The incident, which happened on February 7, 1969, resulted in the deaths of nine people, including the train driver who had suffered a heart attack minutes before the crash.
It is a part of history that was devastating for the town and the family and friends of the dead and injured.
The Southern Aurora memorial committee has put together a series of commemorations which will take place in Violet Town across four days.
It is not about bringing up bad memories but instead opens up a space where the event can be recognised; where people can reflect.
A space such as this not only allows relatives a chance to do this, but to show the significance of the incident more broadly in the community.
In Monday’s edition of The News, we were given a sense by committee chairman Gary Abley about the motivations behind wanting to create an area which would appropriately acknowledge the incident.
In today’s News, the impact of the tragedy is told from the perspective of former News journalist Noel Hussey, who has recounted the magnitude of the incident.
While tragedies such as this bring with them a great deal of sadness and loss, there is also the stories of survival and of the community rallying behind its own to help out during a difficult time.
So as the town marks the anniversary of the crash this week, our thoughts are with all those affected as this tragic event is rightly acknowledged and remembered.
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