 151 fallen workers. Many of the workers being remembered were members of the Mount Isa community, and their deaths had a lasting impact on their families, friends and colleagues.

The campaign for a dedicated memorial has been led by local advocates including Steve Trevor and John Moran. Trevor lost his brother Tony in a mining accident in 1995, while Moran began calling for a memorial in 1998. Their long-running efforts have helped keep the issue in the public conversation and eventually contributed to the project receiving the financial support required to proceed.

The total project cost is $4.7 million. The Queensland Government has committed $2 million, while Glencore, the current owner of Mount Isa Mines, has also committed $2 million. Mount Isa City Council is contributing the remaining funding, including $700,000 towards construction.

The planned memorial will include commemorative panels, shaded areas, amphitheatre-style seating and dedicated spaces for reflection. These features are designed to allow families and members of the community to gather, remember the workers and pay their respects.

The memorial is expected to become an important part of Mount Isa's history and tourism landscape. It will provide visitors with an opportunity to understand the human story behind the mining industry, while giving local families a dedicated place to remember loved ones.

The project also comes at an important point in Mount Isa's mining history. The underground copper mine officially ceased operations in 2025, bringing an end to an important chapter in the city's mining story. The new memorial will preserve the memory of the people whose work helped shape Mount Isa over generations.

Construction is expected to be completed by late 2027. Planning and development will continue between Mount Isa City Council, the Miners' Memorial Committee, the Queensland Government and Glencore.

For the Mount Isa community, the memorial represents more than a new structure. It is the outcome of decades of advocacy and a commitment to ensure the sacrifices of mine workers remain part of the city's collective memory.