Jumping castle maker to appear at Hillcrest hearing

Chinese manufacturers of the jumping castle that lifted, killing six children, will give evidence. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)

The overseas manufacturer of a jumping castle at the centre of the Hillcrest Primary School tragedy in which six children died will give evidence at a court hearing. 

Rosemary Anne Gamble, the operator of Taz-Zorb, which set up the castle, is accused of workplace safety breaches over the incident in northwest Tasmania on December 16, 2021.

Zane Mellor, Peter Dodt, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, Addison Stewart, Jye Sheehan and Chace Harrison were killed after a wind gust lifted the castle and inflatable balls into the air. 

(L-R) Addison, Jye, Zane, Jalailah, Peter and Chace
Six children were killed after a wind gust lifted the jumping castle into the air.

They were enjoying end-of-year celebrations on the school's oval. 

Gamble, who has pleaded not guilty, appeared via phone dial-in at Devonport Magistrates Court on Monday. 

The court was told the hearing, expected to run for two weeks, would begin on November 5 as previously planned. 

Representatives from the castle's manufacturer will give evidence via video link from Nanjing in China with help from an interpreter. 

Two Taz-Zorb workers as well as engineering and weather experts will also be among the witnesses. 

Magistrate Robert Webster will view the school's oval as well as the re-inflated castle and other equipment at an undisclosed location before the hearing, the court was told. 

Gamble's lawyer Chris Dockray repeated concerns about wanting to have measures in place to ensure his client's safety during the hearing. 

"I'm concerned, at least in the early part of the hearing, there is going to be a lot of public and media interest," Mr Dockray said. 

Crown prosecutor Madeleine Wilson said the families of the children involved were "very keen" to ensure their concerns were also taken into consideration. 

"It is a very sensitive matter," Ms Wilson said. 

Rosemary Anne Gamble (file image)
Rosemary Anne Gamble allegedly failed to ensure the jumping castle anchorage would stop it lifting.

Both parties were working towards an agreed set of background facts which would mean children who saw the incident wouldn't have to give evidence in court, she said. 

Gamble, who was charged in November, arrived at the school with two workers, and set up the castle and zorb balls. 

According to court documents, she allegedly failed to ensure the anchorage was sufficient to prevent the castle from lifting. 

Gamble is accused of failing to ensure there was a peg at each anchor point in line with the manufacturer's instructions.

She failed to provide the workers with information including the manufacturer's operating manual for the castle, it is also alleged. 

Seven students were on the castle when a "significant" weather event caused it to become dislodged.

They fell from the castle, while a blower attached to the castle to keep it inflated struck a nearby student. 

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