The events of Anzac Day, 25th April 2006 and the triumph and tragedy to follow, thrust the little town of Beaconsfield in Northern Tasmania into the spotlight.
World wide attention focused on the plights of three miners trapped almost one kilometre underground in the Beaconsfield Gold Mine following a ground collapse at the -925m level.
As Australia and the world watched on, it unfolded that one miner had tragically lost his life and grave fears were held for the other two.
On 30th April newspaper headlines rejoiced in the news that the pair were alive, precariously trapped in the basket of a telehandler beneath hundreds of tonnes of broken rock.
Mining experts devised a rescue plan and revolutionary mining and explosive techniques were employed.
On 9th May the two entombed miners emerged from the shaft and into the arms of family. Tears of joy and sadness flowed as freely as the beer in the local pubs.