00:01The moment the nation and the world had been waiting for.
00:08Beaconsfield gold mine workers Todd Russell and Brant Webb walk free
00:12after spending two weeks trapped deep underground.
00:19Twenty years later, Brant Webb remains fully aware of how lucky he is to be alive.
00:25With rescues, you know, it can go two ways, you know, it can go good or bad. We were just
00:30lucky ours went good.
00:31But amid the relief was the knowledge their colleague, Larry Knight, wouldn't share that moment.
00:37A mining-induced earthquake triggered a rockfall on Anzac Day 2006, killing Mr Knight.
00:45The other two miners were trapped in a metal cage almost a kilometre underground.
00:51To live under there for two weeks, you know, for them to keep us alive for two weeks is pretty
00:56good.
00:58Greg Croden was part of the mine rescue team.
01:02Their operation is widely considered among the most complex and dangerous in Australian history.
01:09A heap of rocks are just bound up on top of a basket.
01:11And if, you know, you imagine you pull a keystone out, it can all just fall in.
01:15So, it was like fairly delicate to try and rescue them for that situation.
01:21He was among the first people to speak directly with the trapped duo after contact was made.
01:27But just walking to the face and where the tubers are, I could hear them talking and stuff.
01:31It just made me hair stand on end.
01:34For a period of time, the mining community was the centre of the world's attention.
01:38Well, initially, the community were in shock.
01:42They just couldn't believe that the rockfall had occurred and that there were miners missing.
01:49Throughout the rescue, Bill Shorten was busy fronting the media as National Secretary of the Australian Workers Union.
01:55He says Todd Russell and Brant Webb both showed extraordinary courage.
02:01The reason why they survived looks them in the mirror every day, it's them.
02:06It wasn't just luck.
02:07It was quite remarkable that they were there for so long and that they were rescued safely.
02:14When the two miners finally emerged, their story captured hearts and headlines across the world.
02:20There were movies, books and songs written about their ordeal.
02:24But the past two decades have not been without their own challenges.
02:28I think the worst times is when your mine's racing and you can't sleep and, you know, things like that
02:35and you don't understand why.
02:36Both men have stayed involved in the community.
02:39Todd Russell recently retired from the Beaconsfield Volunteer Fire Brigade after more than 30 years of service.
02:46Mr Webb is now a proud grandfather who lives just down the road from the mine, which is now a
02:50popular museum.
02:52Yeah, the rescuers mate, I've got to take my hat off to them again because without them I wouldn't be
02:57sitting here talking to you.
02:59Honouring an event that will live long in Australian memory.
03:02You know, I've got controllers and fees, before the
