THE TWO-STAR HOTEL

Geoff Francis & Peter Hicks ©2006

"Dark as the dungeon" they sing in the song
Where the miners alone know what really goes on
On that day the earth shook and the mighty rocks fell
One brave man was taken, two trapped there in hell.

Above ground the families they wait and they wait
In fear and in hope for some news of their fate
The five longest days and nights ever passed by
Till a voice shouted out, "Todd and Brant they're alive!"

For day after day, they kept calm and stayed cool
With jokes and bold laughter, oft playing the fool
Two bravest of miners in that holiest of hell
Union men bunkered in the "Two Star Hotel".

Their rescuers ne'er faltered by day and by night
Their own lives they risked with just one goal in sight
The rocks that they fought were the hardest on earth
All as one put their comrades before their own worth.

There was no room to move, trapped down there in their cage
Where each day that passed it seemed more like an age,
Then an air hole gave food, a few comforts as well
Country songs and Foo Fighters rang out in their cell.

There's no flat screen TV there or in-house video
And there's no satin sheets in that pit down below
But you never could buy what they had in that cell
That's the guts and mateship of the "Two Star Hotel".

Seemed the Earth was determined to not let them go
But these Tasmanian men had a few tricks to show
The rescuers held firm, would not yield from their task
And each one he gave more than could ever be asked.

At the end of two weeks they stepped out and walked tall
With a wave they clocked off, into lovin' arms to fall
And to pay their respects to their comrade who fell
So rejoice for the tenants of the "Two Star Hotel"
Yes rejoice for the heroes of the "Two Star Hotel".

There's no flat screen TV there or in-house video
And there's no satin sheets in that pit down below
But you never could buy what they had in that cell
That's the guts and mateship of the "Two Star Hotel"
That's the guts and mateship of the "Two Star Hotel".

http://unionsong.com/u363.html audio link and lyrics from Mark Gregory’s excellent “Union Songs” website.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaconsfield_Mine_collapse
details of the 2006 Tasmanian goldmine disaster, 40kms NW of Launceston, and a kilometre below the surface, caused by an earthquake-induced rockfall.

ABC reports of Beaconsfield mining rescue
“8 May - Late at night, a test probe is sent through the last metre of rock separating the men from their rescuers. The men say they can see the probe, and workers begin the final push.
9 May - 4:47am AEST - rescue workers use a hydraulic rock splitter, and finally break through to the two trapped men. They are brought to a crib at the 375-metre mark, where they prepare to reach the surface. At 6:00am AEST, Brant Webb and Todd Russell walk out of the mine and move their miners' tags to the 'safe' side of the board after their two-week ordeal.”


R-J