The 2026 iteration of one of Australia’s largest safety exercises has concluded, with a major miner taking out the silver medal after losing the top spot to a Victorian Country Fire Authority brigade.
Oscar Brigade has emerged as the best overall emergency rescue team after completing two days of nine challenging simulated emergency scenarios at the Minerals Council of Australia’s Victorian Mine Rescue Competition (VMRC) held in Bendigo, Victoria, over the weekend.
BHP Copper SA came second, and Victory Minerals Ballarat took out third place.
Teams from 12 mines from Victoria, NSW, South Australia and Tasmania took part in the 33rd annual VMRC and the biggest competition to date, held over February 28 and March 1 at Fosterville Gold Mine and La Trobe University’s Bendigo campus.
The competition – a high-intensity emergency response training event that brings together mine rescue teams from across Australia and emergency services agencies – included simulated scenarios in fire, road safety, rescue from heights, hazardous materials, confined space rescue, and more.
The VMRC has been running since 1993 and has grown into a truly national competition which also involves emergency response agencies, including Ambulance Victoria and Victoria Police, to help ensure first responders and safety agencies are prepared for any incidents across the state.
“The competition is a critical part of the mining industry’s efforts to support highly trained rescue personnel through realistic scenario-based exercises, contributing greatly to the minerals industry’s commitment to zero harm,” the Minerals Council of Australia said in a statement.
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