Machinery Incident Leaves Worker Hospitalised at Brisbane Airport

A worker at Brisbane Airport was rushed to hospital after being injured in a machinery accident while handling baggage on the tarmac.



About 8:00 p.m. last 24 December 2024, the incident occurred when an employee of Swissport was running baggage loading machinery. Emergency services arrived fast at the scene, and the worker with severe leg injuries was sent to Royal Brisbane And Women’s Hospital.

Brisbane Airport Machinery Incident
Photo Credit: Brisbane Airport

What Happened?

The accident occurred during one of the airport’s busiest times of the year. Swissport, which oversees ground-handling operations, attested that the employee was utilising baggage equipment at the time of the incident.

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) is now looking into the matter. Swissport and Brisbane Airport Corporation have both stated that they are reviewing their safety procedures and are fully cooperating with the investigation.

According to a Swissport representative, employee safety is their first concern. They are completely supporting the injured worker and their family and are extremely concerned about this incident.

Safety Measures Under Scrutiny

The incident has highlighted the importance of stringent safety protocols for high-risk airport operations. Machinery accidents, while uncommon, serve as a reminder of the potential hazards faced by ground-handling staff. This event has prompted discussions about improving training programs and ensuring regular maintenance of equipment used in daily operations. Swissport has indicated it will review its current safety procedures as part of the investigation process.

Brisbane Airport Corporation, which oversees the broader airport infrastructure, expressed its concern and affirmed its commitment to a safe working environment. Peter Doherty, the airport’s representative added that such occurrences highlight the necessity of ongoing attention to detail and cooperation among all parties involved.

Ongoing Investigation

WHSQ is working to determine exactly what went wrong and how similar incidents can be avoided. Both Swissport and Brisbane Airport Corporation have stressed their commitment to maintaining safe working conditions. Initial findings from the investigation are expected to guide future safety enhancements.



As investigations continue, the community’s focus remains on the recovery of the injured worker and any safety improvements that may result from the inquiry. Meanwhile, employees have been reminded of available support services to address concerns about workplace risks or provide counselling for those affected by the incident.

Published 27-Dec-2024

Aether Brewing’s Beer Declared ‘Champion Strong Beer’ and QLD’s Best

Aether Brewing‘s “Hop, Skip & Jump” garnered back-to-back awards as “Champion Strong Beer” and “Best Queensland Beer of Show” at the recently concluded Royal Queensland Food & Wine Show (RQFWS) held at the Brisbane Showgrounds on the 3rd of March, 2021.



According to RQFWS Beer Advisory Group member and judge Steve Henderson, “IPA is a style of beer with many components that need to come together to create a balanced drinking experience,” which makes creating a particularly masterful and award-winning IPA a difficult task. 

Aether Brewing’s award-winning IPA, “Hop, Skip & Jump”.
Photo Credit: Facebook/Aether Brewing

“…the Aether team is laser focused on improving their product with each batch they brew,” Mr. Henderson adds. “I look forward to seeing Aether Brewing’s beers distributed nationally as the whole of Australia needs to see how good Queensland craft beer is.” 

Earning a grand total of 18.0 points in the Strong Beer category, Hop, Skip & Jump beat out 22 other submissions to win a Gold award — one of the 39 given out amongst 485 different entries. 

The Aether Brewing brewery can be found at 340 Melton Rd, Northgate. They’re open from 3:00PM to 7:00PM on Friday and 12:00PM to 7:00PM on Saturdays and Sundays. Follow their social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates. For more details, visit their website.


Disability Action Week In Nundah

Disability Action Week is running from 9-15 September in Queensland. The week’s theme is “An All Abilities Queensland: Everybody Has A Role To Play.” It will see a variety of events all over the state including in Nundah.

The Community Living Association has received a share of $150,000 by the government amongst the 38 not-for-profit organisations for their musical production event “All Aboard! A Musical Production by the Nundah All Stars in conjunction with Mary Mackillop College.”

The not-for-profit organisation is established by a group of young people with disabilities with the help of their families and supporters. They provide support to people with intellectual and cognitive disabilities through several programs.

The funds will help with the event costs and is part of the Disability Community Event Grants Program. This is part of the government’s commitment to the All Abilities Queensland: Opportunities for All state disability plan. This plan allows every person. including the 1 in 5 Queenslanders who have disability, to thrive and reach their full potential as equal citizens.

Coral O’Rourke, the Queensland’s Minister for Disability Services is happy with the number of events is being held throughout Queensland, “I’m pleased to see a number of events in regional Queensland are receiving this funding, including a Charleville arts festival and a picnic day on Thursday Island, providing a great boost for people with disability in these regions,” he said.

The Disability Action Week is held every year in September. Aside from empowering individuals with disability, this also helps raise awareness of disability issues and improve access and inclusion throughout a wider community.