Inquest into 2021 jumping castle tragedy that killed six children begins Monday
A long-awaited inquest into the December 2021 jumping castle tragedy begins Monday in Devonport, Tasmania.
Six children died in the incident: Peter Dodt, Zane Mellor, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, Jye Sheehan, Chace Harrison and Addison Stewart. A wind gust lifted a jumping castle during end-of-year celebrations at Hillcrest Primary School in December 2021.
The inquest will look at three things. First, whether the education department had weak practices.
Second, what weather checks happened. Third, what risk checks were done.
Taz-Zorb operator Rosemary Gamble was found not guilty of workplace safety crimes in June 2025. But the coroner can make different findings.
Zane Mellor's mother said: "There is a gap between what we know to be true and what the system would accept." The inquest runs Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.
More hearings will happen later in 2026 and early 2027.
- Six Hillcrest Primary students
- Children killed
- December 2021
- When it happened
- Not guilty, June 2025
- Operator verdict
- Devonport, Tasmania
- Inquest location
Why it mattersThe inquest may uncover whether safety issues can be stopped in the future. It also offers families a different legal path to answers after the criminal case.
AustraliaTasmanians and Australian families affected by similar tragedies may learn what safety gaps the inquest identifies around children's events and inflatable rides.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 4 d ago
