Inquest Hears of Mother's Agony After Son's Death in Jumping Castle Tragedy
A mother recounted her distress at being unable to see her son for three days following his death in a 2021 jumping castle accident that claimed the lives of six children.
Nearly five years after the Hillcrest Primary School jumping castle tragedy, the mother of 12-year-old Zane Mellor, Georgie Burt, has shared her experiences during the first week of a long-awaited inquest in Tasmania. The inquest aims to examine safety protocols and the circumstances surrounding the December 16, 2021, incident that resulted in the deaths of six children and injuries to three others.
Zane was with his classmates celebrating the end of the school year when a sudden, powerful gust of wind, described as a 'mini-tornado,' lifted the jumping castle and other inflatable equipment into the air. The castle reportedly ascended 16 meters before landing 60 meters away. Zane, along with Addison Stewart, Chace Harrison, Jye Sheehan, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, and Peter Dodt, all in grade 5 or 6, tragically lost their lives.
Ms. Burt told the inquest that she rushed to the school oval immediately after the incident but was unable to locate her son. She was informed he had been taken to Mersey Community Hospital, where she later learned of his death. However, she was unable to see him because his body was being transported elsewhere. It was not until three days later, at a funeral home, that she was able to see her son.
Tasmania Police assistant commissioner Adrian Bodnar apologized to Ms. Burt for the fact she was not permitted onto the school oval, while other victims' families were allowed access. Lead forensic investigator Dean Wotherspoon also admitted that police "could have done better," noting issues with the initial response, including a lack of clear command and improper evidence packaging, though he stated this likely did not impact subsequent investigations.
The inquest is set to review the setup of the jumping castle by operator Taz-Zorb, national safety standards, and potential shortcomings by the education department. Rosemary Gamble, Taz-Zorb's operator, had previously been accused of criminal workplace safety breaches but was found not guilty in 2025. The magistrate ruled that while Ms. Gamble could have taken further steps regarding anchorage, it would not have altered the outcome, and the wind event was deemed unpredictable.
Ms. Burt highlighted recent jumping castle incidents in Victoria and New South Wales in early September, where five children were hospitalized after inflatables were lifted by winds. She expressed hope for improved protocols, legal changes, and a thorough review of safety practices. "I don't think there will ever be a complete amount of closure when it comes to losing our children," Ms. Burt said after the first day of hearings.
Lawyers for the families are seeking permission for school staff to give evidence at the inquest, stating that families are desperate for information. The state's lawyer indicated that some staff members suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and have already provided sufficient information via statements.
Evidence presented to the inquest indicated that the jumping castle was anchored with pegs at only four of its eight points, and a Zorb ball barrier was secured at six of 32 points. Const. Wotherspoon, drawing on decades of search-and-rescue experience, stated that in his professional opinion, the castle was insufficiently tethered. Police found pegs and star pickets in the operator's trailer at the school, which were "readily available" for use.
Paula Hyland, an executive for the Tasmanian Health Service, testified that difficulties in identifying the children initially hindered information flow to parents, but this did not affect the care they received. Ambulance Tasmania boss Nicole Ashworth indicated that nothing more could have been done by the more than 40 responding paramedics and aeromedical staff to change the outcome. State forensic pathologist Andrew Reid stated that he did not believe different medical or surgical interventions could have saved the children.
Witnesses have testified that the weather was calm and virtually windless on the morning of the tragedy. Counsel assisting the coroner noted that Ms. Gamble had a policy of not operating the castle if winds were forecast to exceed 25 km/h, and the Bureau of Meteorology had predicted light winds reaching 15 to 20 km/h by the evening. However, lawyers for the families and Ms. Burt contend that the oval was known to be a windy location.
The inquest is scheduled to continue with further hearings in November and February. 
