Mother of Hillcrest tragedy victim saw son three days later
Georgie Burt, whose 12-year-old son Zane Mellor died in the 2021 Hillcrest Primary School jumping castle tragedy, has told an inquest she was unable to see him until three days after his death. She hopes the proceedings will establish what went wrong and lead to lasting improvements in safety procedures and regulations.
A freak dust-devil lifted the castle 16 metres into the air and carried it 60 metres, killing six children and seriously injuring three others. Police apologised to Ms Burt for preventing her from entering the oval, while the inquest is examining the equipment’s set-up, safety standards, education department responsibilities and emergency response; operator Rosemary Gamble was acquitted of criminal safety breaches in 2025.
- Six children died after a jumping castle became airborne.
- Zane Mellor’s mother waited three days to see his body.
- Inquest considers safety rules, police actions and school responsibilities.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Mum of boy, 12, who died in Hillcrest jumping castle tragedy reveals she wasn’t allowed to see him until days later – despite rushing to the school oval in the aftermath”.