Memorial dedicated to victims of Australian hostel fire

Mourners from six countries gathered today in a small, rural Australian town to dedicate a memorial for 15 backpackers who perished in a hostel fire there two years ago.

One woman from Ireland, seven backpackers from Britain, two from the Netherlands, three Australians and one person each from South Korea and Japan died when flames tore through the Palace Backpackers Hostel in Childers, a farming community in the north-east state of Queensland, on June 23, 2000.

Robert Paul Long, 38, was sentenced to life in prison earlier this year for arson and murder after being found guilty of starting the blaze. Long, a drifter, is scheduled to appeal against his conviction in the Queensland Court of Appeal on Tuesday in Brisbane.

Relatives of 12 of the victims, Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson, Queensland Premier Peter Beattie and dignitaries from six nations dedicated a six metre by three metre softly-lit glass wall on top of the refurbished hostel to the memory of the 15 who died.

The wall encases images and mementos of the victims and their life stories as told by their parents.

‘‘I want you to know your children will not be forgotten,’’ Beattie told the families during the ceremony.

Beattie said the memorial was also a symbol of renewal for the community of Childers, which has lived with the tragedy for the past two years.

Some 190 miles north of the Queensland state capital of Brisbane, Childers is a popular destination for backpackers hoping to pick up casual work in fruit orchards around the town.

Sydney artist Josonia Palaitis painted a portrait of the victims for the memorial.

‘‘The painting itself is a celebration of the lives of the backpackers: it is a happy painting of backpackers taking a break in the fields from picking fruit,’’ Palaitis said.

The refurbished hostel will house a tourist bureau, art gallery, shops and public plaza which will eventually be linked to a proposed new 120-bed backpackers’ hostel.