On the night of July 30, 1997, tragedy struck Thredbo when Australia’s deadliest landslide buried two ski lodges, claiming 18 lives. Remarkably, there was one survivor.
More than 2,000 NSW SES members took part in the gruelling nine-day rescue operation. Witnesses described hearing “a whoosh of air, a crack, and a sound like a train rushing down the hill” and within just 10 seconds, it was over. The area was deemed too dangerous to enter at night, forcing emergency crews to wait until morning to begin the painstaking search.
Once underway, rescue teams – 100 at a time worked tirelessly around the clock in treacherous conditions, risking their own safety on unstable terrain.
After 65 hours, faint cries were heard from deep within the rubble. It was 27-year-old Stuart Diver. Following a tense 10-hour rescue effort, he was pulled to safety and greeted with cheers from exhausted responders, emotional residents, and millions glued to their screens across the country.
The Thredbo landslide remains one of the most defining events in the history of the NSW SES – an enduring testament to courage, resilience, and the extraordinary power of teamwork in the face of disaster.
In 2025, the NSW State Emergency Service (SES NSW) proudly marks 70 years of dedicated service to the people of New South Wales.
