June 8th, 2025Woofin’ fine rescue: Ted the dog recovered from Trentham mineshaft
There can be few moments of relief greater than the recovery of a much-loved missing pet as the well-publicised rescue of labrador Ted from a Trentham mineshaft in recent days illustrates.
A big team effort on Monday June 2 saw local CFA crews and Bendigo’s Oscar 1 rescue team safely rescue labrador Ted from where he was trapped down an eight-metre deep mineshaft in Trentham bushland.
Ted and his Labradoodle buddy Penny had gone missing four days earlier on Thursday (May 29) sparking a huge community search and online campaign after the dogs’ owners, Chantal Henderson and family, discovered them missing.
Luckily, a neighbour had heard Penny’s frantic barking and was then able to locate Penny guarding the top of the shaft with poor Ted stuck inside.
On Monday June 2, faithful Penny and her stuck buddy Ted were found on Pronk Track in Trentham at around 11.43am that morning.
A quick call was made to Triple Zero and the Trentham Fire Brigade and Oscar 1 swung into action, with assistance also from Hepburn Shire Council staff and Forest Fire Management Victoria.
Ted was kept calm with food and water until rescuers could safely bring him back up at 2:53 pm, happy and straight into owner Chantal Henderson’s waiting arms.
A very relieved Chantal had plenty of praise for all concerned with the rescue, posting on social media:
“Our family is ever so grateful for all the support and well wishes we have received these past five days.
“Thank you to Ruth and her daughter for their perseverance searching the bush after hearing their barking. Without you they would never have been found.
“Penny was found guarding Ted who had fallen down a straight 8 meter mine shaft some time before or around Friday lunch time. Both dogs are in unbelievable condition, a little lighter than usual, but otherwise excellent.
“Thank you to our rescuers, Trentham CFA, Hepburn and Moorabool shire rangers/officers, Forest Management and CFA Oscar 1 Mine Rescue.”
Trentham Fire Brigade Captain David Wheeldon said: “when we arrived, as you would expect, Penny was quite agitated, but luckily one of our firefighters knew the owners because they lived next door to them.
“We were able to get a hold of them to come down before Bendigo’s Oscar 1 crew started the rescue process.
“Throughout the morning, we were providing Ted with plenty of food and water.
“The members of Oscar 1 descended down the 8m shaft to safely extricate Ted and hand him back into the arms of his owners at around 2.53pm, happy, healthy and well.”
The “ruff” yet ultimately relieving incident serves to highlight the ongoing dangers posed by old mine-shafts in the area.
While on scene Trentham Fire Brigade members had worked with Forest Fire Management Victoria to locate and red-tape a number of open mine shafts in the area in an effort to help prevent future incidents.
Images: Supplied
