On July 31, 1902, the Mt. Kembla coal mine in southern New South Wales exploded, killing ninety-six men. It is the worst disaster to occur on land in Australia's history. The explosion took place during a time of social and industrial upheaval, when safety issues had become a bargaining point between management and miners. The NSW coal industry was slowly emerging from the 1890s depression, and the miners were testing their industrial strength in...