Current information
Update:
The 49th anniversary service was well attended, despite the rain. However, we had to divert to the Town Hall but as they say, the show must go on. Please find below most of the associations chairman's speech:
Ladies & Gentlemen:
On Australia Day in 2001 I was medically retired from the NSW Ambulance Service due to being assaulted on duty in 1996, 29 days ago that injury returned causing me to have major surgery, so I am glad to be here - and like most of you in my age group - I guess we're happy to be anywhere today..
Over the years I have had to make several career changes, so I entered into a study career which led me to becoming a forensic research criminologist - which now leads me to be standing here today.
No one had ever questioned the findings or ventured into researching the data or true stories relating to the Granville Train Disaster.
Therefore, for many years you heard that 83 people were fatally injured until I added the unborn child 9 years ago, also over 200 sort medical intervention to what was alleged as an accident.
Just think, that baby would be 49 years old this year & Rosemary & Helen our two youngest fatalities would be in their mid-50s, and the many who did not have a chance to live out their full years of life, we now gather here today to remember the 84 lives who are not with us here today and the families who have had to suffer their loss and grieve over all the years gone by.
All the families I have met of those who lost their lives on this day 49 year ago, has become a part of our Granville family – and I am honoured to be able to speak on their behalf, as many relatives have now passed away and their emotional pressures and grief they have lived with, has now ended. However, many remain, and they, their children and grandchildren still carry that grief for the rest of their lives.
Being a professional Ambulance Officer/Paramedic at the time and for the years that followed, I thought about those I came across through my career, who had lost someone.
I thought I was so tough, I never ever identified with their grief.
I did not even grieve for my own parents or my many close friends I have lost.
But this all changed in August 2024 when I nursed and lost a close friend at the age of only 51 to MND. You see, as I mentioned earlier - Grief continues for the rest of your life, as I have since discovered.
Even though I handled death during my paramedical career and the loss of close ones in my life - it was only this last death which has taught me the real feelings and suffering of grief, so I am now experiencing just what all involved had to suffer and still grieve.
You see - in a somewhat normal expected death, closure is hard to finalise - but with unexpected deaths such as in accidents, suicides, murders, terrorist attacks and disasters, there just is no realistic closure and the grieving continues.
My years of research discovered many statements to be incorrect -and over the past years, we have been aware of further information which this year we will continue to investigate.
I still have two more interviews in my diary, as stories are still coming forward.
Over the years the Granville Train Disaster Association team has interviewed and spoken to many, for no matter where in the world you were on the 18th January 1977 - many still remember hearing the news of the worst disaster in Australian History. This now can also be said for the Bondi massacre, on Sunday 14 December 2025.
On the 18th January 1977 many emergency services and affiliated services swung into action along with civilian first responders who just dropped everything and assisted where they could. They were not there for glory or medals; they were just there doing what they could.
Those who were on the scene this morning 49 years ago have never forgotten what they did or witnessed and over the years, some have conveyed to their families just what they experienced that day and many have stayed quiet. The same can be said now for the Bondi Terrorist attack - for if it was not for the Granville Train Disaster, I believe our emergency services & affiliated first responders would not have been so prepared.
However, preparation only comes with experience. On the day of the Granville Train Disaster, I and many had never experienced such injuries and with Bondi our new generation Paramedics’ had never witnessed a gunshot victim before - and let us hope they never have to again.
Three years ago, I mentioned that I was interviewed for a documentary to be produced by a London based company and to be shown on American Television – it now appears on the FOX Discovery Channel in a series called International Catastrophic Engineering Failures which our worst rail disaster in Australian History fitted their documentary 100%.
Out of this Documentary an Australian producer decided that a full documentary should be produced showing the complete story of the Granville Disaster of 1977.
We are still researching the archives and continuously interviewing and having general conversations with all those involved at the time - this being with relatives, survivors, rail inspectors, drivers and many more.
What we have learnt is astounding and the proof we are still documenting, and it is hoped by the 50th anniversary – next January - the real true facts will be exposed as we continue to research.
You may ask why it has taken so long to research the Granville Disaster. Well, I had nothing to do with Granville Data for over 30 years. But when asked to write a book, I found not much was available. The reason being that the files in the archives had been sealed for 20 years.
And only 18 months ago I discovered files had been sealed until 2027. However, I applied to have these files unsealed and was granted permission. What I was to discover has been groundbreaking data. So, All I can say at this time is - stay tuned.
Distinguished Guests, relatives & friends I now ask you to remember those whose names appear on the wall and join us as we present the Relatives, Survivors & Rescuers Prayers.
the association went into consultation for the 50th anniversary service.
Yes, with one more year to go, preparations are already in full motion with the Cumberland Council and the NSW Transport.
Should any person wish to volunteer information on just what they would like to see take place on the 50th just contact us as soon as practical so as we can put your ideas to the events committee.
We are still working on our Documentary, and it is hoped to go to air on the 50th anniversary.
The documentary covers the real stories from the people involved and the untold true story.
Reading through archival information continues and more is being discovered, so for the 50th anniversary the book will be a new edited edition as more paragraphs now have to be added.