A Queensland travel blogger’s decision to visit the site of Australia’s deadliest mesothelioma disaster with her four-year-old daughter has drawn fierce criticism and outrage. Asbestos disease advocates warn that even brief exposure to the contaminated former mining town of Wittenoom can cause fatal cancer decades later.
Mesothelioma Town Linked to Estimated 4,000 Deaths Remains Accessible
Wittenoom, located 1,000 miles north of Perth in Western Australia, is known as one of the world’s most mesothelioma-contaminated areas. The asbestos death toll from Wittenoom’s blue asbestos (crocidolite) mines has reached an estimated 4,000 people, making it Australia’s biggest industrial disaster and one of the most notorious mesothelioma sites globally.
Despite government efforts to close and demolish Wittenoom, Australian travel blogger Ronelle Fotinis visited the mesothelioma-contaminated town late last year, bringing her four-year-old daughter with her. News that she had filmed content for her YouTube channel, , while her young daughter accompanied her, sparked outrage from the Asbestos Disease Society of Australia. The organization’s CEO, Melita Markey, warned, “You cannot take back an asbestos exposure.” She noted, “We do have teenagers with mesothelioma in this country.”
Wittenoom’s Mesothelioma Legacy
Wittenoom’s mesothelioma legacy extends beyond the workers who staffed its asbestos mine. Though the mine closed in 1966, the town operated for decades afterward, with the school remaining open until 1985 and horse races continuing until 1991. Jockeys who attended Wittenoom races fewer than five times, who had no other known exposure history, have died from mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases
Though Ms. Fotinis claimed she took mesothelioma safety precautions — never exiting her vehicle, keeping windows closed, and using recirculated air conditioning —experts emphasize that crocidolite fibers require no prolonged exposure to cause disease. Ms. Markey said, “It only takes one visit,” to bring about deadly results. The blogger later expressed regret about bringing her daughter to the site, acknowledging, “In hindsight, I would have definitely never taken my daughter there,” but she also added that if authorities “were dead-set serious and it was as toxic as what they were saying, it would be cleaned up for one and closed off properly for two.”
Western Australian authorities maintain that Wittenoom access remains prohibited with potential $500 fines, but the mesothelioma-contaminated site lacks gates or substantial barriers. Local police are worried that social media posts are promoting visits to the town, and warn that “the contamination at Wittenoom is permanent, and the risk to health is significant.”
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net are here to help. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608 to learn more.
