Midnight Oil Drummer Rob Hirst Passes Away, Aged 70

Midnight Oil drummer Rob Hirst has passed away, aged 70.

The musician had been battling pancreatic cancer for the past three years, and the band announced his passing this afternoon with a statement shared to social media.

“After fighting heroically for almost three years, Rob is now free of pain - ‘a glimmer of tiny light in the wilderness’,” Midnight Oil said.

“He died peacefully, surrounded by loved ones. The family asks that anyone wanting to honour Rob donate to Pankind, Pancreatic Cancer Australia or Support Act.”

In a statement shared with the ABC, Midnight Oil said: "We are shattered and grieving the loss of our brother Rob. For now there are no words but there will always be songs."

Hirst was a founding member of the legendary Aussie band, which originally formed as Farm in 1972 and also featured Jim Moginie and Andrew James, with Peter Garrett joining a year later before they were renamed in 1976.

While best known as a member of The Oils, having also written and co-written some of their most loved songs over the years, he also played in The Ghostwriters, Backsliders, Hirst & Greene, The Angry Tradesmen and The Break.

In 2012, he published Willie's Bar And Grill, described as “part tour diary, part war commentary, part history brush-up and cultural junket”. The book charts Midnight Oil’s journey across the US shortly after the September 11 terrorist attack.

Last April, Hirst revealed that he had received the cancer diagnosis six months after wrapping up Midnight Oil’s illustrious farewell tour of Australia.

At the time, he said he decided to make the diagnosis public because “wanted to get the story of pancreas cancer out there,” as it’s a cancer that isn’t discussed all that much despite being on the rise in Australia.

“Coming up to two years, I thought I just need to get this, literally, off my chest,” he told The Australian.

“Also, I think that the lesson for me – and maybe why I’ve lasted this long – is because, if you do have any of that kind of symptom, where there’s something that you feel is wrong, just go and get a simple blood test. It could be life-changing, and life-extending.”

Reviewing the band’s final show at Sydney’s Hordern Pavilion in October 2022, The Music’s Mick Radojkovic wrote, “Midnight Oil will never be forgotten, but neither should their legacy and what they’ve been working so long to achieve. For now, let’s remember them however we choose to do so, because everyone has an ‘Oils’ story and they should always be told.

“As the house lights came on, we blinked a few times and applauded once more, not quite believing that it really was all over.”