2021 Hillcrest Primary School accident

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2021 Hillcrest Primary School accident
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Date16 December 2021 (2021-12-16)
TimeAround 10 a.m. AEST
Location Devonport, Tasmania
Coordinates 41°11′14″S146°19′58″E / 41.18735°S 146.3328835°E / -41.18735; 146.3328835
Type Inflatable castle accident
CauseGusty winds
Deaths6
Non-fatal injuries3

The Hillcrest Primary School Incident was a fatal accident at the Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, Tasmania, in which six children died and three were injured during end-of-year celebrations on the morning of 16 December 2021. The accident occurred after a jumping castle and several zorb balls lifted into the air due to a gust of wind, resulting in the children falling from approximately 10 metres (33 feet). [1]

Contents

Accident

The accident took place at Hillcrest Primary School during its Big Day In end-of-year celebrations, and was the last scheduled school day of the year for students. The school had numerous activities on site, including a jumping castle and inflatable zorb balls. At around 10 a.m., a gust of wind lifted the jumping castle and inflatable balls into the air, causing the children to fall from a distance of around ten metres. [2] Seven children were inside the jumping castle when it became airborne, with five of them dying from the resulting injuries. Another child was killed waiting in line after being struck in the head by the airborne jumping castle blower. [3] The school was soon closed and parents asked to collect their children "as a matter of urgency". [2]

Victims

Five children died at the time of the incident, and a sixth child, Chace Harrison, died from his injuries three days later, on 19 December 2021. [4] [5] Three children were severely injured, but recovered. [1] [2] [4]

The families of the six children who died gave permission for news sources to identify the children by name: [6]

Funds

Following the event, a substantial number of resources were given to fund counselling services to children, first responders, teachers and other members of the school community, including $800,000 announced by Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, during his visit to the site on 18 December. [7] A local Devonport resident, Zoe Smith, set up a GoFundMe page for donations to the Hillcrest Community Fund. [8] The GoFundMe raised over $1.4 million. [8]

Due to legal issues, no funds were released to families of victims until four months later, in March 2022. [8] This was the subject of much criticism from community members, including Georgie Gardam, mother of victim Zane Mellor, who accused the Devonport City Council of ignoring families of the victims. [9]

Aftermath

The accident resulted in numerous organisations banning the use of all inflatables on their property, including the Tasmanian Department of Education, who announced the ban shortly after the accident. [10]

The accident was commemorated by a service in December 2022. [11] In the reporting of the anniversary, it was revealed that of the 174 emergency service personnel who responded to the accident, an estimated twelve were still on mental health leave because of the accident. [12]

In May 2023 it was reported that the Tasmanian state government is consulting on a permanent memorial for the accident. [13]

On 6 June 2025, the Devonport Magistrates Court acquitted charges against the operator of the jumping castle ruling that they were not guilty of criminal negligence. [3] [14]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 McLennan, April (4 February 2022). "Jumping castle accident still scars Hillcrest Primary School as students prepare to return". ABC News . Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 "Hillcrest Primary children fall 10m from jumping castle caught in gust". The Advocate. 16 December 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  3. 1 2 Powell, Sandy; Holmes, Adam; Dunlevie, James (5 June 2025). "Families 'broken' after not guilty verdict in Hillcrest jumping castle case". ABC News. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Sixth child dies after school jumping castle tragedy". The West Australian . AAP. 19 December 2021. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  5. ↑ Dunlevie, James; Langenberg, Adam; Oong, Susan (19 December 2021). "Sixth child dies after jumping castle tragedy, as community unites in grief". ABC News. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  6. ↑ Holmes, Lincoln (20 December 2021). "Everything we know about the jumping castle tragedy at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport". 6 News Australia . Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  7. ↑ Ferri, Lauren (18 December 2021). "Scott Morrison and wife Jenny lay flowers at tribute to five children killed in Devonport jumping castle tragedy". news.com.au . Nationwide News . Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  8. 1 2 3 Whitfield, Meg (5 March 2022). "$1.4 million raised for families affected by Hillcrest to be released" . The Advocate. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  9. ↑ McGuire, Simon (26 February 2022). "The mother of a Hillcrest victim has lashed out at the Devonport City Council". The Examiner. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  10. ↑ "Jumping castles now banned in Tasmanian schools following Hillcrest tragedy". ABC News. 18 December 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  11. ↑ Raphael, Angie (11 December 2022). "'Never forget': One year anniversary of jumping castle tragedy". news.com.au .
  12. ↑ James, Ethan (14 December 2022). "Hillcrest school victims to be remembered". The Advocate. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  13. ↑ Gibson, Jano (21 May 2023). "Georgie's son died in a jumping castle tragedy. Almost 18 months on, she says she feels 'forgotten'". ABC News. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  14. ↑ "Families of children killed in Hillcrest jumping castle incident 'shattered' after not guilty verdict". The Guardian. Australian Associated Press. 6 June 2025. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 6 June 2025.
  15. ↑ Butt, Maira (28 August 2024). "Netflix viewers divided over bouncy castle tragedy drama The Accident". The Independent.
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